Beatrice Nichols, Penn Museum Catering Company
Beatrice “Bea” Nichols, who co-owned and managed University of Pennsylvania’s Museum Catering Company for more than 20 years, died on December 19, 2016. She was 67.
Mrs. Nichols was born in Bern, Switzerland. She lived in Switzerland until 1973, when she and her husband Bruce moved to Philadelphia for him to attend graduate school at Penn’s Annenberg School of Communications.
Mrs. Nichols taught French and German at Germantown Academy before taking a job at The Gold Standard. She opened her own restaurant, ECCO, at 17th and Lombard streets, in the mid-1980s. Through ECCO, the Nichols met Robert Dyson, then-director of Penn Museum, who encouraged the couple to open the Museum Catering Company (MCC). The Nichols opened MCC in 1989 and later secured an exclusive contract with Penn Museum. MCC hosted events including Book and Cook, the annual beer dinner featuring legendary beer aficionado Michael Jackson and University dinners with visiting dignitaries. The Nichols celebrated the 20th anniversary of MCC in 2009.
Mrs. Nichols is survived by a brother, Marco (Jeannine); and a sister, Carla (Walter), her son and grandchildren. A Memorial Service celebrating her life is being planned for a later date at St. Marks Episcopal Church.