Business

Watertown’s Celebrity Chef Joining Forces with The Talk Restaurant

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Two of the biggest names in the Watertown food scene have teamed up. Food Network featured chef Mike Fucci has become the head chef at The Talk Restaurant, the Watertown Square spot owned by Kaz and Lisa Keuchkarian. Fucci has run Chef Mike’s Kitchen catering business for many years, and has not worked in a restaurant for about 15 years. In February, he appeared on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen and won the challenge for football food called “Fry-Day Night Bites.” Moving into a restaurant kitchen is an exciting and sudden opportunity for Fucci, who got a call on July 5 asking him if he wanted the job.

Business

Intelligentsia Coffee Seeks to Serve the Best Coffee in the World in Watertown

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The founders of Watertown’s newest cafe started their business with the goal of selling the best cup of coffee in the world, and to do so they fanned out across the globe to find growers and helped them produce the finest beans. Intelligentsia Coffee will be opening in the next couple weeks on Mt. Auburn Street, across from Greg’s Restaurant, but the Chicago-based held a sneak preview on Wednesday evening. It will be the chain’s first cafe in the Boston area, which is only the fourth city after Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. The company’s roasting facilities are in Chicago, L.A. and San Francisco.

Entertainment

Watertown Farmers Market Holding Grand Reopening Celebration

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The Watertown Farmers Market is back and this week organizers will celebrate with a grand reopening featuring music, art and activities, along with the all the vendors. The Farmers Market is held at the Arsenal on the Charles, in front of Panera, on Thursdays from 2-6 p.m.

The Farmers Market sent out the following announcement:

The Watertown Farmers’ Market is in full swing and to celebrate the new season we’re hosting a Grand Reopening Celebration! Come and join the festivities including live music, kids crafts, face painting, giveaways, and of course lots of local food! On your way into the market, be sure to stop by the Market Manager’s tent for free market giveaways (while supplies last) and sign up to be one of 4 lucky winners of $20 in market gift certificates! Join us each week for the very best of fresh, local food, meet the farmers and producers who make it all happen, and visit with good neighbors.

Business

Watertown Vegan Eatery Announces It Has Served Its Last Meal

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Watertown’s Wild Rice Vegan Cafe has served its last meal, owners announced this week. The restaurant that featured locally sourced vegan world cuisine “in a casual café environment,” closed after being in business for about a year and a half. The restaurant is owned by the team that runs Red Lentil on Mt. Auburn Street. Wild Rice served breakfast, lunch and dinner in the spot formerly occupied by Grappa, on Elm Street.

Entertainment

Watertown Greek Church Hosting Festival with Food, Music, Dancing and More

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The Taxiarchae-Archangels Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown will host the annual Greek Festival, June 23-35, featuring Greek cuisine, music, dancing and more. The Greek Church is located at 25 Bigelow Ave., Watertown. The lineup includes:

Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. – Greek Music All Day, featuring Orfas Band from 7-11 p.m.

Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. – Greek Music All Day, Featuring Orfas Band 7-11 p.m., Dance performance featuring Sons and Daughters of Alexander the Great 8 p.m. Bar noon-11 p.m.

Sunday 12 p.m.-9 p.m. – Greek Music All Day. Bar noon-9 p.m.

Greek Cuisine: Gyro, Greek Pastries, Loukoumades, Kafenio,

Events: Raffle, Church Tour

Shopping: Book Store, Souvenirs, Candy Store

For more information call 617-924-8182, or go to Facebook.com/watertowngrecianfestival

Around Town

Watertown Farmers Market Opens This Week With New Offerings

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Visitors of the Watertown Farmers Market will see some changes this year when the market opens on June 1. The operation of the market switched from an outside vendor to to Live Well Watertown, a local group that is now part of the Town of Watertown. It is co-sponsored by Athenahealth. Farmers Market Manager Stephanie Venizelos said there will be more booths, including more of what farmers markets are known for. “The main criticism we heard about the Farmers Market was there wasn’t a wide enough produce selection,” Venizelos said.

Business

Watertown’s Donohue’s Has New Look, Ready to Serve More Diners

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One of Watertown’s best known eateries has a brand new look, but Donohue’s Bar & Grill will still serve up the food and drinks fans have enjoyed for nearly two decades. On the outside, Donohue’s has a new design with big windows. On the inside of the space bright and open. The center wall that once separated the two sides of the restaurant was removed and instead of two bars on opposite walls, there is one big one that wraps around the middle of the space. Owner John Donohue said the trend is for more and more people to eat at the bar, even at upscale restaurants.

Chicken & Rice Guys

Chicken & Rice Food Truck Permit Suspended in Watertown Due to E. Coli Outbreak

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Due to an E. coli outbreak the food serving license for The Chicken & Rice Guys food truck has been suspended by the Watertown Health Department. Ten people have been hospitalized and 15 have been sickened by E. coli which state officials say came from food from The Chicken & Rice Guys, according to a story in the Boston Globe. Symptoms of an E. coli infection can be bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and dehydration. In the most serious cases it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome which can shut down the kidneys and lead to death. The Chicken & Rice Guys have three restaurants in Boston (including one in Allston), one in Medford and a commissary in Somerville and a fleet of food trucks.