EBENSBURG - Charles "Chad" Heinrich has been taking chances most of his career.
First he became a chef, then he moved back to Cambria County six years ago - and now he has opened Everyday Gourmet & Fine Food Merchant, a gourmet deli and restaurant in downtown Ebensburg.
While it may be his biggest gamble, his desire to fill hungry appetites with some of the "finer things" - fresh seafood, French-inspired fare and a little flair - just might be the right recipe locally for the Cambria County seat.
"I didn't want to be looking back on my life and say 'I wish I would have done this or that,'" Heinrich said Wednesday at his 204 W. High St. cafe. "So I cashed in my retirement, took out a mortgage and here I am."
The result is an eatery with an ever-changing menu.
Sandwiches are made with meats typically found only in Pittsburgh, he said, and topped with chef-created spreads. (The chicken gyro is the current favorite.)
Salads are made fresh with 10 homemade dressings such as blueberry vinaigrette, and homemade soups change daily.
"Our philosophy is quality, quality, quality," Heinrich added. "We're not the cheapest place in town. There's not going to be a 99-cent menu. But what you'll get is something made from the best and freshest ingredients we can find."
The community has quickly responded, said Shawna Drop, Ebensburg's community development director.
"Chad wanted to open up a restaurant to do breakfast and lunch and found a (niche) that we really don't have," she said.
Heinrich currently employs 10 people at his restaurant, including himself and two other certified chefs.
Originally a weekday-only eatery, it's now open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends for the breakfast crowd, and the one-night-a-week dinner special has also caught on, featuring lobster, mahi-mahi, lamb and other dishes.
A once-a-month Saturday night "chef's tasting" is the newest addition. The reservation-only event features five smaller plate courses with suggested wine pairings, allowing guests to bring a bottle of wine.
"It allows our crew to be creative. And it allows people in the area to get a taste of something they might only find in bigger cities," he added. "And it's a nice date, too."
Heinrich lives in Johnstown with his wife, Mindy, and three children. He graduated from Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in 1995 and spent a year at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown but didn't return.
"I wasn't ready," he said, noting he ended up trying his hand working at places like Sheetz and J.C. Penney but didn't enjoy that, either.
He and his brother, Rob, spent years touring western Pennsylvania and releasing several independent albums for the alternative rock band the JoDeweys - something they still cherish, he added.
Cooking should have been a no-brainer, however, he admitted. He's always loved cooking, and several of his uncles are chefs.
Heinrich crafted his style working for Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., a resort boasting 11 kitchens, a butcher shop and bakery.
He spent three years there as an apprentice, developing a love for fresh seafood and French cuisine, before he was hired full-time in 2003. He stayed on until he and his wife started thinking of starting a family, he added.
They bought a home in suburban Johnstown and he took a job as an executive chef at Laurel View Village in Davidsville, helping the center open the Oakwood Restaurant.
"It was a good job, but I had my own vision for a restaurant. I wanted to do events, do something a little more upscale," Heinrich added. "That's what led me to this point."
His oldest daughter, Francis, is often eager to help in the kitchen.
"She tells me I work for her," he said, hopeful her passion for cooking continues to grow.
"I'd love that," he added. "I hope someday this is her restaurant."
