Updated business name correction – 4/19/22
by jill nagy
The Vested Veteran Grill at 126 Maple St. in Corinth honors the owners’ military service and helps other veterans and active duty service members.
The grill has been open since last June and was preceded by a catering operation, still active, that started in April 2018.
Allen Lapelle and his wife, Kendie, and a staff of 10 operate the grill and catering service. Other partners are Jennelle Hoffman, Tyler Kirchhoff—who is also the building landlord—and Jason Shippee.
One-tenth of the profits from the catering business are donated to an organization that assists veterans with PTSD.
Lapelle said he is “big on community.” He was especially pleased to host the Corinth High School girls’ basketball team when they celebrated winning the Adirondack League championship. In another bow to the community, the Grill serves locally roasted Engine 3 Coffee.
Lapelle was born and raised in the area. He spent five years in the U.S. Air Force, until 2014. Straight out of the military he took a job cooking. Then, he decided to learn more and signed on for programs at BOCES and the Culinary Institute. He served internships at Yaddo, in Saratoga Springs, and at a restaurant in New Orleans.
“I’m new to the game. I’m still learning a lot,” he said.
The grill is open from 7-11:30 a.m. Tuesday to Sunday for breakfast. From Wednesday to Sunday, they remain open for lunch until 2 p.m. Then, the restaurant closes for an hour to prepare for dinner, which is served from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.
Favorites of the mostly local clientele include fried chicken, rueben sandwiches, chicken with waffles, hamburgers, and club sandwiches. They make their own candied jalapeño peppers and smoke their own pork. Another specialty of the house is Buffalo chicken dip on a burger.
“It’s a diverse menu,” he said.
An application is in process for a license to serve beer and wine. The Veterans Business Network and the Adirondack Chamber of Commerce are guiding Lapelle in the somewhat daunting process but he expects to wait six months to a year for the license.
The dining room can seat 63 people at its eight tables. They also sell takeout meals.
So far, business has been “great,” although things slowed down a bit in the winter, Lapelle said, when there are fewer tourists in the neighborhood. Like so many business owners, he has had some trouble finding adequate staff and working his was through the restrictions of the COVID pandemic. “But, we’re getting through it,” he said.
The phone number is 518-654-8036.