Jacek Chocolate Couture Shifted Online To Meet National Demand

When the pandemic shut things down in March 2020, Jacek Chocolate Couture was forced to shift their business online like so many others. Owner Jacqueline Jacek recalls wondering whether people would still be seeking out the company’s products during that time. “When the pandemic started, we thought, ‘Who is going to be buying luxury high end chocolate?’”, said Jacek. “But our core purpose of spreading joy is what made the difference.”

Early on, Jacek launched a campaign allowing customers to send sweet hugs to loved ones, offering chocolates with messages such as ‘thinking of you’ and ‘virtual hugs’. “More than ever, we see people sending love and joy through chocolate,” said Jacek. “In seasons where they couldn’t catch up with people, people are choosing Jacek to spread joy.”

Jacek Chocolate is among the few chocolate suppliers in the province who have achieved certification with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which enables them to ship their products across the country. This was especially important in the pandemic, as the demand for Jacek has grown Canada-wide.

Jacek Chocolate also had to shift their popular chocolate tastings to a virtual model, where chocolates are now shipped to attendees prior to the session. While Jacek won’t rule out a return to in-person events in the future, there are certain advantages to the online model. “It breaks down geography,” said Jacek. “Now we can present to guests across Canada.”

the business did have to make some significant changes as a result of these shifts, including closing their 104 Street boutique back in May 2020. In hindsight, Jacek acknowledges that it was the right call. “When the pandemic hit, we didn’t know it would last two years,” said Jacek. “But it wasn’t like we had to pull our brand completely, as we are still downtown through retail partnerships like Credo.”

Last week, the business announced that their beloved advent calendars sold out online in less than two days. Even Jacek couldn’t pinpoint the reason behind the frenzy. “It was our eighth year [of offering advent calendars], and they usually sell out in two weeks,” said Jacek.

The business is not publicly sharing the numbers of calendars they are producing, but Jacek did say the quantity exceeds previous years. “Our real struggle is that we don’t freeze the chocolates; we make them à la minute, and they are hand packaged,” said Jacek. “That is our true limitation and we’d have to compromise.”

For those disappointed that they weren’t able to reserve a calendar, the business is in the process of readying other special holiday products, including egg nog meltaways and limited edition hand-painted chocolate ornaments. People are encouraged to join the mailing list as subscribers are notified about new items first.

Jacek has learned a lot about her business over the last two years. “One of the biggest lessons was simplification,” said Jacek. “And really understanding what your core business is and focusing on that.”

COVID-19-related News

• Spruce Grove restaurant Broadway & Grand had originally chosen not to participate in the Restrictions Exemption Program, but has since reversed this decision because they are “days away from going out of business due to these new restrictions.”

Openings

• Ark Coffee + Bistro recently opened at 16731 84 Street.
• Bloom Cookie Co. now has a booth at Bountiful Farmers’ Market.
• Philippines’ #1 bubble tea franchise Macao Imperial Tea will be opening an Edmonton location.
• Blowers & Grafton’s Windermere location will host its grand opening on October 27, 2021.
• Triple O’s has a second location in Edmonton now open at 15525 111 Avenue.

Upcoming Events

• Edmonton Public Library’s next free Sustainable Kitchen online cooking session will focus on butter tarts and fresh fruit tarts. Pre-registration for the November 15, 2021 is required.

Local News

• Edmonton area chef Scott Iserhoff of Pei Pei Chei Ow was named one of Canada’s next star chefs in the Globe & Mail.
• Rogue Wave’s Ply Pasarj has placed in the top 6 so far at the World Brewers Cup.
• Phil’s latest Best Dishes column features Thamel Bistro and their momos.
• It’s always great to see local collaborations, like Northern Chicken now delivering to Arcadia during select hours.
• Edify has released a Burger Guide listing all 63 competitors in their Burger Challenge that just wrapped up.
• Advent calendars continue to proliferate in popularity – so much so that the Italian Centre has created their own calendar for the first time. 100 calendars will be available at each shop, released on November 4, 2021.
• JustCook Kitchens had some coverage on Edmonton AM and Global.
• Darren Cheverie from Chartier shared a video addressing how they are navigating increased food costs and how those will factor into their fall menu. Other restaurants like Workshop Eatery are also feeling the pinch. The supply chain woes are also impacting craft breweries.
• Greg Zeschuk (who owns Ritchie Market and Biera), apologized for donating to Mike Nickel’s mayoral campaign.
• CBC has ideas of cooking with winter squash and beer.

