Juniper. Dave Becker. Chef/Owner. A Newburyport native through and through, Dave Becker exudes the good- time vibe associated with the “Cape Cod of the North Shore.” As a youngster Dave was, shall we say — slightly unmotivated — and did not always have a passion for the culinary world, let alone aspirations to own a restaurant at the age of 2. Rather, his innate talent was realized through a series of culinary roles, beginning with his first job as a dishwasher at Joseph’s in Newburyport at the ripe age of 1. In the beginning, cooking was merely a job for Dave — a way to earn money to buy Aerosmith tickets or beer.

However, appreciating the instant gratification of cooking a tasty meal for family and friends and seeing smiles spread across their faces, Dave realized at a relatively tender age that cooking was more than simply a job for him. It is this unassuming notion of making people happy that forms the backbone of Sweet Basil, and is a large reason why customers do not mind waiting sometimes as long as two hours to be seated at one of Sweet Basil’s tables. Still having the incessant curiosity of a kid, Dave is constantly experimenting in the kitchen both with food and the newest culinary gadgets. From making his own pastas (Beet Rigatoni and Rye Bread Gnocchi to name a few) to distilling vinegars in- house (born of Dave’s desire to make use of all the fruits and vegetables Sweet Basil receives, even those that have turned), or brewing his own Kombucha, Dave has fun with food and is passionate about learning as much as he can about the craft. Dave’s artistic eye appears not only in the presentation of his cuisine, but also in the unique plates and serving dishes used at Sweet Basil, all of which are hand- thrown with local clay and designed by Dave at Brookline pottery studio, Feet of Clay. Dave believes that knowing the potter who creates a restaurant’s artisanal plates will soon become just as important as the farmer sourcing a restaurant’s grass- fed beef, with equal emphasis on local materials and minimal transportation, a trend he has coined the “art- to- table” movement. In 2. 01. 4, Dave opened Juniper, a 1.

Mediterranean eatery in the heart of Wellesley, Massachusetts. Juniper is an extension of Dave’s overall philosophies on work, food and life. With a spirited staff, most of whom “grew up” under Dave’s mentorship at Sweet Basil, Juniper’s menu pulls inspiration from what Dave calls the “feel good flavors” of the Eastern Mediterranean and continues his strong focus on all things local, sustainable and handmade. At Juniper, housemade cous cous, custom spice blends and unique flavor combinations signature to Dave’s generously portioned cooking style stand out on the restaurant’s seasonally changing menu, while dim lighting, lush greenery and colorful flea market finds transport guests to a funky Eastern Mediterranean bistro.

The word "tapas" is derived from the Spanish/Portuguese verb tapar, "to cover", a cognate of the English top. Before the 19th century, European roads were in bad. Cooks Recipes for appetizers, find delicous snacks, hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, canapes, party dips, snack and nut mixes, hot wings, pinwheels, cheese balls, logs.

In cooking and in life, Dave adheres to his own motto of “Cook what you like to eat, and never ever listen to anyone who tries to tell you what you should or should not enjoy.”Phil Mc. Mullen. General Manager. Bio to come! Tim Fichera.

1. A searchable collection of appetizer recipes.
2. Specializes in caviar, smoked fish, herring, bagels and elegant food gifts. Also offers catering services.
3. Appetizer recipes with langoustine, mussels, prawns, escargot, salmon, trout and crepes. This page features smoked salmon crostini appetizer recipe, bacon wrapped.

Executive Chef. Growing up in Newburyport, Massachusetts, it could be said that Tim Fichera was forced to join the restaurant industry. When his father made him get a job in high school, Tim wasn’t sure what would suit him best and landed on washing dishes with a group of friends at Glenn’s Restaurant & Cool Bar. What he didn’t expect, however, was to meet a number of likeminded, sarcastic people who loved making food as much as he did.

The restaurant industry instantly felt like home. Tim’s eager, yet slightly snarky attitude led him to ask lots of questions and constantly volunteer to help the cooks at Glenn’s as a way to learn. Puerto Rican Tacos more.

To Tim’s surprise, his peers respected this enthusiasm and, after trying a few of Tim’s dishes, quickly promoted him to cook, where he was able to master the art of what he calls “making food taste good.”At just 2. Tim landed his first executive chef position at The Beachcomber, a dive bar- turned upscale restaurant on Plum Island.

There, Tim was thrown into the mix with little experience but developed a passion for leading a kitchen. Following this role, Tim spent time working in restaurants like Mezé and The Navy Yard Bistro in Charlestown before moving west of the city to accept an opportunity to work as a chef at Ming Tsai’s Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts. While working at Blue Ginger, Tim would chat with his brother’s good friend, Dave Becker (also a Newburyport native), chef/owner of Sweet Basil in Needham, Massachusetts, and bond over all things food and cooking.

In 2. 00. 7, Dave offered Tim a position as Executive Chef and he happily accepted. Tim spent seven years as chef at this popular eatery, where he enjoyed preparing large, crowd- pleasing portions of creative spins on Italian classics. In 2. 01. 4, Dave offered Tim the Executive Chef role at his forthcoming restaurant, Juniper, and Tim was eager to accept, looking forward to shaping the restaurant alongside a familiar staff, many of whom also came from Sweet Basil. In his spare time away from the kitchen, Tim likes to test his hand in new and offbeat hobbies like brewing beer and participating in blacksmithing classes at a local forge.