Gravel Driveway Repair in Exeter, NH

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For a quarter century, The Willow has been a hallmark of style, community, and charm on Water Street in Downtown Exeter.

Tony Schinella, Patch Staff

EXETER, NH — The Willow, one of downtown Exeter’s most beloved shops, is celebrating a remarkable milestone, 25 years of business, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, with an all-day anniversary celebration at their 183 Water St. location.

For a quarter century, The Willow has been a hallmark of style, community, and charm, offering a thoughtfully curated selection of home furnishings, gifts, accessories, and more. With deep local roots and a loyal customer following, The Willow has become part of the fabric that makes Exeter such a special place to live, shop, and gather.

From the beginning, The Willow has built its success by truly listening to its customers. Over the years, the store has evolved to meet the changing needs and styles of the community, offering everything from home furniture and original artwork to lighting, tableware, jewelry, and meaningful gifts. Most recently, The Willow introduced an in-store interior design service with designer Nina McCarthy of A Beautiful Room, giving customers access to expert guidance when selecting the perfect pieces for their homes.

To mark this milestone, The Willow invites the community to a festive in-store event featuring:

“Our customers have supported us for 25 years, and this event is our way of saying thank you,” Owner Julie Traverse said. “We’re proud to have grown alongside our community, continually curating our offerings and services to meet our customers’ needs. This milestone is a celebration of that journey.”

Find out what's happening in Exeterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

This anniversary event is more than just a sale, it’s a tribute to the relationships, creativity, and small business spirit that have shaped The Willow’s success for over two decades. Whether you’ve been shopping with The Willow since the beginning or just recently discovered the store, this is the perfect time to stop in, celebrate, and find something beautiful for your home.

Submitted by The Willow

EXETER — Chef Lee Frank, owner of Otis restaurant in Exeter, is one of 12 contestants competing in the new NBC television show "Yes, Chef!" hosted by "hospitality icon and business mogul" Martha Stewart and restaurateur José Andrés.

Frank made his debut on the new cooking reality show by the producers of Bravo's "Top Chef" Monday night.

The show features 12 highly skilled chefs who, according to the show's synopsis, "all have natural talent, but their egos, intensity, stubbornness, or short fuses are holding them back from reaching their full potential."

Each week, the chefs compete in culinary challenges with one contestant eliminated by the end of the show.

"This is more than a competition, it's a chance to transform your career and yourself," Andrés said. "To become the best version of you."

"Each week, you will compete in a culinary challenge where we judge you solely on your food, but each challenge is also designed to stress test your leadership and how well you work as a team," Stewart added.

The winner of the competition, and who improves "their behavior under Martha and José's guidance," takes home the $250,000 grand prize, provided by granola brand Purely Elizabeth.

How did Lee Frank get selected for 'Yes, Chef!'

Each contestant on "Yes, Chef!" was nominated by someone they know, either a co-worker or family member.

"You are all here because you are the best of the best when we talk about cooking," Andrés said.

"But each one of you has been recommended to us by a close friend who understands something is holding you back," Stewart said.

"When it comes to cooking you can dish it out," Stewart said.

"But you may also throw a dish to someone's head," Andrés said.

According to Frank's bio on the show's website, he was nominated by his sus chef, Jonathan.

"Lee has a chip on his shoulder after being overlooked in the past," Frank's bio reads. "His sous chef, Jonathan, thinks that this resentment is hindering his growth in the industry, especially with Lee’s goal of starting his own restaurant group. By entering 'Yes, Chef!,' Lee wants to show his community that he’s not just a great chef, but he’s able to improve on his self-doubt.

"It's hard to hear," Frank said.

Chef Lee Frank butts heads with former 'Top Chef' contestant

The first cooking challenge, titled "Captain Control Freaks," required three contestants to take on the role of team captains, selected based on the four-course menus they had previously submitted. Frank was placed on chef Katsuji Tanabe's blue team, tasked with developing a new four-course menu in just 10 minutes, followed by 90 minutes to prepare the dishes.

"Today's question is can you lead without micromanaging," Stewart said.

After the initial 10 minutes, team captains were given a choice by Stewart and Andrés: to cook the menu devised by their team or to have their team cook the menu that earned them the captain role. Tanabe, who appeared on "Top Chef" and was nominated for this show due to being labeled a "bully," opted to stick with his own menu, much to Frank's frustration.

"I'm the captain; I know my food, and I know it's good," Tanabe said.

Throughout the cookoff, contestants provide commentary in a style reminiscent of "Survivor" and "The Real Housewives"

"I just got (expletive) run over," Frank vented.

"Now I'm cooking a dish with (expletive) I would never use. I'm pissed… I'm hotheaded, but I'm here to work on that."

Later on, Frank commented that, "Katsuji's taking upon himself to micromanage literally every single thing you make."

