Long-time chef purchases, reopens popular business
Since opening in 2004, Fiddlestix Cafe has become a legacy in Cornwall. When the Main Street restaurant closed in October, patrons were devastated, but the emotions would be short-lived.
Excitement began to build again when a vague, but hopeful message appeared on the cafe’s Facebook page. The March 8 post said, “See you soon.” Nineteen days later, Johnnie Bats announced he and his wife, Samantha Van Houten, purchased the restaurant. The Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 14 and Fiddlestix officially re-opened the following day.
“I figured I put enough time in,” Bats said of the decision to purchase the restaurant. “I was here for about 10 years. I figured it was the next logical step for me. I knew it like the back of my hand. When the opportunity presented itself it just made sense.”
Bats grew up wanting to be a rock star. He took odd jobs with a number of bands before falling into a different, unexpected line of work. Twelve years ago he started out as a dishwasher at Loughran’s Irish Pub. He eventually worked his way up to the food preparation line.
Knowing some people who worked for Fiddlestix, he was told the restaurant’s prep guy left and was encouraged to apply for the job. In Feb. 2011, owner Pat Mercurio hired Bats. A year later he moved up to chef, a position he held for the better part of the next decade.
Bats discussed purchasing the cafe over the summer, but when Mercurio decided not to sell, the chef decided he had plateaued and tried to find a union job while working as a chef at The Rock Wall. When Fiddle-stix closed in the fall, he was approached about taking over the business. A deal was finalized in March.
Bats didn’t grow up spending a lot of time cooking in the kitchen, but the job has since grown on him.
“I like to think of myself as an artist,” he said. “I like to create things. I like to put things together. Make it cool. Make it my own. This gives me a good palette for creativity.”
That artistry shines through in the creation of new specials and sauces, as well as the design for T-Shirts and other apparel.
Although the kitchen was renovated, little else has changed about the restaurant. The menu is still the same and will likely remain as such with the future addition of popular specials.
“We figured if we’re buying the name, we’re keeping the menu,” Bats said. “It’s a staple in this town. Everyone knows it.”
The Roots, a Belgian waffle and fried chicken fingers topped with bacon, dijon maple sauce, and powdered sugar, started out as a special, but became a permanent fixture on the menu due to its popularity.
In the future, Bats and business manager Van Houten hope to obtain a beer and wine license so they can collaborate with local breweries. They would like to offer more merchandise like apparel and mugs, as well as re-introduce off-premise catering.
Since the new owners have taken over, the hours of operation have changed slightly. Fiddlestix is now open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed on Monday) and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