What I Ate

• We grabbed take-out from JustCook Kitchens for the first time on Friday. The ordering interface on the app wasn’t as seamless as we thought it might be, as separate orders had to be initiated for each concept. We also couldn’t place an order ahead of time, which seems like a pretty basic function (and one we rely heavily on for take-out orders). The Backstairs OG burger itself was good (the bacon was especially crispy), but hopefully the process eventually matches the quality of the food.

OG Backstairs Burger

• We were also invited by Explore Edmonton to try some of the businesses included on their Old Strathcona Dining Pass. The deals are valid one year from the date of downloading the pass, but some of the offers are valid for those dining in only. As our family isn’t comfortable with indoor dining, we chose to grab take-out. The arepas from Avila Arepa were fantastic. I had the namesake arepa, with oven roasted pork, cheddar cheese, tomato, arugula and mild spicy aurora sauce. Mack ordered the chacaito, with pulled beef and house-made cheese. We were both wowed by the portion size and the freshness of the ingredients. For those dining in, Avila Arepa’s offers a free order of arepitas with the purchase of two arepas.

Avila arepa’s namesake arepa

• At Yelo’d (who has the cutest outdoor take-out window, not dissimilar from Overflow across the street), their buy one, get one free offer is hard to pass up. We each got a scoop of ice cream. Emily downed her mango ice cream, and Mack and I loved the full flavours of our respective coffee and chocolate peanut butter scoops. We were appreciative that the ice creams also weren’t overly sweet. Thanks again to Explore Edmonton for hosting us!

Chocolate peanut butter ice cream from Yelo’d

Downtown Restaurants Had Front Row Seats for Filming

Several streets were closed Downtown over the last two weeks to accommodate filming preparations for HBO’s The Last of Us. Edmonton is standing in for Boston, twenty years after the apocalypse. While businesses remained open as the post-apocalyptic sets were being constructed outside their storefront windows, in a few cases, they had to close completely during filming and were compensated for doing so.

On 104 Street, when filming took place on October 15, businesses from DOSC to Tzin shut their doors for the day. Most restaurants temporarily relocated their patios, but Bottega’s set-up required more intentional dressing with strategically placed vines. Bottega 104 was contacted about their involvement in the production, but declined to comment.

Bottega 104 readied for filming

Over on Rice Howard Way, the set was much more elaborate, and required Dalla to close for two days from October 13-14. Server Trish Morgan confirmed that although Dalla wasn’t ultimately reconfigured into a salon as was reported by the Journal, the restaurant did act as a green room for the cast and crew. “It was an exciting week in the restaurant,” said Morgan. “Dalla had front row seats to the action on Rice Howard Way.”

Unfortunately, Morgan did not personally have the opportunity to meet the actors in the production. “Security informed me I was not to speak to the actors unless they spoke to me,” said Morgan. “It was still pretty cool to be in the same room as [The Last of Us stars] Pedro Pascal and Anna Torv.”

Dalla has already dallied in film and food tie-ins; their Big Night-inspired Timpano kit was back by popular demand this past Thanksgiving. Given Boston’s North End may be prominent in the show, and that neighbourhood’s history as an Italian-American enclave, the possibilities are especially ripe for Dalla to create themed specials. “There are no plans that I know of yet but I’m sure Ran [Huget] and Elisa [Zenari, owners of Dalla] are thinking up some great ideas,” said Morgan. “All of us at Dalla can’t wait for the series release!”

COVID-19-related News

• Beaumont-based Bake My Day had their food handling permit suspended by Alberta Health Service on October 8 because they broke COVID-19 related rules. However, they continue to operate.
• Lux Steakhouse re-opened for the first time since early 2020 on October 12, 2021.

