Prepared Foods Manager Chris Condrin on legacy, process, and the meals he takes home himself
When Harvest on Main opens its doors, Prepared Foods Manager Chris Condrin will be right where he belongs — back in the kitchen at 808 Main Street.
If you’ve followed Chris’ story, you know Harvest on Main’s space once housed his uncle’s bakery, a Main Street staple for years. (Don’t miss that full-circle story on our blog.) Today, the rhythm feels both familiar and new — longtime neighbors checking in on the buildout, new equipment humming, volunteers training, and recipes coming together for a fresh chapter.
Behind the scenes, Chris has been dialing in the details: timing, quantities, procedures, and documentation — every step done right. “It’s precise and meticulous,” he says. “I love it.”
When asked what he hopes neighbors try first, he doesn’t hesitate: the prepared meals.
Marinated and charbroiled grilled chicken with rice. Classic meatloaf with fingerling potatoes — and finished with a ketchup-brown sugar sauce that took the team four iterations to perfect. These aren’t just dishes he’s preparing — they’re meals he eats himself. During recipe testing these past few weeks, Chris has been taking home pre-portioned dinners for his family. “I have to hide them in the fridge,” he laughs. “My brother eats the meatloaf before I can get home to heat it up.”
And then there’s Harvest on Main’s daily hot hoagie special — something the team hadn’t originally planned, but couldn’t ignore after testing Bonnie’s Grandma Flo’s Meatballs and local Frankie’s Sausage and Peppers on a Mancini’s Hoagie Roll. With nowhere else in Sharpsburg to grab a hot sandwich, it’s quickly become a favorite during testing.
While some menu items were unexpected additions, others have been part of Chris’ family story for years.
This includes his great-grandmother’s pierogies — the kind that filled tables during Lent and family gatherings. As opening day approaches, Chris’ grandmother has been coming in on Saturdays to help him pinch pierogies, his grandfather nearby to keep them company (and morale high).
“I feel my uncle’s presence every day,” Chris says. “He’s looking down on us very proud and very grateful that the building is being used for the good that it is.”
Soon, 808 Main Street will be filled with longtime neighbors and first-time customers alike — and the meals coming out of that kitchen will carry forward a legacy of care, generosity, and good food shared close to home.