Holten Brandi

Holten Brandi of North Reading, Mass., formerly of West Peabody, Mass. died Dec. 20 at his home. He was 72.

He was born in Greenport on April 22, 1939, to Serafino and Evelyn Alice (Holten) Brandi and grew up there. He graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., where he taught food chemistry courses.

Mr. Brandi was first employed with Marriott Hotels in the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia areas. He later owned and operated Brandi’s Wharf Restaurant and Night Club in Philadelphia for many years, then moved to Peabody and worked at the former Yoken’s Restaurants in Danvers. Mass., and Portsmouth, N.H. He started Holten Brandi Foods Inc., a catering service that he and his family ran successfully for 36 years, catering numerous events along the North Shore and in the Boston and Newton areas.

A chef, for many years he taught gourmet cooking and food preparation classes at Essex Agricultural and Technical High School in the Hathorne section of Danvers. He had also been in charge of all foods at the former Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

Mr. Brandi enjoyed traveling and taking pictures for his photography hobby, according to family members

Predeceased by his wife, Judith Anne (Shick) Brandi, he is survived by his companion, Diane Riddell of North Reading; his son, Stephen, of Peabody; his daughters, Elisa, of Winthrop, Mass., and Suzanne Reed of Peabody; his brother, John, of St. John, American Virgin Islands; his sister, Susan Labowitz of Florida; and four grandchildren.

Visiting hours will take place Thursday, Dec. 22, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home in Peabody, where a funeral service will be held Friday, Dec. 23, at 11:30 a.m.

Memorial donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Derry, N.H, P.O. Box 140, East Derry Drive, Derry, NH 03041. For directions and guestbook visit www.ccbfuneral.com.