The Food Truck’s Josh Aronie will take over as the new head chef and kitchen manager of Offshore Ale next month, just in time for the Memorial Day rush.
The hiring follows a long period of uncertainty for the brew pub since owners Phil and Colleen McAndrews put the business on the market in late 2016. The couple decided to stay on as owners for a 13th season this summer after a deal fell through in February with a potential buyer. The two have owned and operated Offshore Ale since purchasing the building from original owner Bob Skydell in 2006.
On Monday afternoon Mr. McAndrews and Mr. Aronie stood behind the Offshore kitchen counter, wearing Offshore Ale T-shirts and cracking jokes. Mr. Aronie said he’s been looking at ways to put his stamp on the menu, including adding beer pairings to the menu.
“I think some people think of Offshore as a brewery that serves food,” he said. “I want to marry the two.”
Mr. Aronie, 48, has been a part of several Island eateries over the years, including the Menemsha Cafe, Saltwater Cafe and Cafe Moxie. He was also responsible for opening Park Corner Bistro in 2001 and Sharky’s not long after. As a chef, he’s crafted culinary delights at the Beach Plum Inn and The Home Port in recent years.
Mr. Aronie started The Food Truck in 2013 with his wife Angela Aronie in order to fill the need for a breakfast and lunch option in Menemsha where workers have limited options in the off-season. They have since expanded to another food truck in the airport business park managed by Ms. Aronie.
While the Food Truck found success, Mr. Aronie said he was still looking for year-round work since the truck closed down during the summer. He said running the kitchen at Offshore was the perfect fit.
“The part about it being a year-round job is a big plus for me,” he said. “The security of the year-round anchor business is really appealing.”
Offshore regulars shouldn’t be concerned about an overhaul of the Offshore menu, Mr. Aronie said, though he has a few ideas on how to spruce it up.
“One of the things I’m trying to be sensitive to is the fact that people really like what’s on the menu. I’m planning to work with the menu as is and see if there are things that can be changed or improved. I want to concentrate on how to marry the brewery part of it with the food part of it.”
Though he hesitates to specify dishes he has in mind, Mr. Aronie hinted that customers can expect savory dishes using locally-sourced meats to be a staple of the updated menu.
“He’s got a fresh pair of eyes and approach,” added Mr. McAndrews as he tossed logs into the kitchen’s wood stove. “It’s not a paperwork partnership, it’s a melding of talents.”
Mr. McAndrews and Mr. Aronie are also developing plans for using the Food Truck for a catering business this summer that Mr. McAndrews said would be available for events such as rehearsal dinners, graduations and family reunions.
“It’s an Island experience that would be a one-stop shop,” he said. “It will have a casual, Vineyard kind of approach to it.”
Mr. McAndrews said the plan is to do a few jobs a month this summer with the possibility of taking reservations for the off season if the demand is there. He said Offshore will lease The Food Truck for the first year before it becomes a joint enterprise.
Mr. McAndrews said customers can expect food truck-themed nights on Wednesdays this summer where customers will be able to order food truck staples from the Offshore Ale kitchen such as the popular rosemary fries.
“We’ll start with a couple set menus, but it could be anything as we move forward with it,” added Mr. Aronie.
Mr. Aronie emphasized that he is excited about working with the McAndrews to build on what Offshore regulars know and love, but also expand into new markets and gain new fans. Mostly, he said, he can’t wait to get started.
“It feels like the right fit,” he said. “The response so far has been pretty great. Now we just have to put it into action.”
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