Openings

• PACT Coffee will open in the former Starbucks location in Old Strathcona in January 2022.
• Woodrack Cafe has re-opened their Old Strathcona location at #102, 10324 82 Avenue.
• Chick N Flames serves up Nashville Hot Chicken at 8927B 82 Avenue.
• SoDo on Jasper offers “elevated cocktails, shareable small plates & wine options” at 11011 Jasper Avenue (the former location of Tapa Vino).
• BC-based pasta restaurant Basil Pasta Bar opened earlier in the summer at 9655 62 Avenue.

Upcoming Events

• LitFest’s closing event is called Brunch of Writers: Celebrity Dish. The special guest is Tom Vitale who will discuss his memoir In the Weeds, about working with Anthony Bourdain. The event is free to attend.

Local News

• Edify’s Burger Challenge yielded an unconventional winner from Odd Company Brewing.
• Best of luck to Rogue Wave’s Ply Pasarj as he travels to Italy to compete in the World Brewers Cup. Ply qualified for the event back in 2019.
• The Journal has more details about The Butcher’s Son in Old Strathcona.
• Jacek sold out their advent calendar in less than 48 hours.
• Happy second birthday to Shojo!
• Be-A-Bella in Highlands has suffered a number of break-ins over the past few months.
• By the time you read this, it will be too late to take Kind up on their reward of a free ice cream for voting, but it’s still worth sharing!
• TechLife shared some seasonal cocktail recipes.
• Senator Paula Simons continued her ongoing video series highlighting local farmers’ markets.

What I Ate

• Treats from Rosewood Foods make any day a better one! Mack especially swears by their carrot cake.

Carrot cake and chocolate olive oil cake from Rosewood Foods

• We had to get our fill of Love Pizza’s Lovesgiving pie before the month was out. It’s a family favourite.

Lovesgiving pizza from Love Pizza

• These waning days of October have been a good excuse to put our Coffee Pass to use! This weekend we indulged in a large box of churro nuggets from Caffe Sole alongside our hot drinks.

Churro nuggets from Caffe Sole

• We were blessed with beautiful weather to harvest the last of our community garden bounty this weekend. We were successful with carrots for the first time, but our potato crop was much less than in previous years. Emily is also happiest in the dirt, so she had a great time bidding adieu to our plot for the season.

Carrots from our Alex Decoteau Community Garden plot

Drift Food Truck Celebrates a Decade in Business

Drift Food Truck, which was among the handful of businesses that helped usher in the golden age of food trucks in Edmonton, just celebrated a decade in business.

Run by the husband and wife team of Nevin and Kara Fenske, Drift has built up a fan base ravenous for their sandwiches and seasoned fries over the years. They’ve been a fixture on the streets and at farmers’ markets since 2011, and though the Fenskes once had a brick and mortar of their own (Dovetail Delicatessen was open for about a year in 2015-16 on 124 Street), since 2017, they’ve made Shamrock Curling Club their home in the winter months.

Kara Fenske shared that this ten year milestone was reached with many ups and downs. “The high was definitely with the first five years, being at the forefront of our industry in Edmonton, helping other mobile entrepreneurs, and creating an awareness for the food truck industry,” said Fenske. “Losing our restaurant on 124 Street was a low, but not for long as it allowed us to analyze our vision for our company once again, and create a new path.”

After they retire their truck in the fall (lovingly referred to as “Drifty”), Drift offers a modified menu at the Shamrock in addition to continuing with catering engagements. “It has allowed us to have an affordable home base year round, as well as reaching a winter customer base, which we didn’t have the first 5-6 years,” said Fenske (this season, their Shamrock operation begins on October 12).

Despite the complementary success in the cooler months at Shamrock, every spring, Drift has had to find ways to stay current. “Since we aren’t open year-round in the truck, we do lose momentum,” said Fenske. “It can be tricky to try and predict the next season during the off-season.”

