Category: Q&A

In the kitchen with Megan Kurs

Megan Kurs is the owner of The Yolk Grill (116 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-0992, theyolkgrill.com), a family restaurant that opened in the fall of 2019, offering breakfast and lunch seven days a week. Originally known as Alicia’s Diner, the eatery was first owned by Kurs’s stepsister’s dad, Roger Chagnon, and she worked there when she was younger. Benedicts, omelets, burgers and sandwiches are all part of the menu, while other items have their own unique twist, from Oreo cookie-filled pancakes and Captain Crunch French toast to Tater Tot nachos and Buffalo chicken and waffles. The Yolk Grill is also known for its monthly rotating freakshakes: flavored milkshakes stacked with all types of candies and baked goods.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

Definitely a spatula, no matter what position on the line I am in.

What would you have for your last meal?

It would be a filet with asparagus and mac and cheese. That’s my favorite meal, and it’s my go-to when we go out to eat.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

We enjoy going to the Old School Bar & Grill in Windham. It just has a really good atmosphere.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

We like to cook chicken Parm. Just a regular ziti with some hand-breaded chicken.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

If I’m looking for something sweet, then it’s the Captain Crunch French toast, but if I’m really hungry I’ll have the rib-eye and eggs with loaded home fries.

What celebrity would you like to see eating in your restaurant?

Sandra Bullock or Ryan Reynolds. Either one of them. My favorite movie is The Proposal, which they are both in, but I love watching any of their other movies.

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

I feel like right now what’s super trendy are the sampler-style [items]. Right now, we have four different alcohol flights, like a mimosa or bloody mary flight, and then I’ve seen a couple of other places do food flights. … People like to have different things they can take pictures for and post them on social media and tag us and things like that.

Homemade brown gravy
From the kitchen of Megan Kurs of The Yolk Grill in Pelham

1 pound unsalted butter
2 cups white all-purpose flour
1 container beef base
1 can beef broth
Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce (optional)

Melt butter in a pot. Once melted, whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook roux on low heat until simmering. Whisk frequently. Add beef broth and bring to a boil. Add two tablespoons of beef bask and whisk frequently. Continue cooking on low heat while your gravy thickens. For a darker color, add a splash or two of Kitchen Bouquet.

Featured photo: Megan Kurs. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Melissa Gove

Melissa Gove

Weatherization specialist

Melissa Gove is the owner of Chase Hill Insulation, a weatherization business based in Weare that serves families in residential homes throughout the state.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My workday starts at 6:30 a.m., when my crew arrives at my shop. The job … is for a customer of the weatherization program, and the work … is based on an energy audit of the home. I have a work order that I follow that gives me specific details about the home and the measures my crew is supposed to install. My crew chief and I go over the work that needs to be done for that particular job and talk about any issues of concern for the job that either of us might have. The work truck is loaded with material, and my crew heads out. … Once they arrive at the job, they start the process of weatherizing the home, [which] may include insulating the basement, the walls and the attic.

How long have you had this job?

I’ve been weatherizing homes in New Hampshire for 16 years.

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

Before starting my business, I lived in Rhode Island, but I would spend all my free time at my family’s camp in Deering. It was always so sad to leave the camp, and I desperately wanted to move to New Hampshire, but I needed a career to support that dream. I did hours of research online and found that there was a need in New Hampshire for insulation contractors for weatherization assistance programs. I built my business plan around that need with the help of my ex-husband, who was an experienced insulator.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I worked as a bookkeeper at a wire mill in Rhode Island for seven years, but in 2003 the mill burned to the ground. I was given an opportunity to go back to school, and in 2005 I received my degree in business management. I also have a good friend that’s an expert in the weatherization field that’s been a mentor to me over the years of building my business.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Chase Hill Insulation long-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, hats, jeans and work boots are our everyday work gear.

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

It’s really hard to ask people to let you come into their homes when they’re afraid of getting sick. I have had to reassure all of my customers that my crew and I will take every precaution to work safely while working at their home, and we will wear all necessary PPE.

