No changes to Kenmore Diner breakfast, but homemade soups, sandwiches available for lunch
Christon Paddock of Auburn made her first venture as a business owner when she took over the iconic Kenmore Diner in January. She wants to assure customers that the breakfast menu that has worked for 50 years won’t be changing.
However, lunch is a different story as Paddock has added her homemade soups and sandwiches to the menu. The Kenmore Diner not only offers all-day breakfast, but now all-day-lunch.
Meet the owner.
Paddock bought the business from longtime restaurateur James Yantsides and his wife, Pauline, who on the diner’s 50th anniversary, Jan. 15, said their goodbyes and offered free breakfast to the public.
“Jimmy turned the keys over to me at the end of the celebration,” said Paddock, who explained that the next day the deal was finalized inside the diner. “Jimmy presented me with a huge bouquet of flowers, about five dozen red roses. We all cried. At the end, Jimmy said, ‘Make me proud.’” Note: Yantsides remains owner of the building.
Paddock had worked with Yantsides for about four months before he signed off. “Cooking, ordering, sharing business records, you name it,” said Paddock. “Jimmy helped me transfer smoothly into new diner ownership.” Since then, Yantsides has stopped by the diner a couple times a week for a cup of coffee. “The first week Jimmy came almost every day,” said Paddock. “He is so supportive and always makes himself available for questions.”
Paddock, originally from Spencer, previously was operations manager at AA Transportation Co. in Shrewsbury and has worked in the medical field. Her early experience in the food industry dates back to days at the former Shorah’s Restaurant on Foster Street in Worcester, where her father John Richard was executive chef. Paddock at one time worked shifts at both Shorah’s and the Publick House in Sturbridge. “It was a great learning experience as the restaurants were very different from each other,” said Paddock, adding that Timothy Haywood worked the line at the Publick House at the same time she was there. Haywood owns Tiny Tim’s Café in Auburn and recently was appointed new chef/caterer at the Chester P. Tuttle Post 279 in Auburn.
Paddock said she first heard that the Kenmore was up for sale when Pauline Yantsides mentioned it at a bible study class, where they volunteered. “Later, my daughter Gillian said, ‘Mom, why don’t you buy the diner. You could do it.’ I remember telling her that it was a big undertaking and that the Yantsides’ had established a great reputation as owners. Well, after talking it over with my husband and support from my family, here I am,” said Paddock. “I saw it as an incredible business opportunity.”
Paddock and her husband, Ryan Paddock, have been married 23 years and have three daughters. Gillian, who says she initially joked about her mother buying the business, now bakes muffins, cookies and specialty desserts for the diner. Another daughter, Audrey, works part-time on the line and helps with food prep. The Paddock’s 8-year-old daughter Crystal “loves” a side of french fries when she visits the diner on Saturdays. Waffles are another kid-friendly favorite.
The Kenmore Diner, 250 Franklin St., Worcester, is open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Table and counter service. Telephone: (508) 792-5125; Connect on social media. Note: Diner parking is under Interstate 290. Look for signage.
It’s currently cash only at the diner, but credit cards will be accepted by late March or early April, according to Paddock, whose goal is to introduce dinner hours by fall. “I think of the diner as a neighborhood place, especially with all the apartments being built around us,” she said. “Adding all-day lunch is working out well, especially for people who do overnight shifts and like either a bowl of chili or a sandwich early in the morning.”
A new lunch sandwich option, an 8-ounce shaved rib eye sandwich, has personal meaning for Paddock, who recalled the days when her mother regularly ordered a Philly steak sandwich from a Spencer shop. “I was a kid and I always thought Philly meant Philadelphia cream cheese,” said Paddock, explaining that when she was older and would make a steak sandwich at home she would spread cream cheese on the bottom of the bread.
Guess what? She hasn’t broken the habit. The diner’s shaved rib eye sandwich has both cream cheese and Provolone cheese. “Customers really like it,” said Paddock. Her homemade balsamic vinegar tops the newest addition to the menu, a sub piled high with a variety of meats, cheeses, lettuce, tomato and onion, with an added layer of mayonnaise.
According to Paddock the diner’s customers remain loyal, despite the change in ownership “Once in a while I get shut down by a customer when I go to take an order,” said Paddock. “They tell me that they have ordered the same thing for the last 10 years, with Jimmy knowing what they want as soon as they’re seated. I’m in the learning stages.”
As for Jimmy and Pauline Yantsides, they plan to begin retirement by spending time in Greece, leaving in the spring.
Paddock said she wishes the couple the best and admits she will miss early morning visits from Jimmy and good morning calls from his wife. “Pauline always asks, ‘Are you happy and ends with I love you,’” said Paddock.
You’ll find Christon Paddock both friendly and accommodating as she maintains the status quo at Kenmore Diner.
Goodbye, Chuck's Steak House & Margarita Grill
A bittersweet goodbye: After 46 years in business, Steve Londregan and Tom Flynn, co-owners of Chuck’s Steak House & Margarita Grill in Auburn, have decided to retire. February 24, 2 to 9 p.m., will be the last day of food service for the general public.
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Owners are in talks with the town of Auburn on a $4 million deal to sell the three-acre property for the construction of a new headquarters for the Fire Department. Read Telegram & Gazette reporter Toni Caushi’s recent story about the closing and what’s next for the property.
Through years of change, I have profiled Londregan and Flynn in business. They are genuinely nice guys and owners who have maintained a strong business partnership and friendship. In a 2018 story about their 40th anniversary, Londgren reminded us that a business partnership is similar to a marriage. “You need good communication and absolute trust in your partner,” he said.
The men have known each other since they were students at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, where they both majored in economics. Flynn also holds an MBA from Babson College in Wellesley. The men joined the management team at Auburn Chuck’s in 1980, purchasing the Auburn real estate in 2000, saying it was an offer they couldn’t refuse. The history of Chuck’s Steak House goes back to the late '50s in Hawaii. More info about the restaurant chain is available online.
Chuck’s in Auburn originally operated as two separate restaurants under one roof until 2013 when Margarita Grill dining room and lounge became a function room. I am sure many local diners have fond memories of sipping margaritas at the bar.
As restaurateurs, Londregan and Flynn faced challenges head on. They reinvented themselves and the business with no guarantees. “You want people to be happy. Both guests and employees,” they said. A solid reputation was built with Londregan, “the pretty face at the front,” and Flynn, “the back of the house guy.”
In business stories, they always credited employees and longtime customers for the restaurant’s successful run. General manager Jeff Stafford has been at the job since 1978.
When it was first reported that Chuck’s would close, the owners said they would like to relocate the restaurant on a smaller scale, preferably in Auburn. Their message in a recent Facebook posting read, “After much soul searching and a lot of heart-to-heart conversations, we have decided to end a great 46-year run at Chuck’s Steak House. The decision, albeit a difficult one, is a combination of where many of us on the leadership team find ourselves in life and where our next chapters lie both personally and professionally.”
Through the years, I’ve spoken to Londregan and Flynn, on and off the record. I will greatly miss our conversations and the honesty and integrity they brought as restaurateurs.
Congratulations, Steve and Tom. It’s been great knowing and writing about you. I hope you enjoy a long and happy retirement.
You’ve earned it!
If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Table Hoppin': New owner Christon Paddock adapting to Kenmore Diner
