Sunday Brunch Serving Up More Than Food
“You Are Welcome Here”
“Burnt Timber is good for the community because it’s a little different.”
In the past few months, Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern has begun to serve Sunday brunch, although the real story is the two men behind the line, each of whom have their own unique stories. “I owned Wolfborough Diner on Main Street in Wolfeboro for 12 years from 2000 to 2012,” said Mike Akerman, who expressed enjoyment at working at Burnt Timber. “I absolutely love what I do.”
He also enjoys mentoring younger cooks. “I have the chance to teach them what I’ve learned in my almost 50 years of experience,” he said. “I show them what it’s like and what to do to succeed…The cooks are eager to learn and are doing well.”
Akerman has the opportunity to also work again with his wife, Loree, who co-owned Wolfborough Diner and served as front of house manager at their restaurants over the years. “We sit here on Sunday afternoons with a cocktail and plan out the next Sunday brunch,” he said. “We have a good combination of lunch and dinner options.”
Burnt Timber has also served as backdrop to an unexpected reunion between Akerman and Jaclyn Bergeron, a current Burnt Timber employee whom he employed at the diner nearly 20 years ago. “She started at the diner when she was 15,” he said. “When she walked in at Burnt Timber, I knew it was her by her voice.”
Noting he had not seen her since her days at the diner, Alkerman said it has been very gratifying to reconnect with her. “She’s just as good a person and server now as back then,” he said. “It’s been terrific to see her grown-up with her own children and her own side business. She has grown into an amazing mother and adult.”
Akerman often works Sunday brunches alongside Johnny Gillette, who is the former owner of Strawberry Patch, which was located just down the road from Wolfborough Diner. “I ran Strawberry Patch from 2010 to 2015 to give my mom a break,” said Gillette, who said his mother took over the restaurant after working there for 15 years.
In addition to running Strawberry Patch, Gillette worked full-time as a contractor. “I also owned horses,” he said. “I worked 7 days a week and had people working for me, but I was always doing something. I don’t want to ever not be busy.”
Gillette’s love of work is shared by Akerman. “I’ve just never stopped—it keeps us young,” Akerman said.
As for what brought the former restaurant owners together at Burnt Timber, both men cited its atmosphere. “The experience here at Burnt Timber reminds me of a diner because of how we treat families and kids,” explained Akerman. “No matter who you are or your status, you’re welcome here.”
Citing Burnt Timber Owner Eddie Michno as “understanding,” Gillette added, “Burnt Timber is good for the community because it’s a little different.”
According to Michno, “different” is good. “I’m very fortunate to have Mike and Johnny here to pass on their knowledge, their experience, and their stories,” he said. “Burnt Timber is only as good as its people, and we have some good people here.”
About Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern
Located at 96 Lehner St, Wolfeboro, NH, Burnt Timber is a brewery restaurant known for rotating craft beer, Sunday Brunch, full cocktail menu, slow cooked food (slow food), and small party catering. We feature fermented vegetables and salt-cured meats we smoke over apple wood. We partner with local businesses like Katie’s Kitchen, Corvus Cairn Farm, Niman Ranch and others to provide our patrons with the very best seasonal food.
We donate to charities like Make-A-Wish® New Hampshire and others, because we believe we get back what we give. We have a bike club, running club, and mug club, and we feature private dining, catering menu, and live music throughout the year, including in the summer in our new outside beer garden with an open-flame outdoor kitchen.