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

I wish I had known that business doesn’t always work out according to your plan. I had to learn to problem-solve, and I had to surround myself with good people. That’s how I continue to stay in business.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

People aren’t always aware that their home is lacking insulation. Adding insulation to your home is something you can do right now to lower your heating bills for the rest of this winter and cooling costs for this upcoming summer. There are utility-funded programs available to help with these costs. People can reach out to their local utility company to see if they qualify.

What was the first job you ever had?

My first job was at my favorite pizza and sandwich shop in my hometown.

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

Take the time to listen to your customer’s needs and give them the attention they deserve.

Five favorites

Favorite book: Dracula
Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite music: Classic rock
Favorite food: Italian
Favorite thing about NH: That I never have to leave, because I’m finally home.

Featured photo: Melissa Gove. Courtesy photo.

Going green

Meet Manchester’s official leprechaun

The Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade returns on Sunday, March 27, with Matt Casey, owner and operator of Casey Magee’s Irish Pub & Music Hall in Nashua, as its new “official Leprechaun.”

How did you land this official leprechaun gig?

I opened up an Irish pub, Casey Magee’s, in the middle of the pandemic, in June of 2020. … The logo for the pub is actually [an image of] me as a leprechaun. … I reached out to the organizers of the Manchester [St. Patrick’s] Parade and explained to them that I wanted to participate. They accepted me and are going to allow me to promote my pub in the parade. The plan is for me to march in the parade every year as the official leprechaun.

What will you be doing in the parade?

I’ll be walking. I try not to bring a cane or anything, because I like to have my hands free so that I can wave and shake everybody’s hand. People like to put their arm around me and take a picture with me. … This year it’ll be just me, but eventually I’d like to have my pub staff join me with a banner.

How do you prepare?

I started growing a beard — a big, red beard — out in the fall. … I bought a new hat [on which] I’m going to either sew or glue white letters that say ‘Casey Magee’s.’ I also have a green corduroy jacket that I got four or five years ago, which is vintage from the ’60s. I’m going to put ‘Casey Magee’s’ on the jacket also, somehow. Then I have all the lapel pins to put on. I have at least 30, and about half of them I actually purchased myself in Ireland. … [The night before the parade,] after I close the pub, I’m going to drive to Manchester. I rented a hotel room downtown. I’ll check in at around 3 a.m., and get everything for my outfit laid out so that I know I’m not missing anything. I’ll go to bed, wake up, put on my outfit and walk out the front door of the hotel as the leprechaun.

Do you have prior leprechaun experience?

Yes. I’ve been marching in St. Patrick’s Day parades for roughly 20 years. … I started in the Providence, Rhode Island, one. … I was a Las Vegas leprechaun for about six years years while I lived out there. I used to do the [St. Patrick’s Day] toasts on the Las Vegas strip at midnight, and that was really fun. Then I was the leprechaun in the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade from 2017 to 2019.

How did you get your start?

I’ve always tried to [wear] everything-green on Saint Patrick’s Day. When I was in college, I purchased a green coat, a hat, a bow tie and a vest, and I went to the local Irish pub. The Providence St. Patrick’s Day parade was that weekend. The lady that [organized the parade] ran into me at the pub and said, ‘Hey, we don’t have a leprechaun; how would you like to be our leprechaun?’ and I said, ‘Of course, I will.’

What do you enjoy most about it?

It’s so much fun to see everybody smile and wave … and to see the looks on the kids’ faces when I shake their hand, or I give them a high five, or I give them a little plastic gold coin. Honestly, it’s the funnest day of the year for me, because I get to make everybody happy, and I get a lot of joy in doing that. I’ll continue to do it for as long as I can and for as long as they’ll let me do it. Somebody has to do it, right?

What does this opportunity mean to you, as someone with Irish heritage?

Celebrating my family’s heritage and the history of Ireland is part of why I do it. … New Hampshire has a large Irish population, so there’s a lot of excitement for the parade, and I love to share that with everybody.

Featured photo: Matt Casey. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Bradley Labarre

Bradley Labarre of Manchester is the new executive chef and program manager of the Recipe for Success culinary job training program at the New Hampshire Food Bank (700 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, 669-9725, nhfoodbank.org), having assumed the role in early January. The free eight-week program helps people suffering financial hardships gain work in the food service industry in the state — students learn various skills such as nutrition, proper use of kitchen instruments and equipment, safe food handling and meal presentation. Labarre’s role with the Food Bank also involves coordinating food donations and managing its regular inventory of products, and he’s currently working on getting the Recipe for Success program accredited through the American Culinary Federation. A Queen City native, he’s been involved with the Food Bank as a volunteer for more than eight years, including as a participant in its annual Steel Chef Challenge.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A very sharp knife.

