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Recipe for Success: Peter and Tara Madden
By NICOLE PRIOLO

June 1st will mark four years since Madden’s Casual Gourmet opened its doors, and it all started with one phone call Peter Madden nearly didn’t make.

Peter and his wife, Tara, had heard rumors that the owner of Clementine’s was looking to sell the restaurant, but Peter said he had written it off and wasn’t going to look into it. Thanks to Tara’s persistence, Peter decided to call Kay Conlee, the owner of Clementine’s and the building where Madden’s is currently located. Peter made the call in December of 2003, which allowed them just six months to plan for the opening of their new business venture.

“The opportunity was there, and the timing was key because we were able to open this place with a minimum amount of money, which is literally unheard of in the restaurant industry,” Peter said. “Typically, it takes hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it took us less than a $100,000 to open this place, and we had a built-in clientele because it had always been a restaurant, and there was constant foot traffic already.” Peter added, “It was a perfect scenario.”

Many married couples would cringe at the thought of working together all day, but Peter and Tara do pretty well. “It was probably really good that we had been married for a while before we opened the restaurant because opening a business is extremely stressful,” Tara said. “From the time we met we were working together pretty much, and it can be hard sometimes to work with your spouse.” She went on to say that it’s an occasional joke with their staff to say that Mom and Dad are in the kitchen fighting when they’re having a disagreement over something.

Peter says their paths don’t cross that much at work because they are in charge of different areas. He said Tara “bounces” around since her responsibilities include everything from working with the accountants, taking care of payroll, scheduling demonstrations and private parties for him, and talking to guests, which is her favorite part.

“I just love people and talking with people. Everyone has an interesting story – everybody is unique. I think so many people go through life kind of being overlooked, and I hope that when they come in here they don’t feel that way,” says Tara.

Peter complements his wife’s attitude with his desire to have an impact on his customers and his staff, whom he describes as impressionable college kids. He feels that he is uniquely able to help them since many of them want to attend culinary school.

After almost four years of business, it’s evident that the Maddens have found a recipe for success. Tara said people should try Madden’s because “[Peter] has this philosophy of not overpowering the main ingredient but complimenting it with unique flavors that, at first glance you think, ‘That’s not going to go together,’ but then it’s fabulous together.”

Madden’s Casual Gourmet is located at 202 South Bryan.