05/07/2020
With a heavy heart an Orta update..
In the summer of 2002 I made one of the biggest decisions of my life....
I decided that I wanted to be a chef. I slowly transitioned from a life of college and schooling to a life behind the line at a local restaurant in Scituate. I was completely enamored by the restaurant business. The intensity, the high energy and high stress environment was something I excelled in. I was compelled by it and couldn’t get enough. I worked hard and studied harder. I had been lucky enough to learn from one of the greatest chefs in Boston. Under his wing, he led me in the right ways of doing things. We spent many nights talking about food, enjoying wine and he fueled my passion about the restaurant industry. “It’s not easy’”, “it’s a hard business” and “are you sure” were comments I would constantly brush off. My mind was made up and this was to be my career. My end goal, to own a restaurant of my own. After many years studying under different chefs and working in some of Italy’s elite kitchens, that dream became a reality. In May of 2012, with my wife and children at my side, we were able to purchase our very own restaurant. Not just any restaurant, but a restaurant owned by my mentor whom lit that fire in me back in 2002. Orta was and is my dream come true. We have enjoyed much success in something that feels so natural to me. Hospitality and welcoming people into my home is a way of life. There is nothing more rewarding or that can take the stress out of life like a good meal and good conversation with friends. The staff of a restaurant is one of the most important parts. They quickly adopted my mentality and were instrumental in Orta’s success. Most of my staff becoming like extended family, we have shared many memories together and always will. However, it will no longer be at 75 Washington street in Pembroke... After the government issued orders on March 15th we were forced to close down and wait out this storm of COVID. We had planned on doing some renovations and major interior cleanings for Orta. Our plan was to re-invent Orta a bit and come out of COVID with a new strategy that would be able to adapt to what was going to be the “new normal.” As we prepared for this in Pembroke we were also in the process of creating a scaled down version with more of a casual feel at a sister location called simply, Orta Trattoria and Lounge. On the evening of April 1st our plans came to a screeching halt. I received an email from the landlord in Pembroke that our April first rent was now past due and the restaurant appeared to be closed. (Well of course, we were ordered to close by the government....) On the morning of April 2nd I traveled to Pembroke to check in on the status of the location and found that my keys no longer worked. We had been unlawfully locked out of our restaurant. After eight years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears and more rent than you could imagine, my dream was ripped away from me. We are now taking steps required and hope to find some answers soon but everything is very uncertain. One thing I do know is that Pembroke is a very special place to me. I have taken great pride and joy serving this wonderful community. We will look for another building for our Pembroke location but for now we wait.... I will refuse to let my dream be stripped from me by someone who could care less about the story behind it all. I won’t be kicked down and I will fight as long as there is air in my lungs. My wife Cara and our children are devastated, it was our little family dream that the boys would run the restaurant one day. With that we thank you all, for the support, the love and the memories we have been able to share with you all through the years. Stay tuned because this fairy tale is far from over.
Sincerely,
Brett Williams
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