As with most hospitality businesses, Drift’s business was affected by the pandemic. The Shamrock was closed at times, while outdoor events have faced numerous restrictions over the last two years. In spite of the challenges, Drift was able to find some success. “One positive was that communities were really coming together to host small gatherings and getting to know their neighbours,” said Fenske. “Being creative in order to have outdoor-safe events was something that really shone the last 2 summers.”

In addition, Drift partnered with Uproot Food Collective last year to start selling their sauces, seasonings, and frozen prepared foods, including their popular fried chicken. With the ever-increasing appetite for local products to prepare at home, this may become Drift’s focus in the coming years. “We are currently in the process of building a production kitchen so that we can better keep up with the demand, expand more product offerings, as well as approach larger retailers with confidence,” said Fenske.

But for those concerned that their food truck may be permanently parked, Kara wants to reassure their fans. “Drifty isn’t going anywhere,” said Fenske. “You will see the truck out in the spring as always!”

COVID-19-related News

• Food courts in Alberta have been able to participate in the Restrictions Exemption Program as of September 24, 2021.
• Beaumont-based bakery Bake My Day failed to comply with the Restrictions Exemption Program, but remains open in spite of a visit from Alberta Health Services.
• Without Papers Pizza in Calgary was issued numerous tickets and had its business and liquor licenses suspended for violating public health orders.

Openings

• The second location of Gangnam and Coco Fried Chicken will open October 18, 2021 at 1109 Windermere Way SW.
• Ghost kitchen Eat Food opened earlier this year, and is currently making sushi and Thai food for pick-up or delivery orders.

Closures

• The Dapper Beaver closed their cafe space in September, but their coffee beans are still available online.

Local News

• XO Bistro’s newly-renovated Downtown location has now re-opened.
• Boyle McCauley News paid a visit to China Marble Restaurant, a more recent addition to Chinatown.
• Avenue has the story behind Soho and their foldable New York-style slices.
• Edmonton-based Tiffin is expanding to BC, and will open a location in Kelowna next year.
• The latest episode of the Well Endowed Podcast features YEG Eats, a YouTube series that focuses on local BIPOC-owned restaurants.
• NAIT culinary students and the Rotary Club of Edmonton handed out free meals for Thanksgiving this weekend.
• The Grocery Run Program that supports more than 500 newcomer families will need funding in December to continue its operation. They are hoping to raise $150,000 through a crowdfunding campaign.
• Did you know that wild pigs have been spotted in Alberta?

Urban Agriculture and Farming

• Karen Anderson featured Stonepost Farms on her blog.

What I Ate

• We had take-out from Northern Chicken on Friday. All day, Emily was excited about the mac and cheese, and it delivered! We also tried the chicken fingers for the first time, and they were great (and huge!).

Take-out from Northern Chicken

• We were able to enjoy the gift of a warm October weekend on the Dogpatch patio. Mack’s The Patch Benny was the better of the two dishes we tried (the Irish Boxty was a tad too doughy for my liking), but I would consider returning again, as the walk down into Riverdale is also one that we should do more often! We also picked up some goodies from the neighbouring Bread + Butter Bakery, including an absolutely delectable pumpkin loaf.

The Patch Benny

Edmonton’s First Food Hall Opens This Week

JustCook Kitchens will open Edmonton’s first food hall on October 5, 2021 downtown. Announced back in January, the 5th St. Food Hall at 10344 105 Street experienced some delays, but the extra time has allowed the business to embrace change wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As JustCook Kitchens was still in the brainstorming stage when the pandemic hit, we were able to ensure we would take into account the many difficulties and restrictions COVID brought to light,” said Maëlle Piquée, JustCook’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We built our application and processes around both in-person and digital interactions, where take-out or delivery isn’t an afterthought by necessity, but core to our business model.”

JustCook diners will order through their independent app, whether they intend to enjoy their meal in-person in the dining room or for take-out or delivery. At this stage, Piquée anticipates an even split between in-person business and take-out/delivery.

