CLAREMONT, N.H. – Stephen Roberts, along with his wife and business partner Kelsi Roberts, are the owners of the recently opened Odd Duck Diner and Donuts, located at 314 Washington Street in Claremont, N.H.
The pair met while attending New England Culinary School in 2010. Stephen was enrolled in the culinary arts program, and Kelsi was a pastry major. They have since traveled the country living together and working in the restaurant industry, to places that include Arizona, Las Vegas, Vermont, and Connecticut, and they are now settled in New Hampshire.
Stephen continues his career working in the restaurant business. Meanwhile, Kelsi returned to school in pursuit of a degree in early childhood education, and is currently employed as a school teacher at Newport Montessori School, located in Newport, N.H. Additionally, she has agreed to take on the role of early-morning baker at the diner to ensure that there are daily fresh fried donuts available for patrons at breakfast each morning.
Married for 12 years, the Roberts have two sons, Victor and Gage, and currently reside in nearby Croydon, N.H.
Stephen stated that he was most recently employed by Saw Tooth Kitchen in Hanover, N.H. He mentioned that he assisted in its launching, “specializing in southern comfort – chicken and ribs with a New England twist.” While there, he found himself working long days and missing time with his family. He envisioned an opportunity for a better work-life balance for himself, one that allows him to spend additional quality time with his family. The building located at 314 Washington Street in Claremont, N.H., recently became available, and the Roberts decided the time was right to open their own restaurant.
Odd Duck Diner has been serving an all-day, full-menu breakfast with limited lunch options, and is currently working on expanding their lunch menu.
Stephen is proud to state that most everything is made in house or is locally sourced, with lunch offerings soon to include standard diner items, such as turkey club, BLT, and variations on hamburgers and hot dogs, along with additional appetizer items, such as fried mozzarella and onion rings, as well as salads and soups, including chowder and chili.
Odd Duck Diner and Donuts has been operating since May 16 after a soft opening. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Monday, June 7, and set the stage for the diner to expand their lunch menu options.
Stephen claims the plan is to make their own ingredients at Odd Duck Diner, and he does not want to line the dumpster with perfectly good food. Thus, going forward, Stephen has decided to donate day-old baked items, as well as any extra food supplies, to Claremont Soup Kitchen Inc., located 51-53 Central Street in Claremont.
Stephen claims that he plans to “literally make the bacon” with his own rubbed pork belly, using an in-house smoker. He also has his own method for making beef brisket, which he injects with brine, then cooks. He plans to source local quality ingredients, when available – North Country Smoke House hot dogs, for example – and will focus primarily on a homemade menu.
Stephen stated that staffing is well covered in the kitchen, though the diner is in need of front-end servers. He and another line cook, two prep cooks, and two bakers, plus two dishwashers, currently staff the kitchen.
Odd Duck Diner and Donuts is open Friday-Tuesday, from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 603-543-0211 for advance requests or catering.