Monroe’s beloved annual fish fry, a popular tradition during Lent, is back after a five-year hiatus. Originally hosted by St. Peter’s Grace Episcopal Church, the event provided fish and chips, sides, and homemade desserts for local families. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the tradition to an end in 2019. This year, the fish fry has been resurrected through a collaboration between St. Peter’s and Monroe Congregational Church (MCC), bringing back the community event with a fresh twist.
Since March 7, volunteers from both churches have partnered with David Kuban, owner of Planet Pizza in Norwalk, to host the event. Kuban’s food truck is stationed each week in front of Monroe Congregational Church on the corner of Route 111 and Church Street. The event runs every Friday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. through April 11.
While the event still includes traditional fish fry items, the menu now boasts a wider variety of options, including fried shrimp, chicken fingers, and a selection of meatless pizza pies. The “Good Cod Almighty Fish Sandwich,” featuring lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce, maintains the religious observance of Lent.
Michael Ganino, a parishioner of MCC, reflected on the need to work together to bring back the event. “Neither of our churches could bring it back alone, and we knew we needed a pro to make it happen,” he said. Ganino reached out to Kuban, who immediately agreed to collaborate. “Within seconds, he responded with two words: ‘Let’s rock,’” Ganino recalled.
The collaboration was further solidified after The Rev. Jennifer Gingras of MCC and The Rev. Derek Stefanovsky of St. Peter’s discussed combining efforts. “We thought anything to bring our two communities together to serve our hometown would be a good thing,” said Gingras.
In addition to in-person orders, the event offers the convenience of online preorders, with a discount for those who order in advance. The preordering system opens every Saturday morning and closes at 2 p.m. on Fridays.
As the event grows, community involvement has been key. Gingras noted that the number of preorders has doubled since the first week. “Last week, we had 94 preorders. This week, we had twice as many,” she said.
Gary Thompson, St. Peter’s Grace Episcopal Church historian, emphasized that all food is served fresh and hot, whether ordered in advance or picked up on-site.
Ganino praised Kuban for his generosity in supporting the event. “Dave offered to charge us only for the cost of ingredients and his staff. He committed to giving 50 percent of the proceeds to both churches,” Ganino said. “Thanks to Dave’s generosity and commitment, along with volunteers from both churches and the support of the Monroe community, we’ve been able to bring back and expand this much-loved tradition.”
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