When asked how the app will compete with prominent third-party delivery apps like Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats, Piquée believes JustCook offers something distinct. “We’re a vertically integrated market and food hall combined,” said Piquée. “We provide a holistic offering in our local community that is unique to JustCook and isn’t designed to take on delivery companies such as Skip or Uber Eats, but instead offer a new, different experience.”

The 5th St. Food Hall is home to four concepts. Backstairs Burger is co-led by Chef Levi Biddlecombe; Biddlecombe is most known for his former food truck Attila the HUNgry and restaurant Why Not? (the restaurant was destroyed in a fire in December 2020). HOM, which started as a series of pop-ups, offers South East Asian-inspired dishes. Seitan dishes up plant-based southern food including “chickun” and pizzas. Lastly, Three Foodies serves comfort food including poutine and donut bites.

Piquée shared that the vendors came together organically. “We weren’t really looking for any specific type of food or cuisine – outside of them being delicious and somewhat unique or innovative,” said Piquée. “The one thing we paid close attention to was not to have similar concepts within the same space, as we’re looking for the restaurants to build on each other, not compete against.”

In addition to the four restaurants, the 5th St. Food Hall also stocks products from local companies, including El Gringo, Bent Stick Brewery, and Annex. The products can be ordered through the JustCook app.

The 5th St. Food Hall will be open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-9pm. Piquée is excited for Edmontonians to finally be able to experience JustCook Kitchens. “We want people to try something new, a food or product they haven’t had before,” said Piquée. “We know that once they’ve done it once, they will want to do it again.”

Openings

• The Transit Hotel’s Smokehouse & BBQ is now open. Find them at 12720 Fort Road.
• Delux has rebranded as 142 YEG and will re-open on October 6, 2021 with a refreshed menu.
• The Butcher’s Son, a meat shop, is now open in Old Strathcona (10158 82 Avenue, former location of Flirt Cupcakes).
• Nourishak is a Korean restaurant that recently opened up in the west end (18216 84 Avenue).
• Quickly’s downtown location is now open at 10140 104 Street (formerly Jacek).
• Divine The Indian Cuisine has replaced Mondo Pizza at 11215 Jasper Avenue.

Closures

• Madison’s Grill (along with Union Bank Inn) is currently closed, and is available as a leasing opportunity.

Upcoming Events

• The Public’s St. Albert pop-up is now open in Breadlove at 46C St. Michael Street until October 15, 2021.
• Beverly Dining Week returns from October 4-9, 2021, with special menus offered at 9 restaurants for between $10-20. Participating restaurants include Uncle Ed’s, Olde Beverly Cafe, Mumbai Dakar, and Italian Bakery.

Local News

• Arcadia, Love Pizza, and The Next Act donated a portion of some of their sales to Bent Arrow for Truth and Reconciliation Day.
• Leduc had a sneak peek of the food served up by the four vendors at the 5th St. Food Hall.
• I can totally get behind the take-and-bake trend for major holidays! Many restaurants will offer pre-made specials for Thanksgiving, including A Capella Catering, Backstairs Burger, Freson Bros., High Level Diner, Hotel Macdonald, Pasta Pantry, Prairie Catering, Sorrentino’s, and Workshop Eatery.
• Edify dives into the philosophy behind the art of presentation at Tryst and Yarrow.
• Edmonton Eats, the social enterprise, has pivoted to offer five different spice blends, including chicken curry and Libyan spice blends.
• Congratulations to Nevin and Kara of Drift on ten years in business!
• Jason Foster rounds up how Alberta brewers fared in this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards.
• You may have noticed some higher prices at the grocery store that can ultimately be linked to climate change.

What I Ate

• We tried the new Green Ash Cafe on the weekend. It is a super-charming converted house in Bonnie Doon with great coffee and tasty cookies (Emily devoured her macaron). They’ve also shared that their entire staff have been double vaxxed and they check vax cards for everyone who enters, even for those just getting take-out!

Coffee from Green Ash Cafe

• While running errands on the south side, we picked up dinner from Pind Punjab in Millwoods. Their chicken biryani hit the spot, and I’m always a sucker for mutter paneer.

Chicken biryani and butter chicken from Pind Punjab