Whisk Cake Company in Rutland is keeping with the neighbourhood and revitalizing its business, thanks to a well-known tv network.
While owner, Tanya Garrett can’t let the secret out yet as to which network came to film her shop she can say that her business got a makeover as part of the deal.
“It was amazing, they were here for about a week shooting. They completely renovated our cafe, so for those who were here prior to September there is a big difference,” she explained. “The whole premises was that half the team came in and did the renovation and the other half was teaching us new items to put on the menu.”
The timing couldn’t have been better for Garrett who usually is overwhelmed with specialty wedding cakes throughout the summer, but due to COVID-19 only made three wedding cakes the entire season.
“We were so close to closing, so we were lucky the network contacted us,” she said.
Garrett expanded her business into a cafe three years ago, but it was just this summer that she really began to focus on freshly baked goods.
The Kelowna born-and-raised entrepreneur studied at the Culinary Institute of America, in Napa, California, or as she calls it the Harvard of cooking school.
“I went twice, once for specifically wedding cake design and then I switched over to the dark side and did the pastry end of it,” Garrett said.
She worked in restaurants for sometime before opening Whisk, 10 years ago.
Garrett said she chose to open her business in Rutland because it’s also where she bought her first home.
“The whole area around Rutland Road has been revitalized, we have a park right across the street from us. I feel the city has put so much money into Rutland to make it more family-friendly,” she said. “More people appreciate each other around here. The neighbourhood in itself really makes sure it supports each other.”
This was especially true for Garrett when businesses were shut down across B.C. earlier in the year due to COVID-19.
“We had to be shut down and when we opened back up again, people were definitely getting out and trying to make sure they were supporting and stay alive.”
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