A Lower Mainland catering and events business owner is coming back to his roots by acquiring Penticton area company Joy Road Catering.
“I grew up in the Okanagan in Kamloops. I have a strong tie to the area and the region means a lot to me because of the local produce and the wines and how well wine and food goes together,” Brett Turner of Vancouver’s Cocktail and Canapes.
Founders of Joy Road Catering Cameron Smith and Dana Ewart will be staying on for the next year to show Tuner and his wife Olivia Fobert the ropes, so locals and tourists should expect to continue seeing them at the Penticton Farmers’ Market and lots of other events. The name of the business, staff and menu will remain the same.
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“We started this 14 years ago. It was such a short time and an amazing journey. We were really embraced by the community,” Smith said. “We want to take a little time for ourselves, regroup and enjoy the Okanagan summer. We spend a whole lot of time in the summer working, now we’ll be able to be customers and who knows maybe you’ll see us at an event or two.”
Turner and Fobert were hand-picked to take over the business because of their commitment to community and creating healthy and excellent food.
“Community is a huge piece. We are looking forward to being a huge part of the community. I’m a chef. Cam and Dana are chefs … ultimately it’s all about where the food comes from and supporting the community,” Turner said.
Smith said some of his fondest memories were during the early days of the farmers’ market 14 or 15 years ago.
“There’s been incredible growth in the market itself. The sheer number of events that happen here have grown.
I guess we have nothing but gratitude to the community it’s been a real experience for us, an amazing ride. I’m excited for the future of the culinary scene in Penticton.”
Joy Road Catering is the Okanagan’s leading boutique catering company and was launched in 2005.
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