Our Story

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In 2007 the Bridge House Restaurant opened its doors to the Devon section in Milford, CT.  Owners Rick Jurzyk and Chris Saley built a wonderful gastro pub that brought new light and energy into the area.   Yet, with 10 years of success they both had deep ambition to do more.    In June of 2016,  they offered a partnership with long time restaurant and hospitality enthusiast  Frank Basile and Robert Cyr, each with over 20 years of experience in the industry.   Their partnership added a new culinary vision and the desire to grow  roots within Bridge House's strong foundation.

Frank, is a Johnson and Wales Culinary Arts graduate  and trained chef with a robust love for food and cooking that was instilled during his youth.  Rob, a former State of Connecticut Corrections Officer, realized that his calling was truly in the hospitality industry.  With that,  both Frank and Rob began by cultivating experience in the industry together with the Carmen Anthony Restaurant Group and then 10 plus years at a national chain.  Both were  awarded on local and national level for their successes.  It was with this shared passion and experience they realized it was time to go all in on their craft and joined Bridge House.  Over the course of a short period of time, Bridge House was updated with culinary delights and rave reviews,  becoming a staple to the Milford dining scene. 

As much as Frank and Rob loved Milford, Milford loved them right back!  They were taken in with open arms and rewarded Business Men of the year in Milford by the Chamber of Commerce in 2017. With the city’s  beautiful coast line and it’s growth overall, new, exciting ideas and objectives were taking shape  in the minds of the partners to expand. In May of 2018, Bonfire Grille opened in the Woodmont section of Milford. And during a pandemic in  2020, Founders House Pub and Patio  opened in downtown area on the green.   It was during this time,  Brian Fowkes, a longtime friend and former colleague to both Frank and Rob came on board.  Brian, coming from a similar background brings a wealth of experience and innovation to the group.  

With all that said, none of this would have been possible without our solid foundation and partnerships, knowledge and experience in the industry, the wonderful community of Milford and lastly our unbelievable staff that are the faces and smiles of our restaurants.      Collectively, we have decided to push beyond the restaurant and culinary world  and continue our mission  and commitment of giving back to our community and beyond with the formation of BFFG Community Giving.