Opened second restaurant in August
Some backyard chefs appear to be unlucky. It always rains when they want to barbecue. The Farella Brothers are professionals. But they also have problems. There’s an economic upheaval every time they open a restaurant.
The three men (Jamie, Christian and Gavin) made their culinary debut in 2008 with Brothers Barbecue in Vails Gate. Soon after the doors were open, the nation plunged into its deepest recession in several decades. But the venture still prospered for the first two years.
Then a fire destroyed the building, but not the resolve of the men who owned it. Brothers Barbecue reopened in 2012 with a larger venue at the same location. There was entertainment on the weekends and a deck for outside dining.
In 2020, the jinx struck again, or did it? The trio introduced Brothers Smokehouse in Ramsey, N.J. They were getting ready to open when COVID-19 clobbered the restaurant business.
“We were going to back out,” they admitted. “But we had signed the lease and we were excited about it.”
The new restaurant was a step up in size. It had a seating capacity of 322 people. Of course, these days only a percentage of the tables can be filled. There could have been a lot of empty seats. But instead the owners seemed happy with the public’s response.
They were upbeat when I interviewed them on Jan. 22. “People have to eat,” they explained. They’ll travel for good food. And the regulars still come every week.”
The bands that used to play at the Vails Gate location are now traveling to Jersey on Thursday and Saturday nights. They’re happy to do it, because the restaurants aren’t the only ones affected by the pandemic. “A lot of bands aren’t working,” the brothers told me. “And we’re helping them survive.”
Lawrence Gregorek says that’s typical of the owners. They feed the homeless and take care of employees. Lawrence’s father coached the brothers in youth football and his mother was their teacher. The brothers grew up in Cornwall, but developed their cooking skills while visiting relatives in the south.
They would come home and look for the same type of food, but they couldn’t find it. Since opening their first restaurant, they have won a pair of competitions, and have catered the Army football games. More importantly, they’ve managed to build their business during the worst of times. But they don’t brag about it. They credit their customers.
“We’re appreciative of the community for supporting us,” the brothers said. “They’ve helped us stay open the whole time and keep a majority of our staff.”
