Discovering Chafferguys Restaurant and Catering

2 hours ago

3 min read

Photo Credit to Laura Hodges

When Quenton Owens was young, he brought his dad to school to talk about his career. At a loss for words to explain what it was Chris Owens did for a living, young Quenton introduced him as a “chefferguy.” Of course, it became a family joke.

Fast forward several years and now you’ll find Chris and Quenton working side by side in the family business, Chefferguys Restaurant and Catering. The business also employs the two men’s wives, Sandy Owens and Kamryn Owens, to cover the front of the house. Various other family members work as needed. Non-family members Matthew “Meatball” Disch and Stephanie Cranford have also joined the team.

Photo Credit to Laura Hodges

After several years providing food elsewhere, Chefferguys opened its doors at 843 W. Main St. on Sept. 3. They have moved into the building that Horst’s Little Bakery Haus had occupied.

“Catering was the plan all along,” said Chris Owens, even when they were operating a food truck at Riverboat Inn for several seasons. In order to prepare large catering orders, the family owns a commercial kitchen in a converted home on West Second St. “The catering has just exploded,” he added.

But Madison also seems a good market for the type of menu Chefferguys Restaurant offers – smashburgers and tenderloins, fries, soups and daily specials. Desserts are made from scratch by Sandy Owens, with eggs from her own chickens. The food truck made sense for a while, but it was seasonal. The restaurant on Main Street is a year-round location that allows their reputation to grow.

Photo Credit to Laura Hodges

The dining room is painted orange and features posters for old-time horror films, but it’s not just for Halloween. Chefferguys’ aesthetic is heavily flavored by the personal tastes of the Chefferguys themselves. There are just six tables. “We’re trying to focus on carryout,” said Chris. Still, customers ordering onsite may be surprised to find that most menu items can be delivered to their table in just four minutes.

Chris Owens brought his family to this area 12 years ago when he took a job as head chef for the Sigma Chi house at Hanover College. Later, he and Quenton (the youngest of Chris and Sandy’s four children) took jobs with John and Lori Heitz, the owners of Madison’s very successful Red restaurants. Quenton was the sous chef at Red on Main for several years. Chris says they now have a “healthy competition” with Red Pepper Deli and Red Pepperoni across the street, since their menus are completely different. The dining options do seem to complement each other.

Photo Credit to Laura Hodges

Chefferguys has the vibe of a neighborhood hangout where “everybody knows your name” but first-time visitors are warmly welcomed as well. Menu items vary throughout the week, so a customer can visit often and never get bored. The restaurant also fills a weekend morning gap that Chris noticed.

“There is a need for breakfast downtown, seven days a week,” said Chris. That’s why Chefferguys has introduced a Sunday buffet, available from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. They hope to expand the buffet to Saturday morning soon.

The Chefferguys Restaurant is open six days a week.

Hours:

Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For carryout or catering, call 812-801-9973 or email chris46173@yahoo.com.

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