Parent You Should Know: Buck Frisch and Lindsay Irvin Frisch

Brother-sister pair Buck Frisch and Lindsay Frisch Irvin are getting ready for a big adventure—in a few years, they will assume ownership of the Mt. Washington Tavern, which has been in the family since their father became an employee in 1986.

From left, Buck and Maddie Frisch with Charlotte; Lindsay Frisch Irvin with Axell; her parents Holly and Rob Frisch with
Carson and Co-owner Dave Lichty and wife Cathy Lichty (David Stuck)

Following the 10-year anniversary of its reopening in 2012 after a devastating fire, the duo are keeping the iconic Baltimore neighborhood restaurant a family affair as they raise the next generation.

Both live in the Baltimore area— Buck with his wife, Maddie, daughter Charlotte (1) and 6-year-old Shepherd mix Koda; and Frisch Irvin with her husband, Tim Irvin, and children, Axell (4) and Carson (18 months).

What do you love most about your job?
B – I like to feel like I’ve made someone’s day a bit better after they come in. I love working with my family. We’ve always been close and it’s incredible to be back here and be with them again.

L – One of the many things I love about my job is how we have created such a family environment. My kids are treated like family by each and every staff member. Axell walks straight into the kitchen to the ice cream fridge to show which flavor he’d like that day.

How do you balance work and family life?
B – That’s kind of a tough question because they’re really intertwined, so it’s not quite your average balance. I work with my wife, sister, mother and father, and my daughter, niece and nephew are in the restaurant with us at some point most days of the week. We also all live within miles of each other, so it’s easy to get together and time away from work is nearly always family time!

L– Balancing work and family life can be complicated. Every single day I work there is a different process. Axell is in preschool full time and my daughter goes to a different person each day. Most days she goes to family (so helpful) and Fridays she goes to an in-home daycare with a family friend.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a parent?
B – Getting enough sleep! (Just kidding, kind of.) Our daughter was born in Vermont, so we were really far from both of our families. (My wife is from coastal Maine.) With both of us working in the food and beverage industry, and limited childcare in Vermont, we were working opposite shifts every day and didn’t have a chance to really share the experience together.

L -One of the hardest parts about being a parent is finding help with your kiddos. If both my kids were enrolled (in preschool and daycare) full time, it would actually be more than my mortgage. On top of that, the kids being around so many other children, they come home with a new illness every other week that goes through the household and wipes us all out.

What do you hope your child(ren) learn from you?
B – I hope [Charlotte] sees us work hard and be kind, and that she’ll be that way, too. We’re pretty sure she’ll inherit our love for the outdoors! We just took her snowboarding for the first time, and it was a blast. She loves flowers and gardening, though mostly for the mud and to eat the flowers.

L – I hope my children learn to go with the flow. I feel like being in a restaurant or service industry in general you learn to… be understanding of different circumstances. Things change [at] the drop of a hat, and you need to be ready and willing to accept the cards you are dealt.

What is your family’s favorite …

Buck
Meal: We eat everything and love trying new food, but all three of us love oysters.
Dessert: My wife is the dessert person, but we both love key lime pie.
Local Place: Prettyboy Reservoir

Lindsay
Meal: It may sound cliché, but we love a good crab feast. In the spring, summer and early fall we have crabs almost every Sunday at my parents’ house. It’s a great tradition.
Dessert: I’d have to say ice cream is a family fave. My son could eat ice cream for every single meal if we let him!
Local Place: Anywhere with a playground!

About Heather M. Ross

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