By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Boby Mitov is passing his culinary dream into new hands.
As of this week, The Clay Pot Bistro, 182 S. Main St., will be owned and operated by Veronica and Grant Mierzejewski.
Mitov’s mission has been to provide healthy, home cooked food that nourishes the body, not just fills it. He’s used the best ingredients, organic vegetables, grass-fed lamb and beef, he could find, often sourced locally. On Wednesdays, Mitov would go across the street to purchase produce from Clay Hill Produce.
[RELATED: Clay Pot Bistro continues its mission to serve good food that’s good for you]
“Real food that’s the mission,” Mitov said Friday. “I’m leaving but the Clay Pot stays which is more important to the community. … I leave the restaurant in her hands to continue what I started a long time ago.”
Mitov launched the eatery, then known as Naslada, 20 years ago in the Woodland Mall. In 2006*, he moved, as he had planned, to downtown Bowling Green. There Mitov put in long hours to establish the restaurant. For a few months, he served, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then lunch and dinner.
For about 10 years, he provided meals at lunchtime for women in rehabilitation through Behavioral Connections.
As he continued to refine the bistro’s offerings, and find some family-work balance, he transitioned to dinners only.
The pandemic was a pivot point.
He used the shutdown to renovate the restaurant, including adding an outdoor eating space, and rebrand as The Clay Pot Bistro.
Veronica Mierzejewski said she and her husband had a hand in that process. She had already been helping during Firefly Nights and other busy times. “I worked for wine,” she quipped.
They knew the Boby Mitov and Mariana Mitova for 12 years, meeting each other when their sons played soccer together.
“The pandemic changed people’s perspective,” Mitov said. They were more focused on their health.
The outdoor space offered a more European style dining atmosphere. He hired Mierzejewski as general manager and to handle social media marketing.
The restaurant also started getting notice, by media in the Toledo area. That expanded its customer base. Now walking in without a reservation on a weekend often meant not getting a table.
But Mitov said that the two decades of work getting the bistro to this point was grueling, and he knew he needed a change.
“We knew that Boby was going to be leaving,” Veronica Mierzejewski said. “We didn’t want to see this place close. Grant and I really believe in the mission of this place, and we love this community. We raised our kids here. There’s a real place for this restaurant.”
That mission is providing “clean eating that nourishes the person” she said. It also means having a place where people can gather. The name is The Clay Pot, but the company is registered under the name Good Food Together.
That’s its mission statement.
Gabe Brenner, who has been sous chef, will now be the head chef.
Brenner started cooking at home growing up in the Cleveland area. His grandfather, a Polish immigrant, taught him how to make potato pancakes.
Mierzejewski said she’s heard a lot about those pancakes, Brenner said he’d like to add them to the menu at some point.
His mother was an avid baker, and he helped her in the kitchen.
He came to Bowling Green to study psychology, but after two years decided that he didn’t want to go the typical route and get a degree then a job.
He started working at Clay Pot as a dishwasher. Impressed by his work ethic, Mitov offered to teach him to cook. He worked as a line chef before being promoted to sous chef.
Mierzejewski, from Oregon, also came to Bowling Green to attend BGSU. During her college years she worked in a couple restaurants before going to work for Woodlane.
As part of the transition, she has spent time with Mitov in the kitchen learning the signature recipes so she can fill in for Brenner in a pinch.
The menu may evolve, but those signature dishes will remain.
“I don’t want any riots here or upheavals,” she said. “We have such a loyal customer base. We know they love certain dishes.”
If the beef stroganoff, chicken piccata, veggies in a clay pot, and pear salad were no longer available, there would be complaints.
Clay Pot will also continue to host special events – wine themed dinners and the annual Burns Night celebration.
[RELATED: Robert Burns celebrated with verse, whiskey, & food at annual dinner (video)]
Mitov plans to move to Florida, but not before taking a trip to his native Bulgaria. It’s been 15 years since he’s seen his parents, who are in their 80s. It will be good to see them in person rather than just talking over the phone, Mitov, who immigrated to Bowling Green, in 1999, said.
“I cannot push anymore,” he said. He worked hard to establish The Clay Pot. “That’s the story,” he said. Now he’s leaving it to the Mierzejewskis to continue.
*Correction. In original story, the date was incorrect.
