The adage of making lemonade out of lemons seems fitting when considering the emergence of Monadnock Eats in downtown Peterborough. The operation grew out of a challenge created by the pandemic and is now a business catering to individual diets and larger events from its location at 15 Main St.

Rhonda Cilley owns and oversees the business, which offers her culinary talents in three ways: dining at the downtown location, advanced meal preparation and event catering. 

“There’s a great customer base here, and something was missing,” she said of the food scene locally a few years ago.

This perspective comes from years in the restaurant business and in Peterborough, where she grew up and raised her family. 

“This business is very social,” she said. “Think of all the interaction with waitresses and waiters.”

The passion with which she discusses her operation may be in her DNA; her brother owns Beepa and Lulu’s a few miles away, and her daughter, Lindsey Leavitt, is Monadnock Eats’ manager. 

The “lemons” of the operation’s roots were COVID-19 and the lockdown, during which Cilley took to her passion of cooking. She would share dishes with friends and acquaintances, and it became clear that there was a niche to fill -- advanced meal prep, namely complete dishes prepared elsewhere to be enjoyed at home. Last fall, she began to formalize operations, which included creating charcuterie boards. 

“I wanted a larger meal prep area and a smaller dining area,” she said.

The Main Street location offers table seating inside as well as out and a salad bar with 26 toppings. Beyond photographs by a local artist and shelves with offerings such as coconut almonds and uncured bacon jam, a counter showcases various choices. Buffalo & BBQ potato chicken bowls, Greek cucumber and  artichoke salad and kale and farrow with apricots, cranberries and pepitas are among the day’s offerings available in half-pint, pint and quart servings. 

Beyond what’s in the deli case are Cilley’s creations on her weekly menu, available to people on her mailing list and on Facebook.  

“People see what dishes are on the list, and email back saying, “I’d like that for next Tuesday,” Cilley said. “They can let me know when they want it and any allergies they have.” 

Monadnock Eats’ prices are mostly in the $10 to $14 range. 

“We have gluten-free and veggie offerings,” Cilley said. “We’re not a gluten-free facility, but for someone who is gluten-sensitive, we’re here.”

She also appreciates her market.

“Many of our customers live alone,” Cilley said. “Cooking for one isn’t that practical. Recipes are typically written with four servings in mind. And cooking for one doesn’t always involve healthy options. One customer said that our services gave her back the gift of time.” 

The business also meets the needs of another demographic in the area. 

“People with parents at RiverMead come in and set up a house account with a payment method,” she said. “It’s easy for them. And these are dishes that people wouldn’t normally make at home.”

Catering has emerged as a large part of the operation, as well.

“Deb Golden is our catering coordinator,” said Cilley. Golden brings experience to the operation from her years owning Del Rossi’s Trattoria in Dublin.

“We recently had a big event with the Peterborough Players,” Cilley said. “Catering is perhaps 50% of our business now. We covered an end-of-harvest dinner for a group of Jamaican workers at a local farm. We made jerk chicken with a house-made rub and rice and peas. They felt really special that we prepared a dish that was familiar to them.”

The fare can vary by season. Summer can include Mexican street corn and chicken kebabs, while in the winter, acorn spaghetti and stuffed squash are cool-weather offerings. 

Getting word out about Monadnock Eats has been part technology, part talk.

“Our biggest marketing tools are Facebook and word of mouth,” Cilley said. “A lot of our customers have been referred here by their happy friends.”

She is also excited about an upcoming radio spot with the Monadnock Collaborative, the regional chamber of commerce. 

Two distinct intentions are reflected in Cilley’s approach to her business.

“I want to provide offerings that can’t be found in this area,” she said, noting Mongolian beef as an example. “Most people have never tried that.”

She also wants to proceed thoughtfully with her business, explaining that she delayed offering a glimpse into Monadnock Eats until she was ready to get the word out with confidence.

“I want to get it right before I expand,” she said.