Sweet Luxury

To have your own commercial kitchen is one of life's little luxuries.

The smooth, cool, stainless steel counters and utensils are so durable and clean. A big, sharp chef's knife chops fresh produce with ease and makes meal preparations a snap.

Cooking is a pleasure when ingredients and equipment are logically set out before you. Equipment that is easy to clean and easy to handle make preparations a breeze.

We overlook these joys sometimes, working in a commercial cooking environment. You're under pressure constantly and constantly scruitinized. As a chef, you are only as good as the last meal you served. Guests are not very forgiving these days. With Twitter and Instagram and Facebook and bloggers everywhere, your reputation can be sliced and diced on that plate, and around the world in minutes.

It is fresh? Do we have enough? Where's my cumin? Who took my whisk? Even little things going wrong can set you back and frustrate you when minutes and seconds matter. And believe me, in a commercial kitchen, seconds count! Timing is everything.

But to be the master of the kitchen, YOUR OWN KITCHEN, is a dream come true. We all love it! Students aspire to it and television shows glamourize it. And I, for one, have to say that as much hard work as it is to own a restaurant, and to live in the intense environment that is a kitchen, it still is a luxury. A sweet luxury that I do not take for granted.

Why Retro?

Everything old is new again. From television shows to classic cars, there is a North American affection for the 50s and 60s. So when I had the chance to buy a sleepy little ice cream store, I thought I'd breathe new life into it by going retro.

The classic neon sign from the 60's (when the store was first established) still stood proudly outside the store. It was outlined with a big cheesy flashing arrow and twinkly "running" lights that flashed after dark. So, I figured it would be pretty easy to have the sign refurbished and then match the interior decor to the outside sign.

Once I had a theme, it was pretty easy to locate and purchase furniture, signs, and other decorator items. A couple keyboard strokes and everything was on its way.

A working jukebox was harder to find, but when I did I felt like the Fozz from Happy Days. "Ehhhh!" 

Acme Chrome provided all the new, but retro furniture. It was custom coloured and could not have been better. I'm pleased to say that after 5 years of daily use, all the chairs and tables are holding up great. They sure knew how to make it back then! And lucky for me, Acme Chrome is still pumping out the top quality, Canadian-made furniture  that generations have loved.

The one thing about the retro decor and 60s music, it brings a smile to people's faces. And once you have a relaxed and cheery customer in a comfortable environment, it is much easier to then dazzle them with good food and top notch service.