Photo by Waxman photography.
Cissy Beauvais, owner of the Wicked Kitchen in Mechanicsburg, may have grown up in the church, but she’s not above tempting area dieters to abandon their resolve.
“Every great cook starts in the church,” she said with a chuckle. “I began cooking at a very young age in the United Methodist Church. My grandmother was a huge church lady.”
The Dillsburg resident, who grew up in Halifax in what she describes as a “Pennsylvania Dutch household,” said she is used to cooking for a crowd.
“My mom is one of five, so I grew up with tons of cousins, aunts and uncles around and some of the recipes we use are family recipes—from the broccoli salad to the potato salad, the macaroni salad and coleslaw,” she said. “My husband Eric and I have six children, five still at home, so cooking in large quantities kind of comes naturally.”
For several years, she worked for Panera, in the process getting an education about how a restaurant runs.
“I was proud to work there and learned a lot,” said Beauvais, who opened her 50-seat restaurant in the fall of 2015 in the former Frostbite Cupcakery.
Beauvais said she chose the location because “it just felt right. I’m a big advocate of feeling things, and, if it doesn’t feel like home, then it’s not where you belong.”
It didn’t hurt that her daughter, Caroline, ran up and down the ramp the entire time the couple inspected the building. Caroline, their 3-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy, is part of the inspiration for the quirky décor that features an octopus theme.
“My daughter was a ‘22-weeker,’ and the nurses wrap the children with an octopus when they are in the NICU,” said Beauvais.
The couple arrived at the name “Wicked Kitchen” as a nod to Cissy’s husband’s Massachusetts background, where the word “wicked” often is used as a modifier. Why run a boring, old, run-of-the-mill kitchen when you can whip up some culinary magic in a wicked kitchen?
Beauvais prides herself in making everything from scratch, with selections varying week to week. Tried-and-true favorites remain standard, however. Customers can count on homemade potpie every Thursday, for instance.
“We call it ‘chicken hell day,’” said Beauvais, with a laugh. “We roll all our own noodles, roast our chicken for 16 hours for the base, add carrots, celery—the whole shebang.”
Soups range from chicken corn to beef vegetable to potato. A Tuesday top seller is the homey combo of creamy tomato and a hearty grilled cheese sandwich.
Oversized sticky buns, known as “wicked stickies,” also have been a hit—and, when they’re gone, they’re gone.
“We suggest people pre-order,” Beauvais said.
Beauvais bakes her own bread, which provides the base for her popular sandwiches, such as the BLT with candied bacon, the pulled pork “Piggywich” and the “Gobbler,” comprised of Swiss cheese, turkey and candied bacon.
Randy Brewbaker first learned of Wicked Kitchen while sitting in a nearby barbershop and thought he’d give the place a whirl. He’s been back many times since.
“I love the homemade soup like the creamy potato, the chicken corn and the chicken noodle, and the potpie on Thursday is phenomenal,” he said. “I sometimes get it to go. Cissy puts a lot of love into her cooking. You can tell she enjoys what she does.”
Brewbaker does note one drawback, however.
“I try to watch my carbs,” he said, before raving about the grilled cheese and homemade donuts. “Her baked goods are out of this world.”
John Gardner, who also considers himself a regular, said he’s never had a bad meal in the establishment and recommends the BLT made with the candied bacon or the pot roast sandwich.
“It practically melts in your mouth,” said the Carlisle resident.
Beauvais hasn’t had it easy. As a breast cancer survivor, a mother of a preemie and an autistic son, she’s faced challenges in life. But she said she always felt supported by the local community. Because of that, she’s determined to give back.
“We work with Meals on Wheels, and I also enjoy catering military weddings at a very inexpensive price for young people just starting out,” she said. “My pap’s favorite saying was, ‘Eat something, you’ll feel better.’”
Beauvais said that she feels best when someone sits down in her dining room and says, “This is just like my grandmom used to make.”
“That’s what makes me feel awesome,” she said. “I love that I can give people a memory. That tells me I’m doing something right.”
The Wicked Kitchen is located at 30 S. Market St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, call 717-590-8116 or visit www.thewickedkitchen.org or the Facebook page.
Author: Stephanie Kalina-Metzger
