SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The COVID-19 pandemic forced countless small businesses to shut down.
But in South Whitehall, one of those businesses is making a come back.
The Wicked Chef, a fast-casual restaurant serving sandwiches, salads and sides, reopened July 2 after closing because of the pandemic.
The family-owned restaurant at 279 Cetronia Road advertises its dishes as “fresh homemade food with a twist."
Hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
It offers dine-in and takeout service, as well as catering.
The Wicked Chef’s website, wickedchefpa.com, will offer online ordering, but it is under development. Online ordering and delivery are available via Grubhub, DoorDash and UberEats.
‘I saw my dream die’
Chef John Moniak and his wife, Georgiann, first opened the restaurant at the same location in October 2019.
But they had to close it in July 2020 because of reduced business during the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgiann Moniak said.
“It was hard,” she said. “This was John's dream.”
John Moniak went back to truck driving, and a cafe and bakery called Brittany Natural Foods moved into the spot where his dream once was.
But when Brittany Natural Foods closed, the couple decided to take another chance.
"My passion for culinary has never been stronger."Chef John Moniak
“We always wanted to do it," Georgiann Moniak said. "So since everything's opened back up, we just went for it."
Before opening day, John Moniak shared his gratitude on Facebook.
“Honestly, after the first attempt in October 2019, I saw my dream die with the onslaught for Covid and the aftermath,” he wrote. “I am very fortunate to have this opportunity to be here again!
“My passion for culinary has never been stronger. I look forward to sharing my personal twist on food to everyone that we feed.”
Georgiann Moniak said business has been great since opening.
“A lot of our old customers are coming in," she said. "They're glad that we're back."
She said their most popular menu item is The Mojo sandwich, which has smoked pulled pork, beef brisket, applewood-smoked bacon, pickled red onions, barbecue sauce and pickles on an onion ciabatta roll.
