Black Bear Restaurant & Tavern settles in

Wingdale — Joseph J. Ceci Jr. got his start in the restaurant business at the age of 9, washing dishes at an Italian restaurant in his hometown, Queens, N.Y.Since then, the restaurateur has climbed the industry’s ladder, working in restaurants up and down the East Coast and holding executive positions at country clubs from Westchester County to Nashville, Tenn.After that stint in the South, Ceci headed back north to Brookfield, Conn., frequenting Wingdale to visit his mother, longtime-resident Margaret Webster. Webster would later become an informal consultant for her son’s newest endeavor.Ceci said he’d been eyeing the former Il Compare restaurant location for some time during these visits, and so when the business at 34 Old Route 22 became vacant he took full advantage, purchasing the building and the land.The Black Bear Restaurant & Tavern, as Ceci named it after a real black bear, Lilly, who was rescued by friends in Tennessee after her parents were euthanized, is a redone setting for the riverside building. The once carpeted floors are now hardwood, the menu emphasizes farm-to-table Angus meats and country music compliments the country atmosphere.Ceci said the farm-to-table approach is priority, as well is keeping that priority local. “All my farms I source from are within Wingdale and Dover,” the owner said, including Falconwood Farms just two miles east on Old Forge Road for fresh fish catch.“I built this for the community of Wingdale-Dover,” he added, citing a passion for providing excellent-quality food to anyone he can reach. “So many harmful products are put into food today,” he said. “The world has become so gung-ho on fast food.”Ceci said he hopes that with Black Bear, locals and visitors alike will find comfort in slowing down to enjoy a good meal.The owner’s community outreach extends to staff, as all employees are from Wingdale and Dover, save for his kitchen executives, “the two best chefs in the area.”Evert Jonker of New Fairfield and Markus Pechtold of Danbury prepare a range of American cuisine including Angus burgers, New York strip steak, chicken, fish, pasta and salads.Ceci also highlighted a “healthy menu for children called Little Cubs — parents love it because nothing is frozen.”With just over a month in business — having opened his doors on May 13 — Ceci already looks to future endeavors, including a Black Bear Restaurant in his former Nashville and another local eatery called Char. For now, patrons can enjoy the bar, dining room and outdoor patio in Wingdale on Tuesdays through Thursdays, 3 to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.The Black Bear Restaurant & Tavern can be reached at 845-593-0038.For more information visit the restaurant’s Facebook page, Instagram or website at www.blackbear22.com.