“The people of Ottawa deserve delicious donuts! ”
All in Food & Drink
Les Moulins La Fayette - Ghummaz, Veda, Aditya
“The staff is the heart and soul of our café. Each person contributes to their very best because they care, they are part of the family, they are part of this community. Two of our 3 partners live in Hintonburg because they have fallen in LOVE with the community. Our philosophy is very simple, having a positive impact, in the community that we serve, will leave a legacy that is greater than the size of our foot print. As a result, we sit on the Wellington West Business Improvement Area (BIA) Board and contribute to the local business advocacy initiatives. We often collaborate with various local businesses and community organizations. We are not merely selling products, we have become a home to so many families that come and stay because they enjoy the experience, the staff and the food.”
allsaints event space - Leanne Moussa
“From the get go we have been an open and inclusive space. We are always delighted in sharing the rich history of the building. Many people we've met over the years attended church, got married, and celebrated all sorts of occasions here, and it was important for us to continue the tradition of having this building serve as a space of celebration and community. “ Leanne Moussa
Backcountry Wok + Wok Fresh - Melanie Ang
“ Backcountry Wok started from our desire to create better tasting and less wasteful dehydrated meals for camping. It is really important to me for our meals to be as sustainable and local as possible. That’s why we source all our produce from local producers here in Ontario. We prep and dehydrate all the ingredients in-house. “
Al's Steakhouse - Justin Merner
“We take pride that we’ve always butchered our meat on-site, which allows us to quality control what is coming in, and what we’re putting out.”
Big Rig Brewery - Lon Ladell
“My favourite part of the job is probably recipe development. It's fun to wake up in the morning and think about the type of beer you want to drink that day, then build a recipe and make it come to fruition.”
Moe's BBQ - Mobeen
“ I initially started BBQing because southern style halal smoked meat is extremely rare in all of North America. As a practicing Muslim, I only eat halal. Therefore, to enjoy smoked meat I had to learn to smoke it myself. “
Pure Kitchen - Kyle & Olivia
“We believe it is important not only to be a community for people, but to also give back to our communities. Whether it is partnering with a community organization for our monthly smoothie, taking teams over to Parkdale or The Mission to cook or hiring clients from Causeway, we want to help at the local level to break down barriers for those in need.”
Urban Reifen - Kenny & Twinson
“ The idea was to offer traditional beverages akin to the origins of our ethnic culture (Hong Kong). While customers get their vehicle serviced, they can enjoy a serene café-like atmosphere with a beverage of their choice while they wait. “
The Works Glebe - Wade
“I didn’t set out to have a career in the restaurant business. After finishing school I set my sites on an acting career while taking acting classes and pursuing the dream of being an actor I ended up working in restaurants like most aspiring actors bartending and waiting tables.”
Hey Sugar - Debra
“ For me though, I tend to like the ones that take a bit of ingenuity to create or rely less on commercial flavours. My very favourite has to be the Margarita. I put just a tiny bit of flaky salt in the mold before I pour the candy in so the first few licks you get the sense of the salt rim on a margarita glass.”
Taj Indian Cuisine - Indu
“When you open up any business make sure it is your passion and something that makes you happy. Remember that it is hard work and that you will need to listen to your customers and staff.”
Desk Nibbles - Cassy & Emil
“We enjoy solving problems. This one just happens to be a pretty big one for most companies. Not only for snacks, but for ordering any high volume consumable. There is so much inefficiency. Companies are overspending millions of dollars and there is a lot of waste as a result.”
Cellar 82 - Kasey
“Fast forward many years and many jobs in the industry (wineries, liquor reps, bartender) My husband and I took a trip to Chicago and fell in love with a tiny champagne bar and wanted to bring that concept back to Ottawa. When we started looking for locations we realized we would have to basically open a restaurant and that isn’t something that we wanted. We really just wanted to open a tiny tasting bar. Not seeing a location that would suit our needs, we decided to take it mobile! “
Orchard View Wedding & Event Centre - Adam & Julia
“We've had a lot of laughs here, and we could probably write a book with all of the funny moments. My all-time favourite is when a bride dropped her phone in the lake. Customer service is our number one priority so Adam jumped in the lake to save the phone! The bride was thrilled, my only regret is that nobody managed to get it on camera!”
Farm 2 Fork - Jonnel
“I have always gravitated towards and admired products from companies that go above beyond the norm in craftsmanship. Be it clothing, cars or food. The food we eat in our own house, meat, veggies, grains and even supplements are certified organic. This is very important to me and my family.”
App8 - Hani & Elias
“The moment came from a personal experience that most people can relate to. Elias was at a restaurant with a group of people, they finished their meal and had to head out for an event. It was a busy night and the waiter was doing their best yet the bill hadn't yet arrived. At the same time a long lineup was at the door waiting for the table to be released. It was a the frustrating thought of "the experience was amazing up until this point; why can't I just pay and leave". That was the moment.”
Figaro Coffee House - Chuck
“I love all things coffee, wine, sweets, and new experiences! I’m a huge family guy, and my father-in-law introduced me to artisan roasting which elevated that interest in coffee even more. I fell in love with the art and the business of coffee. “
YOW Popcorn Co. - Michael & Fiona
“Yes, we use a Mushroom kernel which has a larger round circumference than regular popcorn. This allows our cheese and special seasonings to adhere to the kernel which is part of reason it tastes so good!”
Sir John A Pub - Peter & Bob Abraham
“We were inspired at an early age by our father who was also in the restaurant industry. He owned and ran one of Ottawa’s earliest restaurants - The Gondola. ”