What would you have for your last meal?

A perfect bowl of mushroom risotto, topped with an unctuous slab of nicely seared foie gras. … Of course, it would have to be followed by something sweet, so perhaps a nice slice of wild blueberry cheesecake or Blake’s brand Moose Tracks ice cream.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

At the top of my list right now is Greenleaf in Milford, with chef Chris Viaud. They are totally killing it over there. Every time we go there, our heads are exploding. … We love that place, and we love Chris too. He’s a super, super nice guy.

What celebrity would you like to cook for?

[Chefs] Alice Waters, Peter Hoffman or Dan Barber. I’ve been inspired by their farm-to-fork approach with food for years. … Cooking for any one of them would not only be an honor, but it would teach me so much about my deep-seated approach to cooking.

What is your favorite thing that you’ve ever cooked for the NH Food Bank?

One that really sticks out to me was the first meal we ever made for the Steel Chef challenge back in 2016, which was a beef tenderloin. Although it wasn’t the most difficult thing I ever made, it was one of the most memorable. Not only did I get to do this with my then future wife and a few friends, but this plate of food made such a difference in so many people’s lives.

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

Plant-based cooking. I’m noticing that more and more chefs are focusing more of their energy on plant-based foods made with care.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Anything in my outdoor wood-fired oven. Specifically, though, I love a crisp, airy pizza topped with a few slices of fresh mozzarella, some spicy arugula and thinly sliced prosciutto. You can’t beat it. … [The oven] is handmade in Portugal and it weighs 1,300 pounds. I actually had to have a crane put it in my yard.

Wild mushroom risotto
From the kitchen of Executive Chef Bradley Labarre of the New Hampshire Food Bank

1 pound wild mushrooms
8 Tablespoons butter
2 small shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¾ cup dry white wine
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1½ cups arborio rice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, minced (optional)

Warm broth over low heat in a small saucepan. In a heavy skillet, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until tender, about eight minutes. Add garlic, thyme sprigs, salt and pepper and stir for an additional minute. Remove mushroom mixture from pan and set aside. Add remaining butter to pan over medium heat. Once melted, add rice and stir until rice begins to look translucent. Add dry white wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Add mushroom stock or one cup of vegetable broth and stir until almost all of the broth is absorbed. Continue adding the broth one cup at a time and stir until the liquid is almost absorbed. Add mushroom mixture into the rice and stir to combine. Gently stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Transfer risotto to a serving bowl and top with freshly ground pepper, shaved Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.

Featured photo: Bradley Labarre. Photo by Bruce Luetters of 3Sixty Photography.

On The Job – Bill Butts

Bill Butts

Client relations, commercial landscape and snow maintenance

Bill Butts is the vice president of client relations and sales at Outdoor Pride, a landscape and snow management company headquartered in Manchester that serves commercial clients throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My job is to work with our clients and connect with them to make sure they understand the appreciation we have for their partnership. … I also oversee new business development and sales for our company, and I help our business developers and account managers to procure new work and add work to existing contracts.

How long have you had this job?

This is my 35th year working in sales … and my whole career has been [sales in] commercial landscape and snow management. This is my fourth year working at Outdoor Pride.

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

Where I grew up, there was a golf course that was down the street from our property … and they gave me a chance to work there part-time. … That’s when I started to appreciate grounds and the maintenance of grounds, and I just kind of stayed with it.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I studied business management in college and really felt like my hands-on knowledge [from working at] the golf course and my business knowledge from college was a good combination to stay in the landscaping industry. … There’s a lot of hands-on training that goes with this industry … that you get not from school, but just from being around and in the outdoors.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

I try to match my clients’ dress, and, over the years, my clients have started to put away the sport coat and tie and go more casual, like khakis and a polo. … It also has to be something that’s comfortable and allows us to do our job, which a lot of times [involves] having to walk around the properties on hot summer days or be out in the winter during a snow event.

