Tag: Chris O’harra

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Jeremiah’s Inn to Sponsor 2nd Annual Chopped! Worcester

The Chefs and MC of Chopped! Worcester (2017)

In Worcester, the prevalence of hunger is twice that than the Commonwealth. One in 3 children living in our city are facing hunger. You can help make a difference by attending Jeremiah’s Inn 2nd Annual Chopped! Worcester.

Jeremiah’s Inn houses one of 29 food pantries in Worcester, and more than 9,000 people who are struggling with hunger turn to us for help each year. At each visit, we provide each client with 60-75 pounds of food, including produce, milk, meat, eggs and cheese. The Inn also runs a residential treatment program for men suffering from a substance abuse disorder.

Chopped!Worcester will be held on Monday, September 24th from 5:30-8:30pm in the Odeum Room in the Rubin Campus Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

Using ingredients one would find in a food pantry, four local chefs will go head to head, creating an appetizer and an entrée in under 40 minutes. Their food will be evaluated by a panel of 3 judges. After both rounds are complete, a winner will be declared.

This year’s contestants are: Chris O’Harra from Maddi’s Cookery and TapHouse, Rachel Coit from Kummerspeck, Bill Nemeroff from BT’s Smokehouse and Robin Clark from deadhorse hill.

This year, we’re auctioning off a seat at the judge’s table! One lucky bidder gets the exclusive opportunity to join our panel of judges, sample and critique the creations, and vote for the winner of the coveted “Golden Cleaver” award!! For more information about that, people can visit our auction page at www.biddingOwl.com/JeremiahsInn. Food writer Jim Eber will be this year’s MC.

Order tickets online.

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Maddi’s Cookery and Taphouse Now Open on Water Street in Worcester

Maddi's Cookery and Taphouse on Water Street

Maddi’s Cookery and Taphouse opened their doors on Monday, June 18th at 11 a.m. Executive Chef Christopher O’Harra told Mass Foodies, “I am very excited to be a part of this new venture. Adam has built something very special here and we cannot wait for Worcester to be a part of it.”

Maddi’s Cookery and TapHouse brought out the buffalo chicken balls, stick e. bacon, and 'wings which way' to kick off their soft opening tonight on Water Street in Worcester’s The Canal District.
Maddi’s Cookery and TapHouse brought out the buffalo chicken balls, stick e. bacon, and ‘wings which way’ to kick off their soft opening tonight on Water Street in Worcester’s The Canal District.

Maddi’s is owned and operated by Adam Hicks who is also the chef and owner of the Depot Street Tavern in Milford. Hicks attended Johnson & Wales University and went on to work in the corporate world of food service with O’Harra before opening his first restaurant in August of 2014. His latest venture, Maddi’s Cookery and Taphouse is located in the former home of The Perfect Game at 64 Water Street. Hicks feels that Worcester is the right city for his brand’s expansion. He aims to create an approachable atmosphere for patrons of all ages.

Decor includes exposed brick, a thick-sealed concrete bar, and handcrafted furniture built with reclaimed wood. Maddi’s features 20 beers on tap and an outdoor patio that seats 100. According to Maddi’s website, the opening menu includes homemade porketta ravioli, pulled pork and poblano meatloaf, and a braised reuben “handheld.”

O’Harra was awarded first prize in the people’s choice category at the 2018 Worcester’s Best Chef Competition representing Flying Rhino Cafe & Watering Hole. He announced his departure from Flying Rhino at the end of March in favor of new opportunities at Maddi’s. O’Harra brings nearly two decades of experience in Worcester’s dining scene and has learned to favor creative and seasonal dishes that lend themselves to hospitable service.