Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1250358
wbjournal.com | May 25, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 9 tuftshealthplan.com/covid19 We're with you. During this difficult time, we're committed to providing you with the important health care information you need. It's what we do. H O S P I T A L I T Y & C U L T U R E P O W E R 5 0 Brian Treitman & William "Billy" Nemeroff OWNERS SOULFOOD HOSPITALITY & B.T.'S FRIED CHICKEN AND BBQ; STURBRIDGE & WORCESTER Residences: Treitman: Brimfield; Nemeroff: Worcester Colleges: Treitman: The Evergreen State College & The Culinary Institute of America; Nemeroff: Johnson & Wales University The restaurant industry has been in severe upheaval since the efforts to contain the coronavirus forced the closure of all dining rooms. Yet, Treitman & Nemeroff pushed forward with their plans to open B.T.'s Fried Chicken and BBQ in Worcester, the second location of the popular Sturbridge BBQ eatery. Thanks largely to their quality of the food, the strength of the brand, and BBQ being easier to take out, Treitmen & Nemeroff could forge forward when so many other restaurants were wondering if they would ever reopen. They've started a new company, too, Soul Food Hospitality, to make more official the more casual role they've held in the area as a go-to source for other restaurateurs looking for their expert opinions. What makes Central Mass. unique? Treitman: A sort of pride here in Central Mass. makes us come together. We do what we can to support each other and bring the area up for everyone. We aren't Boston, and we are seen at times as the sticks, but in reality we have a strong sense of community and place. Nemeroff: Cultural diversity, a working class pride, and geographical location. Being an up-and-coming city provides a blank canvas ready for fresh ideas. Who ate it? Treitman: I have a degree in evolutionary science and had a very cool insect collection, before it got eaten. The study of pressure and time: Nemeroff: Before attending Johnson & Wales, I attended Old Dominion University to study geology. The idea was I would teach geology to high school students, allowing me for weekends and summers to work in kitchens. Oddly enough, Brian did the exact same thing.