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

I’ve always been a face-to-face, handshake person, and the pandemic took that physical presentation piece away for a bit. It seems to be coming back now, but for a couple of years we were entirely remote. … That’s difficult in my business, because a lot of what I’m selling is trust and confidence, so not being able to … deliver my company pitch face-to-face may leave a little bit of a gap.

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

I wish I knew the [large] number of opportunities this industry has to offer. … I don’t think I really knew, when I started my career, that I could be what I am today. … That might have given me a little bit of a different perspective.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

A lot of people see me as someone who plays a lot of golf and has a lot of free time, but that piece of the business — the networking — is what I consider to be one of my strengths. It’s the ability to talk to somebody in a non-work setting and learn about their business and their needs and wants and how you can provide for them. … Also, I still have to get my [office] work done, so spending that casual time with clients during [the work day] means I have to work a lot of long hours

What was the first job you ever had?

Working at the golf course, raking sand traps. I would get a dollar a trap.

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

Treat your customers and your employees like family, and you’ll never really have any issues with growing your business or growing your team.

Five favorites

Favorite book: The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict
Favorite movie: Lone Survivor
Favorite music:  I lean toward country.
Favorite food: Marinated steak tips
Favorite thing about NH: The people are laid back.

Featured photo: Bill Butts. Courtesy photo.

Weekend scientist

Meet Aspire Intern Vick Mahindru

Over the last five months, Manchester High School West sophomore Vick Mahindru has had the unique opportunity of working with staff at the SEE Science Center in Manchester to develop and test the museum’s hands-on STEM exhibits. The Aspire Internship, offered at SEE in partnership with Sunrise Labs, a medical device engineering company in Bedford, is awarded each year to a local student of color who is interested in pursuing a career in science or education.

How did you discover this internship, and what made you want to apply for it?

What made me apply for this internship was that I always wanted to learn more about engineering, since it is one of my career interests, and evaluate and design different prototypes and then see the finished product at the end. I became aware of the internship [through] another opportunity, the Health Career Quest weekly class. In that class, every week [the organizers] would bring in guests to the meetings who were [in] health-, medical- and science-related [fields]. One day the guests were [from] the SEE Science Center, and they were telling us about their engineering feats such as the iBOT electric wheelchair, which interested me a lot in applying for this internship. I then officially wrote my cover letter and resume and submitted it and made sure to explain what this internship in particular meant to me.

What does it involve? What kinds of things do you do when you’re at the museum?

This internship involves learning about engineering, working with kids [and] collaborating with others…. The kinds of things I do when I’m at the museum are: I get to collaborate with the exhibit team and outside contractors to create exhibit prototypes; help to design evaluation tools … such as prototypes for Social Science Research [an academic journal]; and conduct research for exhibit topics such as the Amoskeag Mills.

Do you have any ideas about what you would like to study or pursue as a career in the future?
Yes, after my experience at this internship [and] with multiple extracurricular [activities], I am trying to narrow it down, [based on] my interests and skills, to a couple of career fields, such as engineering, medical, software engineering, orthodontics, real estate, nanotechnology engineering, Lego design, [a field that’s] music-related and the CIA.

What are some skills you’re learning at the museum that you think could be applicable to your future education and career?

I am learning in this internship … [about] how to build and test prototypes; resume-building; collaborating with others; workflow pacing [and] time management; and [how] to help design evaluation tools for social science research.


What is your favorite part of doing this internship?

My favorite part of this internship was every week, going on Sundays and working toward my goals, such as learning more about engineering, how to build and test prototypes and how to be more efficient and productive, and then seeing all those goals come to reality nearing the end of my internship.

What has been the most challenging part?

There weren’t really any challenging parts of this internship besides [having to] work individually on projects I was assigned and then give updates to my supervisor, which I was hesitant [to do] at first, but then [the projects] came out great.

Would you recommend this internship to other students? What kind of student do you think would be a good fit for it?

Yes, I definitely would recommend this internship to other students. The kinds of students that I would think would be a good fit for this internship are students who can give 100 percent commitment and reliability to this internship.

Featured photo: Manchester High School West sophomore Vick Mahindru. Courtesy photo.