Thurmont Kountry Kitchen
Thurmont, MD
Casual Dining

Left to Right:  Chuck and Lynn Griffiths of CJS Sales; Tracy Choppi, VP of Sales for The Broaster Company; and Sherry and Rob Myers of Thurmont Kountry Kitchen. 

The Broaster Company, a leading manufacturer and supplier of foodservice equipment, fresh and frozen foods, and branded food programs, presented Thurmont Kountry Kitchen, Thurmont, Maryland, with its Golden Chicken Award in a ceremony held at the restaurant.  The Golden Chicken award is presented by The Broaster Company to a select number of foodservice operators across the country that have shown exemplary merchandising skills in the promotion and sale of Genuine Broaster Chicken®, the company’s signature product.

Thurmont Kountry Kitchen, located at 17 Water Street in Thurmont, is owned by Roger and Pat Ridenour, who have operated the business since 1984 when they purchased a very small restaurant with a seating capacity of only 30.  Roger remained employed as a shoemaker while Pat and one employee maintained the new business.  Later, Roger quit his day job to work full-time in the expanding business and extra capacity was added to the facility with the addition of a new kitchen and dining area. Today the restaurant seats 90 patrons, has 25 employees, and is managed by the Ridenours’ daughter, Sherry.

In addition to the restaurant’s extremely popular Genuine Broaster Chicken®, Thurmont Kountry Kitchen offers a wide variety of other entrees.  The menu, which resembles a book, includes supermelt sandwiches, homemade crabcakes, quesadillas, and much, much more. 

It was about five years ago when the Ridenours decided to invest in a Broaster® pressure fryer and add Genuine Broaster Chicken® to their menu.  Pat contacted Chuck and Lynn Griffiths of CJS Sales in New Castle, PA, the authorized Broaster distributor in their area, for assistance.  Reflecting on that decision, Pat Ridenour says, “What a success – the amount of chicken we sell each week is incredible! Plus, we use our Broaster® pressure fryer to make pork tenderloins, and on occasion, chicken livers and even ribs for specials!”

The Washington Post included a review of the Thurmont Kountry Kitchen’s Broaster Chicken® in an article which appeared on the front page of their April 21, 2004 Food Section.  In the article, which was picked up by newspapers around the country, the Post’s staff writer Walter Nicholls described the chicken as “great chicken, plump, succulent – good to the bone.” Nicholls added that he was beginning to understand why Broaster has its loyal fans.  That simple mention unleashed a rash of new business for the Ridenours, who report “loyal fans” driving up from Washington, DC specifically to enjoy their chicken.

According to Roger Ridenour, each year the business grows more and more.  Thurmont Kountry Kitchen added a second Broaster® pressure fryer in September to keep up with the increasing demand for their Genuine Broaster Chicken®.  With the delicious foods they offer, as recognized by their regular patrons, and now formally by The Broaster Company, the future is bright for this friendly, small town favorite.

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