Tucker's owner: Fire caused by stove left on

A fire Monday night destroyed the kitchen of Tucker's Restaurant, which has been in business for more than 50 years on Vine Street.

Just before 10 p.m., firefighters responded to the blaze, knocked open the doors and extinguished the fire in minutes, Cincinnati Fire Department Lt. Pat Kwiatkowski said.

The restaurant was empty at the time of the fire, and everyone who rents apartments from owner Joe Tucker above the restaurant made it out safe.

"No damage anywhere else," Kwiatkowski said. "It was all confined to the kitchen."

Tucker told The Enquirer on Tuesday the fire was caused by an employee who came to the kitchen after hours to cook something and left a stove burner on.

Monday night, Tucker stood across Vine Street watching firefighters work to clear the smoke out of the restaurant his parents opened in 1957.

"I can't change anything that happened," he said. "I have to see what I can do to get the ball rolling again."

Samuel Peter Nickolas, owner of Giant Food Truck, offered to park the 38-foot-long food truck outside of Tucker's Restaurant so the business can stay open.

Nickolas and Tucker went to school together. "We've been friends our whole lives," Nickolas said.

Cooks could make the food in the truck and then Tucker could serve it inside of his restaurant, Nickolas suggested.

But Tucker is waiting to hear from the health department before he accepts the offer.

When Cincinnati food gets national recognition, Tucker's usually gets a mention. The restaurant has served Roadfood writer Michael Stern, appeared in Saveur and graced the pages of Gourmet.

Locally, the restaurant may be more known for its owner and his support of his neighbors.

"I do what I can do," Tucker said over the roar of the firetrucks lined up in front of his restaurant. "I try to give back as much as I can because I wouldn't have what I have now if it wasn't for these people down here."

Tucker's family opened its first restaurant in 1946. In all that time, Tucker hasn't had to deal with this type of damage.

"I've never had a fire here," he said. "No strong-arm robberies, just the shooting that happened years ago."

Tucker's wife, Carla, and another woman were injured when two men opened fire at the restaurant in 2011.

Around 11:30 p.m., the fire inspector took Tucker into the building to see the damage. When he came out, he said he didn't know how long the restaurant would have to be closed.

"The kitchen is toasted," he said.