During plating, Frank critiqued Tanabe's preparation, noting that his fish "seems like it was started a little bit too early and is just sitting there getting cold. The irony."

The team's meal consisted of endive salad with lemon vinaigrette & shaved bottarga, geoduck sashimi tostada with pickled shallots & habanero, wood-fired grouper marinated in dried chili adobo and pork jowl nabemono & purple potato.

The judges agreed, with Andrés commenting, "I'm getting my fish cold."

Did Lee Frank survive week one of 'Yes, Chef!'

In the end, the red team secured victory, ensuring their safety from elimination, while members of the blue (Frank's team) and green teams faced the risk of being sent home.

Chef Michelle Francis — who was selected for the show because she "struggles with perfectionism and doesn’t always play nice with others" — was named "Most Valuable Chef" (MVC) by Stewart and Andrés. Her dish on the red team was seared scallops with Italian couscous & pomegranate.

"She proved leadership isn't about micromanaging but knowing when to step in and when to trust," Stewart remarked.

As MVC, Francis was granted the power to choose her opponent for a cook-off. If Francis won, her competitor would be eliminated; if she lost, her opponent could select a member from the losing teams for elimination. Francis chose Tanabe, who actively asked to be selected and said if he won, he would pick whoever she wanted to be sent home.

"If I lose this cook-off, it's bye-bye, but it's not going to happen," said Tanabe.

The two chefs faced off in a 45-minute cook-off under the theme "cuisine from around the world." Francis chose the cooking style, selecting Greek cuisine, while Tanabe chose the ingredients, opting for Mexican.

Tanabe emerged victorious with his vegetarian Greek salad dish, which outshined Francis' red snapper that Stewart criticized as "chalky" and "very fishy."

As the winner, Tanabe selected chef Petrina Peart, of the green team, for elimination. Peart had the "least favorite dish" in the team challenge — a lobster gazpacho — which Stewart criticized as "a little sloppy, something I would send back at a restaurant." During the cook-off, Tanabe stirred controversy by grabbing ingredients, including the only steak, which he deliberately left unused to prevent Francis from incorporating it into her dish. He later attributed his decision to eliminate Peart to Francis, which she denied.

"Katsuji is lying," Francis retorted. "You are such a vlaka (stupid, in Greek)."

When is the next episode of 'Yes, Chef!'?

Lee is now one of 11 contestants competing for the title. "Yes, Chef!" airs Mondays at 10 p.m., following "The Voice." Fans can also stream episodes on Peacock after they become available the next day.

Lee Frank owns several restaurants on the Seacoast

Frank, a Los Angeles native, has been cooking throughout the Seacoast since 2005, most notably at M.C. Perkins Cove in Ogunquit and Anneke Jans in Kittery before opening the American farm-to-table restaurant Otis at 4 Front Street in 2016.

Frank also owns the casual hotdog and “burger joint” Lee Frank’s in South Berwick, which he opened in 2021, and one in Wells, Maine, which he opened in 2024. He's opening a third location in Exeter next month.

In 2024 and 2025, Frank was named one of the 16 semifinalists for best chef in the Northeast in the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards.

Frank is also no stranger to reality television. He has also appeared on "Chopped" and "Beat Bobby Flay," where he won the first round with his country-fried steak.

EXETER, N.H. —

A budding designer from Exeter has gone viral on TikTok for what she calls her "thrift flips."

Alexis Kesslen, a student at the School of Fashion Design in Boston, calls herself an upcycling fashion designer.

Kesslen has a knack for transforming second-hand clothes. Her thrift flips on TikTok have gone viral.

"I did have a couple of posts that got more than a million views, so that was really crazy," Kesslen said.

"I'll usually look for something with a lot of yardage, either a super baggy dress or something like that, so I know I can get a lot of use out of the fabric," she said.

Kesslen learned to sew in classes at Exeter High School. Now, she's getting her collection ready for her graduation day show at the School of Fashion Design.

"The lace was donated to the school, and it's an upcycled project," she said. "Instead of throwing it away, it gets put into a dress."

"I love it," said Sunnyray, a model wearing one of Kesslen's designs. "I move in it like it's a glove."

"Sustainability is important to me, and minimal waste is important to me," Kesslen said. "I really have been trying to utilize what is around me."

Leftover buttons complete the look of her suede jacket.

"That is also part of the beauty of rummaging through someone's trash, because it becomes your treasure," Kesslen said.

A teacher helped her put the finishing touches on a pajama set. "She had this lace from when she worked at Victoria's Secret that was left over, and so she gave me this lace, and it just matched perfectly," Kesslen said.

Her outfit is second-hand.

"I really try to do my part to not buy new clothes," Kesslen said.

Kesslen said she loves when a thrift trip inspires her to create something new.

"It was a garment that was once loved and cherished and was donated for the purpose of not throwing it away and giving it to a new home," she said. "It feels good to not be a part of fast fashion. I really want to try to avoid that in my career."