A conversation with Nate Mass
Trista Thurston/Observer-Reporter
Nate Mass of Washington has made his Washington Pa. Food Facebook page vital for dining enthusiasts across the area.
Courtesy of Lori Dominick
Courtesy of Lori Dominick
Nate Mass poses with Bubba’s Gourmet Burghers & Beer owner and radio personality Mark “Bubba” Snider at Washington Pa. Food’s second restaurant takeover at the Washington Brewing Company. Bubba co-owns the food partner for the brewery.
Courtesy of Lisa DeGasperis Aprea
Courtesy of Lisa DeGasperis Aprea
Nate Mass prepares hisPasta Fagioli for Chicco Baccello in October.
Courtesy of Craig Tacy
Washington Pa. Food group shirts
Courtesy of Nate Mass
The group’s second restaurant takeover, this time at The Washington Brewing Company.
Courtesy of Brian Thigpen
A sign welcomes Washington Pa. Food Facebook page members to Southern Yanks Smokehouse for the first restaurant takeover.
Courtesy of Nate Mass
Courtesy of Nate Mass
A sampler from Southern Yanks Smokehouse from the first Washington PA Food group restaurant takeover
He started a mouth-watering Facebook page that’s led to widespread hanger and weight gain. Whether you’re a foodie who tries anything once or a picky eater who lives off cheese pizza, the Washington Pa. Food Facebook page has become the place to find and plan your next meal, thanks to its creator Nate Mass, of Washington. We sat down with Mass to learn what motivated him to gather local eaters together online.
What made you create this page?
The North Franklin Township native said he lived in Arizona for 12 years, but returned to Washington in 2016. He started the page last July.
“I was gone for 12 years, so a lot in this county had changed. It was nice to be able to see all these new restaurants that are little known about but starting to come up. I really wanted to do something with that. Also, I’ve always shared pictures of my food, and people were saying, ‘Well, all you do is post pictures of food or where you’re eating.’ I thought, well, why don’t I create something where we could do this all together and where we could all discuss it.”
What is your history and background with food?
“My mother cooked Italian food all the time. I’m very picky about certain things, but I love food. I don’t eat lettuce or tomato. I honestly don’t know how people eat lettuce with the texture. I pretty much am hungry all the time, which is why I started cooking on my own. Then I moved to Arizona by myself.”
He started experimenting with marinades and grilling different meats, but soon, he was calling his mother, asking for her Pasta Fagioli soup recipe.
“I called her and told her I want that recipe, and I want to make my own. Her grandmother made a traditional Pasta Fagioli with just a white bean and noodles, but us kids always wanted more of a soup. It’s meat, celery, carrots and other things. This was my mom’s recipe that I took it over. She even says, ‘Nate, I hate you, but you did it-that is better.’ She really loves my lasagna too. I make it for her every Mother’s Day. I really love to cook-and that’s another reason why I started the page.”
What are some unexpected things you got to do through this group?
In October, he was a guest chef at Chicco Baccello, where he made and sold his Pasta Fagioli. The soup made a return appearance in January.
“We tripled the recipe, which I had never done. I had anxiety. I had to make it perfect. People loved it. We sold out of 25 quarts by noon. By 7:30 a.m., they had people ordering soup, and it was their busiest day in history.”
He also had the opportunity to be a taste-tester for a new hot sauce company, Maestros’ Sauce Co., which he said has amazing flavorful sauces.
“I said none of your sauces are really hot. You got to have that one. I told him we got to make one called ‘Burn Your Mass.'”
Through the page, he’s also hosted restaurant takeovers, where members of the group meet up at one restaurant to try their menu, whether it’s specials or classics. He’s hosted them at Southern Yanks, on West Chestnut Street in Washington, The Washington Brewing Co., on East Maiden Street in Washington, The Presidents Pub, on North Main Street in Washington, and the Crafty Jackalope in Bridgeville.
What are some of your favorite places to eat that you never knew about before this page?
Chicco Baccello, South Main Street, Washington, a coffee house and bakery.
Ala Maria’s, Lemoyne Avenue, Washington, a small Italian restaurant.
Grande Jr., Racetrack Road, Washington, a take-out Brooklyn-style pizza shop.
J&S Diner, Millers Run Rd, Cecil, a family-style restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch.
What are some challenges you face with monitoring this page?
“It started with just friends. Then it was friends of friends, then it just kept going and going,” he said.
In six months, the page has grown to more than 11,000 members. He and his wife Rachel are the two administrators of the page, and he’s brought on five additional moderators to help manage posts and membership.
In a New Year’s post on the page, Mass thanked the members for supporting the page, the local restaurants and each other’s appetites.
“I cannot thank yinz enough,” he wrote. “From restaurant takeovers, to contest giveaways, and to helping feed the homeless, 2019 has been an amazing year for the group.”