Category: Q&A

On The Job – Andrew Budrick

Upholstery repairman

Andrew Budrick is the owner of Budrick’s Mobile Upholstery Repair, an automobile interior and furniture upholstery repair service based in Manchester.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I own a mobile upholstery repair business that specializes in auto interiors and furniture. I typically repair burn holes, rips and tears in leather, worn out and faded seats, or seams that are coming undone. I sometimes get calls for boat repairs or even restaurant furniture. I mix my own colors to match the upholstery, hand-sew seams back together and have a specialized process of repair for each individual job. Almost all jobs are different, but when it comes to automobiles, certain vehicles have the same defective areas of wear.

How long have you had this job?

I have been doing this for 16 years, but started working for myself nine years ago.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

I had moved to Florida from New Hampshire at the age of 21 with three years of college and no degree and no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I happened to meet a guy who offered me a job which I knew nothing about. He hired me as his helper and taught me everything I know about this specialized line of work. I worked for him for about seven years before moving back to New Hampshire in 2012. Now that I had the knowledge, I started going from car lot to car lot, passing out business cards.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I had on-the-job training for the seven years I was in Florida. The hands-on experience was the best kind of training I could have gotten. I had a really good teacher who gave me one-on-one training six days a week for seven years or so.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I don’t have any type of uniform. I dress according to the weather, and nothing too nice, because the dyes and paints I use get on my clothes.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

During Covid, just like most people, I was out of work. When things started opening up again, I started getting calls again from my old accounts. At the end of Covid, my girlfriend pushed to help me advertise more by helping me build a website and posting my business on Google and Facebook. She does all the advertising, which helps me focus on just doing my job. I’m busier now than before Covid because of this.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

I wish I knew more about running a business, but I’ve learned along the way.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I wish they knew how much patience and attention to detail goes into what I do. It took me about four years to get really good at all aspects of my work. It’s not something you can learn overnight.

What was the first job you ever had?

I was a stock boy at Market Basket.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

If you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll never work a day in your life.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Favorite movie: Gladiator
Favorite music: Depends on my mood, but classic rock is always good.
Favorite food: Pizza and coffee Oreo milkshakes.
Favorite thing about NH: That we get to experience all four seasons.

Featured photo: Andrew Budrick. Courtesy photo.

Culture contribution

Franco-American Centre names Franco-American of the Year

Meet Timothy Beaulieu, the winner of the Franco-American Centre’s 2022 Franco-American of the Year Award.

When did you first start exploring your Franco-American heritage?

I grew up away from the culture and the language. I grew up like any American kid did; I just happened to have the funny last name. I didn’t really know too much about our Franco-American heritage, where we came from or what our traditions were until I got older, when my grandfather just started kind of unloading on me. … Then, I thought it would be something cool to promote and grow.

What has been your involvement with the Franco-American Centre?

I started volunteering for the Franco-American Centre back in 2014, and I have done a bunch of stuff for them. I ran their program committee for a few years. I created their YouTube channel, and then we created the first French-language YouTube contest that we’d seen in New England, the Euclide Gilbert Foundation French language video contest. I was on the Board of Trustees for six years. My pet project, which I started in 2015, is PoutineFest. I still run PoutineFest today.

How did you start volunteering for them?

I was looking for a nonprofit organization I could get involved with that was tied to my Franco-American heritage. There aren’t a heck of a lot left. Then, I found the Franco-American Centre. They seemed to have to have a presence, so I thought it’d be really cool to get involved. The thing I liked about the Franco-American Centre is that they’re willing to look at things that are new and not just do things that are old.

What is the Franco-American of the Year Award?

The Franco-American Centre picks someone who has done volunteer work and such in the Franco-American community. … I was pleasantly surprised that they picked me; I didn’t expect them to because I didn’t really grow up in the Franco-American community … but [the winner] doesn’t have to be a Franco-American; it can be anyone who has been involved in the Franco-American culture and language … so it’s cool that they picked me, someone who grew up away from the culture and then came back to it.

What are you up to now?

I’m planning the next PoutineFest for October. That is my primary focus. I think PoutineFest can help make some money for the Franco-American Centre and bring the culture back and make people more aware that you can’t throw a rock without hitting someone with a French name in Manchester or Nashua. It would be cool to see New Hampshire really lean into that heritage more and do more with it.

