The founder of one of Marlborough's most renowned restaurants has died at 81

MARLBOROUGH — Be it for a night out, a graduation party or some other special event, it seems like almost everyone in Marlborough has been to Kennedy's Restaurant.

On Feb. 18, Kennedy's founder, Dennis Patrick Kennedy, of Southborough, died after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. He was 81.

"He had retired, but he never really retired," said his daughter, Julie Kennedy Doherty. "This was his baby; this was his life. He loved to be around the people. He'd come in and help, particularly on the holidays. He always had his pulse on things."

Kennedy grew up in Toronto, but came to the United States with his parents as a teen. His father, Edmund Kennedy, was well known jockey.

Dennis Kennedy developed a love for cooking and became a chef, working at several Framingham restaurants, including Wallace's, Sea & Surf and the Maridor. It was while working as head chef at the Coach Lite Restaurant in Marlborough that he developed a recipe that became one of his most popular dishes at Kennedy's — the Chicken Supreme.

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In 1981, Kennedy and his wife, Carolyn, opened Kennedy's at 247 Maple St. (Route 85), where it remains to this day.

It was more than his cooking that attracted both employees and customers — it was his personality, according to his son, Michael Kennedy.

"He was really kind of a people person," said Michael Kennedy. "He would take an interest in his neighbors. He would take an interest, in particular, to the people who worked for us, on a personal level. He was interested in their development and how they grew."

In addition to the original Kennedy's Restaurant, Kennedy opened a second location called Kennedy's West, which was open for several years on Boston Post Road (Route 20), where a Hampton Inn now sits. He also opened Kennedy's Market, which is adjacent to the original Kennedy's Restaurant.

He worked hard to make Kennedy's the success it is today, his daughter said.

Balanced work, family life

"He worked very hard, and it was clear he was a good communicator, and he was a very good teacher," said Kennedy Doherty. "In our childhood, he worked a lot of hours, a lot of weekends and holidays. But when he was home, he was on. On Halloween, he would transform our basement into a haunted house."

Dennis Kennedy meant a lot to the city, Mayor Arthur Vigeant said.

"Dennis is known not only for Kennedy’s Restaurant and Market, but Dennis Kennedy and his family are a big part of the community and have always been very supportive of the city and its many nonprofits," Vigeant said. "He will be greatly missed."

Kennedy had many interests outside work, his children said.

"I would say he was accomplished in many things," said Kennedy Doherty. "He loved to paint and to sketch. He did watercolors and charcoals and sculpting. He had an appreciation for wooden boats and Harleys and older cars, particularly Jaguars."

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He also inherited a love of horses from his father, previously owning thoroughbreds, Michael Kennedy said. And while his father took flying lessons, he never got his flying license — but he enjoyed flying after Michael Kennedy earned his license.

Kennedy's Restaurant & Market is successful today due to the standards Dennis Kennedy set years ago.

"He was kind of old school, particularly when it came to work," said Michael Kennedy. "He had standards and he made sure those standards were followed. In some ways he was very strict about those things, but it was for the greater good."

For those who want to honor Dennis Kennedy, memorial donations may be made in his name to www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Marlborough restaurant owner, chef Dennis Kennedy has died at 81