A Delicious Start to December: The Story Behind Our Beloved Beefsteak Dinner

Our annual Beefsteak Dinner kicks off December, a month that begins the seasons of Advent and then Christmas, but also brings a beloved St. Francis tradition. This past Friday the gym was packed with 297 guests, wonderful music, and incredible community energy. Over $5,000 in prizes were featured in our auctions, and everyone enjoyed an amazing all-you-can-eat meal from Nightengale’s Catering of Clifton.

Thank you to the amazing team whose hard work makes this night happen each year:

Joan Sawicki, Kathy Reinbold, Mary Law, Ellen Dombrowski, Madelyn Pietrucha, Pat Heimlick, Diane DeMeo, Judy O’Connor, Patty Fagan, and from the church: Amy Marks, Michelle De Bella, and Astrid Befumo. Your dedication and effort truly make this event shine.

A little history…

Years ago, Joan Sawicki, together with Kathy Reinbold, Mary Law, and our church link Lori Dudek, decided to try something completely different as a fundraiser. Although beefsteak dinners were hugely popular in North Jersey, many locals here had never heard of an all-you-can-eat beefsteak.

The tradition itself began with Hap Nightengale in Clifton in 1938, welcoming back fellow military friends. The idea quickly caught on, if you smelled roasting meat, you knew a beefsteak was happening, whether it was a bowling banquet, shower, wedding, or a church event.

The four of them organized the very first St. Francis beefsteak dinner. Just over 100 curious guests came out to try this new kind of meal, and it was a small but meaningful success. From that humble beginning, the event has grown tremendously.

Today, the efforts once led by Joan, Kathy, and Mary are shared with an expanded committee: Ellen and Walt Dombrowski, Madelyn and Bernie Pietrucha, Pat and Jimmy Heimlick, Judy O’Connor, Diane DeMeo, and Patty Fagan, with Amy, Michele, and Astrid helping bring all the details together.

This 8th annual Beefsteak Dinner was an incredible success and has become a cherished part of our parish calendar.

Every first Friday of December is officially BEEFSTEAK NIGHT at St. Francis!