What do you want people to know about Franco-American culture in New Hampshire?

It’s crazy to think that Montreal is only four hours from here — I mean, Quebec is really almost part of the New England region; the border is right there — and New Hampshire has so many Franco-Americans or French-Canadians, and still, we don’t teach the language in many schools. It seems like I am always hearing about another French program getting cut. It would be really cool if we could bring the language and some of the culture back and make those connections with Quebec again. There doesn’t need to be a barrier; it doesn’t need to be shut off.

Featured photo: Timothy Beaulieu and family. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Jeremy Guyotte

Jeremy Guyotte is the head chef of Rambling House Food & Gathering (57 Factory St., Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com), which opened in early March just a few weeks after its adjoining sister establishment, TaleSpinner Brewery. Both are owned and operated by the Gleeson family, who also run 2nd Nature Academy (formerly known as The Nature of Things) in Nashua. With an overall focus on sustainability, the eatery’s dinner and bar menus feature a diverse offering of scratch-cooked meat, seafood and vegetarian options that rotate with the seasons, with ingredients sourced from purveyors all over New England in addition to the Gleesons’ own farm. A native of Gloucester, Mass., Guyotte has extensive experience working with seafood, most notably during culinary stints he spent at Captain Carlo’s Oceanfront and at Passports Restaurant in Cape Ann.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Radio. Music is an inspiration throughout the day. Oftentimes, music will spawn ideas in the kitchen and those ideas turn into delicious creations.

What would you have for your last meal?

To me, food is about the people, places, stories and traditions. That may mean crossing camel kabsa off my bucket list, but it has to be in Saudi Arabia on the sands with a Bedouin family. Or, it may be that I am with my family on the Sicilian coast during a beautiful Mediterranean sunset.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I unfortunately haven’t explored the local scene as much as I would have liked to yet, since half my time in New Hampshire thus far has been during Covid. That said, I love our downtown neighbors in Nashua. Stella Blu and CodeX have been highlights for my family.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Rambling House?

Tom Brady. We both married women named Giselle and we’re the same age. Clearly, we’d be best friends.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

As of today, monkfish puttanesca, or the house-smoked salmon. We also serve some of the best ice cream I have ever tried in my life and I’m not alone in that opinion. God bless [Rambling House president and co-founder] Erin Gleeson, who makes it from scratch.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

There is an increase in an understanding and appreciation for local producers. … At Rambling House, we are in a unique scenario, because we are building and expanding, and we are trying to source as much locally and from our own farm as we can. There is a lot of growth yet to come, but getting involved in the local community is showing us how much of a passion and demand there is out there from our guests, and the like-minded mission from our fellow restaurateurs and farmers.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Burgers [and] barbecue. … My children really love “mayonnaise chicken.” … It’s mayonnaise, Parmesan [and] spices, spread on chicken [with] bread crumbs and more cheese, baked. Unreal and not my personal favorite, but they love it.

Fresh fish papillote
According to Rambling House head chef Jeremy Guyotte, papillote is a classic French technique of sealing seafood with aromatics and baking or grilling it, trapping all the flavors and natural essences inside its own little “oven” of paper or foil.

1 whole fish or fish filet (any fresh fish will do)
2 Tablespoons compound butter

Compound butter (combine following ingredients):
Butter
Shallots
Capers
Basil
Parsley
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
White wine
Olive oil

Combine compound butter ingredients, mixing well, then set aside. Place your fish on a piece of foil large enough to fold up over it. Smother with two tablespoons of compound butter. Starting at one corner of the foil, fold it into a triangle and seal it up by pinching the sides. Throw it in the oven on 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or on the grill for 8 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then open and enjoy with your favorite summer sides.

Featured photo: Jeremy Guyotte. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Sara Graziano and David Christopher

Sara Graziano and David Christopher

Treasure hunters

Married couple Sara Graziano and David Christopher are the founders and owners of Finder’s Seeker in Goffstown, a shop full of unique collectibles, toys, antiques, artwork and other treasures that they find and curate themselves.

Explain your job and what it entails.

We are resellers on a personal level. We buy collections of unwanted treasures and make them accessible to kids wanting to spend their allowance on something cool, or to adults trying to rebuild something they had when they were young. We put a lot of thought into curating, and hand pick each item that we put into the shop. Our space is small, but it’s a seamless blend of toys, antique treasures, artwork and books. We built Finder’s Seeker to be an experience, something you can interact with and be a part of.

