Exquisite eats at new Frank Food Co.

KENT — Frank Food Company opened on Main Street on May 1 and has already become destination dining for residents and visitors alike. 

“We already have regular customers,” said owner Frank Way.

After a robust career in the corporate world as a creative director and consultant, Way found himself losing interest in those ventures and ready for something new.

The seed for Frank Food Company was planted in Way’s mind by the owner of Heron American Craft Gallery, Ellen Corsell, in October 2018.

“One day she said to me, ‘I’ve got an idea for you ….’” 

Corsell told Way that 109 Cheese Shop on Main Street (in a building that for years was home to Stroble Baking Co.) was moving to The Barns and the Main Street space would soon be vacant. She suggested Way open an eatery. 

At first, Way was not too keen on the idea. “But the more I thought about it, the more I said to myself, ‘Yeah, I think I can do this.’”

“In some ways, this is the culmination of everything I have done over the span of my corporate career,” Way said. “Creating Frank Food Company was the ultimate exercise in branding. Frank is not just my name, it’s an adjective. It’s honesty, integrity, authenticity and forthrightness. It’s a way of being.”

Everything Way does is based on creating a sense of home. He renovated the space, making it feel like a cozy farmhouse kitchen and eating area. The white tiled wall behind the counter evokes a calming feel. Wooden hutches line the walls of the dining space and feature vintage dishware and locally produced foodstuffs that are for sale. Oriental rugs cover the floor where there are two homey tables and chairs.

The menu offers elevated home cooking. Way tries to find local sources for his ingredients. The menu items will change with the seasons and currently include chicken salad with lemon zest and tarragon, kale salad with peanuts and a sesame vinaigrette and black bean soup. 

Baked goods include scones, muffins and chewy chocolate chip cookies made using his mother’s recipe.

In the near future, Way intends to offer Friday evening to-go dinners that people can pick up on their way up from New York City for the weekend or as they come home from work. Two options will be available each week and people will be able to pre-order online by Wednesday for pickup that Friday.  

“I also want Frank Food Company to be a gathering space,” Way said. “I want to do themed evening events where people can come for wine and appetizers on a Saturday before heading off to other evening activities.”

“I love being part of this community,” Way mused. Not only is he a Kent business owner, he owns a home in town which he has lived in full-time for about three years after being part-time between Kent and New York City. “I love that Kent is becoming a food destination.”

“Through this experience I have come to realize that the smaller, more intimate connections I make with my customers are a thousand-fold more meaningful than anything I ever did in the corporate world,” he added. 

“That’s what warms my heart. That’s what makes it worth it.”

Frank Food Company is located at 14 North Main St. and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The phone number is 860-592-0400 and the email address is hello@frankfoodco.com.