Resident Adds Expertise
to Freeport Tavern Experience
By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
10/13/11
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“The gas fireplaces out there are absolutely amazing,” Wilbur said, mentioning the patio will remain open as long as the weather permits.

But the transformation of the restaurant didn’t stop with cosmetics. Wilbur said he concentrated on the quality of every product Freeport Tavern utilizes to serve its customers. He met with multiple vendors, and searched for the best products he could find.

“It was a long process. It was about four solid months of preparation to get us where we are today,” he said.

The menu has some nice choices, including specials for $12 and under. Entrée selections include something for every palate, ranging from quality steaks and chicken dishes, to a full selection of fresh seafood.

“It’s really nice. If you are coming out for a business meeting and you want to ‘wow’ somebody, you can really ‘wow’ somebody,” Wilbur said, pointing to items such as the restaurant’s famous Brandt beef steak tips, cut from specially raised cattle containing no additives or hormones.

“It’s a big difference as far as the quality, and that’s the name of the game in this business. You have to give people quality to make them come back.”

Wilbur’s culinary roots were established locally, as his first job in the kitchen was washing dishes at Wollaston Golf Club as a 12-year-old converted caddy.

“I found myself working as a short-order cook there a few months later, and worked all the way through school there,” the 1985 Milton High graduate said.

He went on to be an apprentice chef with a foundation affiliated with the Copley Plaza Hotel, and attended courses at Boston University as part of that program.

Ultimately, Wilbur learned the ins and outs of the restaurant business, working as an executive chef for several establishments including former Boston dining institution Maison Robert, all while living on Ferncroft Road. Wilbur bought the house he grew up in from his parents in 1992. He and his wife Rosa raised their children, Albert and Angelica, there as well.

“It all began in Milton. It’s a great town,” he said.

(Freeport Tavern is located at 780 Morrissey Blvd. The restaurant serves daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday brunch is available from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Entertainment is featured many evenings. Visit www.freeporttavern.com for more information.)