How long have you had this job?

We have been doing this full-time since 2014, and we opened the shop in 2016.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

Ten years ago we were displaced by a fire at our home and started going to the flea markets to replace our furniture, appliances and other items. We bought a couple of small things and resold them for a profit and thought, maybe we can do this on the side for extra money. We decided that after getting married in 2014 we would leave our jobs and try it out full-time.

What kind of education or training did you need?

David had a lot of experience with the flea markets from his childhood. His uncles, father and grandmother had been going for years and selling there as well. His grandmother was known as ‘the toy lady’ in her flea market days, famous for loose action figures and little toys spread out all over her tables for kids to excitedly dig through, which is something we try to recreate at our shop.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Casual.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

At the start, when everything was shutting down, we had to close our doors for six months. We relied heavily on the internet and online sales. But it also allowed us to slow down a little and spend a lot of time together as a family. We have two little girls, ages 1 and 5, who sometimes come to work at the shop. It really helped us to find better ways to balance work and home life.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

How difficult running every part of a business would be. But it has definitely helped improve our work ethic.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

People always ask us where we get our items from. We are sort of like treasure hunters. We travel around the state, looking for collections to buy from those who are cleaning out their attics and basements. Every penny we make goes directly back into the business or to our daughters. We don’t live extravagant lives, go on international vacations or have a fat savings account. We do what we do because we appreciate the freedom, and to make something wonderful together as a family.

What was the first job you ever had?

David worked at a sandwich shop and Sarabeth was a freelance photographer for her local paper.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Opportunity is everywhere; keep your eyes and ears open at all times.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Anything by Neil Gaiman.
Favorite movie: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Favorite music: A little of everything.
Favorite food: Popcorn
Favorite thing about NH: The camaraderie of its communities, and, of course, the beautiful scenery — orchards, beaches, farms, mountains.

Featured photo: Sara Graziano and David Christopher. Courtesy photo.

Leading the Y

Granite YMCA names first female interim president

Meet Michele Sheppard, who was recently appointed interim president and CEO of The Granite YMCA, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

What is your background in this kind of work?

I’ve been in the Y movement since 1986. I came to New Hampshire to become an executive director for the Granite YMCA at the Allard Center and have been with this organization for 12-plus years and have moved up in opportunities to oversee operations for our organization, our branches, our camps and our service delivery in various programs. I’ve become the interim CEO and president here in a transition that occurred this winter. It’s a wonderful opportunity to grow my skill set and leadership, and to help support our organization and our communities to serve more people, especially as we’re coming out of so many challenging things that have been happening in these past couple years.

What does your job entail?

One of the most important things I do is work as a mentor for staff in the organization, as well as strategic thinking and leadership, working with our board of trustees and our local advisory boards to see how the Y … can make a further difference … beyond our typical types of programs that people know us for — building community partnerships and collaborations and visioning along with other agencies how to support the citizens of New Hampshire and their health and wellness, their community needs for child care, as well as mental health, which is a struggle these days, so how can the Y be relevant in people’s lives to give them a place of respite and support?

What do you hope to accomplish during your time in this position?

One of the biggest things I’d like people to know is that the Y is more than just a place where you go for a swim or to work out or for child care. We are proud to be all those things, but there’s so much more we do … from education support, mental health support and chronic disease prevention to just being a place where groups can gather and learn from one another and really feel connected. In today’s world, a lot of folks don’t feel connected; they don’t have what you call the ‘third place’ — the church or the community group — and the Y can and has been that. … We have a long line of building relationships with people and helping people find friends and places where they can feel like they belong, where they can make a difference and where they can grow their skills and achieve. That’s what I hope to continue doing.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’re facing right now?

We know that society is changing. … We’ve been working hard on diversity inclusion efforts … and [being] a Y where folks from all different walks of life feel comfortable coming in. We’ve been working hard on finding a way that the Y can be more present in places where there’s not a facility. An example of how we do that currently is our chronic disease prevention and diabetes prevention classes. We partner with the state and local public health departments to … offer a virtual program that is available in all 10 counties in the state. … Those are the types of things that challenge us, but we’re seeking alternative ways of delivering services to help people have better health and feel better about their day-to-day lives.

Summer camps are starting soon. What will those look like this year?

