Chris Herbert | The Valdosta Daily Times'Big Nick' Harden reopens his popular restaurant after his battle with coronavirus.

VALDOSTA — No one is impervious to the aroma of a good brisket.

The smoky scent dances through the nostrils and tells you two things: delicious food is nearby and you need to order it immediately.

Few things are more frightening than when a pitmaster becomes robbed of his ability to smell – or taste – such a delight. 

For “Big Nick” Harden, that fear turned into a reality when he tested positive for the coronavirus back in early June. 

Harden began feeling sick June 10 and by June 13, he decided to preemptively close Big Nick’s. The doors remained closed for nearly a month.

But Friday brings a new day, and amidst the bustle of hammers and saws reverberating — the construction of a soon-to-be full-service bar — Harden announced Big Nick’s will reopen 3 p.m. Friday.

Big Nick, 39, might have felt under the weather starting June 10, but he didn’t feel truly ill until the following week. He is part of the age bracket (35-53) most infected with COVID-19 in Lowndes County at 28.33% of all cases through July 4, according to the South Health District. 

His tipping point occurred early morning June 19. Already with chills and hot flashes from a spastic fever reaching 104 degrees at times, a bathroom trip led to Harden falling backward and slamming against the floor.

His coughing fits started to last 30-45 straight minutes, and in dire need of some relief, he resorted to laying on the cool floor with his neck resting against the cold porcelain of his toilet. Anything to quell his coughs.

“I’m coughing. I’m trying to catch my breath,” Harden said. “You’re trying to psych yourself out like, ‘Nick, breathe through your nose.'”

He contacted his doctor and headed to South Georgia Medical Center’s emergency department. Harden was transported to ICU and put on oxygen to improve his breathing. He stayed among the critically ill until morning June 22.

Harden said he knew he was sick but did not fear for his life until a patient next to him in the ICU died from COVID-19. 

“I see the blue flashers or whatever and I wake up kinda sorta and you can hear the people running in there and talking. And it’s like 10-15 people rush in there and I could just tell something is wrong, man. I could feel it in my spirit,” Harden said. “This dude — something ain’t right.”

“So my nurse came back in and I kind of looked at her and she looked at me. She really couldn’t tell me, but I asked her. I said, ‘he didn’t make it did he?’ She gave me that look like, ‘no.'”

Harden prayed. He didn’t want the same fate as the man beside him.

“I’m nervous as hell because I don’t know what’s going on in my body and (the other patient’s) looking like that,” he said.  

After progressing and responding well to the drug Remdesivir, Harden was moved out of ICU three days later. Despite no sense of smell or taste, he still had an appetite, but hospital food (mostly soups and tuna salad sandwiches) did not impress him.

Harden was discharged from the hospital June 23. He tested positive again for the virus, requiring him to quarantine the next 14 days at home. Those two weeks at home were spent in separate rooms from his wife as she was positive for COVID-19 as well. 

Ironically, Friday marks the one month anniversary of Harden’s fight against the virus. Doors will still be closed technically as the dining room will not open back up just yet. The head honcho wants to keep customer experience as safe as can be, so folks in need of Harden’s cooking can procure their food via curbside takeaway, drive-through or delivery.

Describing himself at 90% healthy Thursday, Harden bounced around his restaurant prepping for the Friday restart. Catching his breath still takes a bit longer than usual, but the burly Valdosta restaurateur exuded playful energy and smiles behind his mask. Just don’t make him laugh too much or a light cough may rear its head.

For those coming back to eat, the menu will be limited initially. Coined as “Big Nick’s Back to the Basics,” the restaurant will have barbecue (brisket, chicken, ribs, pulled pork) along with wings and gator tail. The limited options should allow “faster, quicker, hotter, fresher” food. Those in need of his fried chicken need not fret, however. “Soul food Sundays” will offer chicken and the corresponding sides that folks love.

Big Nick’s will be open 3-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. After that, he hopes to return to the restaurant’s normal hours. 

It’ll be a while before Harden will greet customers again, but the excitement to reopen was palpable as he explained Friday plans. While he won’t walk around and chop it up with eaters for the time being, Harden thanked the community for the outpouring of support during the nearly month-long hiatus.

“It’s amazing how the community rallied around us,” he said.

Losing a month of revenue is tough for any business, especially the razor-thin margins of the restaurant industry, but the financial strain doesn’t bother Big Nick.

He already took down COVID-19. This is just another challenge on his path.

“We gonna make it,” Harden said.