Milford Restaurant Guide

As mealtime approached, John would watch her do her magic at the stove, which she would create from scratch with humble offerings. The meals were always warm and delicious, and at the holiday season, Ella's was THE place to be.

Ever since he could reach the stove, John would help his mother prepare the nightly feasts. She, by example and practice, taught him how to use a basic set of ingredients, starting with very little from. "next to nothing" and always ending in a delicious meal: how to roast meats, how to deglaze a roasting pan to pull all that flavor into the gravy, and how to make a simple roux. The list goes on: soups and stews, beef stew, French hash, roast stuffed turkey, roast pork, Swiss steak. (Ask John sometime about one of his Mothers most memorable casseroles and what his Father called it).

They were a poor Irish-French Canadian American Catholic family, but be assured, the cupboard was never bare. John continued to practice his culinary skills with his own family through the years, referring to himself as a "food hobbyist" whose love of food and flavors has developed into a profession. He stills calls on his mom for help now and then for ideas.

Still hoping to find an opportunity to own his own place. It happened with one phone call on a Friday in July of 2002. Jim Infanti made him an offer he couldn't' refuse and on September 1, 2002 John took over as owner/operator of Good Day Cafe here in Milford.

John had been working on a name for his new business for a long time and finally decided that "Yankee Chef" best described him and his background in the most concise way to let his new and potential guests know where his food comes from.