We’re so excited that we’re opening our doors and having summer camp again. … They’re going to be full of very well-trained staff; they’re going to have exciting, refreshed facility spaces and some new program offerings; and they’re going [be a place] for each of the [campers] to be cared for … where they can cultivate leadership development, new friendships, and better health and wellness. I think the camps are going to be a great, fun way to get away from the stressors of the world, from being connected to electronics, from being in a classroom; and to get outdoors, get some fresh air and be in a place where a child can be a child … and not have to worry about some of the stresses they’ve been experiencing the past couple years.

What do you enjoy most about this work?

The people. I love the fact that every day we transform lives in one way or another. … We have the capacity to do that, and we strive to do that. … I love the fact that I get to do this with other people who care and have a heart for taking care of others … and doing something good in the community — a big shout out to all the [Y] volunteers. … Without them, this movement doesn’t exist. The Y started with volunteers, and we’re proud to maintain that tradition. It’s an honor to serve with [them] and the staff. We’re also grateful for the members, because they make our days filled with fun and a lot of interesting experiences.

Featured photo: Michele Sheppard.

In the kitchen with Dan Lloyd

Dan Lloyd of Hillsborough is the owner and founder of the Big Dog Sauce Co. (bigdogsauce.com, and on Facebook and TikTok), a producer of all-natural barbecue sauces that launched earlier this spring. Originally from the Denver area, Lloyd moved east about five years ago. The company, which currently offers three bottled products and has a fourth on the way, stemmed from Lloyd’s longtime interest in barbecuing and making his own sauces at home. Big Dog Sauce Co.’s lineup includes a maple barbecue sauce, a mango habanero barbecue sauce, and a green chile barbecue sauce made with Anaheim chile peppers — the latter, Lloyd said, was inspired by his desire to bring an authentic taste of the Southwest to New England. A blackberry ginger barbecue sauce is also in the works, likely to be bottled and available in the coming weeks. Find 12-ounce bottles of Big Dog Sauce in multiple stores and farm stands across the state, including at the Osborne’s Agway locations in Hooksett (16 Cinemagic Way) and Concord (258 Sheep Davis Road), as well as at Lull Farm in Milford (615 Route 13), Goffstown Ace Hardware (5 Depot Road, Goffstown) and several others.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I have to have an emulsion blender. It’s absolutely crucial for me to make sure that my sauces are blended properly.

What would you have for your last meal?

I would have to go with a really good Coney Island hot dog, with chili, onions and mustard.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Locally, I think it would be Taco Beyondo [in Hillsborough], hands down. I think [owner and chef] Adam [Mosher] does a great job over there. … I love the stuffed chimichanga, extra crispy, with a queso sauce that they put over the top of it.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your sauces?

Guy Fieri [is] the person I would really like to have try my sauces. … He would be very down to earth and humble, and I think my sauce would be well-received.

What is your favorite sauce that you offer?

I like our mango habanero. It’s hands down our No. 1 seller. You have the sweetness of the mango, then all of a sudden you get a little bit of the heat and you get the flavor of the habanero. It’s not spicy, but it’s just enough to give you that zing that you need, and then as soon as it comes it goes away and you get more sweetness on the back of your palate. … I love to marinate it in some chicken and then cook it on the grill.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

Popping up all over is ghost kitchens. They are a great way for people to introduce their product without having the overhead. … The other thing is it allows businesses that they rent from to be able to generate revenue.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I love a good rack of ribs.

Pork belly burnt ends
From the kitchen of Dan Lloyd of Big Dog Sauce Co.

1 whole pork belly (about 8 to 10 pounds)
1 stick cold butter
2 cups of your favorite seasoning
1 bottle Big Dog Sauce Co. mango habanero sauce

Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees. Slice the pork belly into 1½-inch cubes and place into a large gallon zip-lock bag. Pour your seasoning into the bag and coat the pork belly liberally. Take pork belly and place on a wire rack about a half-inch apart, then place inside the smoker for three hours. Remove from the smoker and place all of the pork belly pieces in a deep aluminum pan. Take one stick of cold butter and cut into slices. Place inside the pork belly and then take the bottle of mango habanero sauce and a sprinkle of brown sugar over the top, and mix it together in the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for an additional hour and a half.

Featured photo: Dan Lloyd of the Big Dog Sauce Co. in Hillsborough. Courtesy photo.

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