A kitchen fire that caused a popular beachfront restaurant to close has not dimmed hope for 60 employees.
“It’s a life-changing event. I don’t wish this upon anybody,” owner and chef Scott Varricchio said. “When you’ve done this for so long and spend so much time with employees, they become your extended family. You don’t want to see them hurting.”
Since the fire last week, workers have gone to the Citrus Grillhouse nearly everyday to help clean and remove damaged items, Varricchio said. Some help pack items in storage boxes and others help with errands.
The business will remain closed for a couple months, Varricchio said.
Server Angela Cochran said she has stopped by the upscale restaurant every other day since the fire and has seen an average of between five to 10 workers coming in to help.
“It’s just as important to them to get it back up and running as it is to Scott. It’s not just work – it’s a family,” Cochran said Tuesday. “The majority of people feel support and empowered by working at Citrus Grillhouse.”
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The Citrus Grillhouse, a popular beachfront restaurant, remains closed for at least 2 months after a kitchen fire left heavy damage to the business. Here what worker Angela Cochran has to say about how employees, now temporarily out of a job, are helping out. The restaurant is located at 1050 Easter Lily Lane in #VeroBeach. Story to follow. #VeroNews
Posted by Nick Samuel on Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Cochran, a mother of three, said she can’t help with the clean up because she has an allergic reaction to dust. Several cleaning companies, including Service Max Plumbing, Reliable Septic & Services and Service Master Restore removed items from the restaurant Tuesday afternoon.
Flames from the March 27 blaze activated sprinklers, which left heavy water damage throughout the eatery. The restaurant is located at 1050 Easter Lily Lane, south of Sexton Plaza and east of State Road A1A.
Cochran, 43, of Vero Beach, said she has worked for the grillhouse since January 2017. She said the managers have been helpful in providing workers leads to other employment opportunities in the area.
“I’ve talked to a few (workers). Some of them are finding replacement jobs,” Cochran said.
Cochran lives with her boyfriend, Joel Clemons, 49, her 19-year-old son, Steven, and Clemons’ 20-year-old son, Conner. She and her ex-husband, who lives in California, use their finances to support Steven. She said Steven, who has autism, also gets disability benefits.
Cochran said Clemons financially supports Conner.
The server said she will look for temporary catering jobs in the meantime to make money. But, her long-term goal is to return working at the Citrus Grillhouse when it reopens.
She said the grillhouse gives her a supportable living wage. Cochran also said that food is her passion. And Cochran explains, she won’t be looking elsewhere for other full time employment opportunities.
“It’s worth it to wait for them and take a financial hit. I choose to work at a place that makes me happy,” Cochran said. “This is my main job; my main source of income. Lots of other employees have second jobs, such as teaching.”
Cochran has two other children, 22-year-old Jocelyn and 27-year-old Brianna, who live in California and support themselves. Cochran moved to Vero Beach from California in October 2016.
The server said she has worked previous culinary jobs in California and has worked with prominent chef Bradley Ogden. Ogden is a James Beard Award-winning chef that is known for his New American cuisine, officials said. He is recognized as a pioneer and inspiration to many in the culinary field.
Citrus Grillhouse has been in operation for eight years, Varricchio said.
The state fire marshal continues to investigate the blaze. An official cause of the fire and cost of damages have not yet been determined.
