The restaurant association is cooking again.
The group was highly active in Prince George but about seven years ago began to slowly simmer down. There was no official dissolving, but it was on the back burner of the volunteers who started to burn out and couldn't attract any new flavour to the organization.
The two people who last held the position of association president - Mary Jarbek and Paul Robison - began talking together during the summer about how different the food industry was in Prince George now compared to then. A recent meeting of initial interest was held.
"We had a number of people show up, not a huge turnout yet, but we are looking at hosting some more meetings in the first part of the year to recruit new members and find new people interested in the restaurant industry," said Jarbek, who once ran McLeod Nine cafe (now A&A Gourmet). "We need people to come to the meetings and tell us what they're looking for. If there is interest there, that will be great for Prince George, and based on all the great work done before, I do not think there will be a problem. We will be doing some good things, and generate some excitement again."
Some of the highlight events the association used to organize included the Phantom Dinner and Taste of Prince George, plus advocacy work to advance members' wishes to government. Liquor licensing, smoking regulations, food safety protocols, etc. were all on the menu.
"We see the reinvigorated association putting on events again, and really being a voice for the food services industry and restaurants as a whole," said Robison, head of catering at the Coast Inn of the North. "I overheard the CNC chef and our head chef talking today about how the industry has changed just since the popularity surge of The Food Network. The public is more informed and more interested in food than ever before, so we want to bring that to a local voice. It's always better to go at these things as a group than as so many individuals."
Not only will this association gather the food forces of this city, it is a branch of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, amplifying its power across the province.
Any proprietors or managers of restaurants, pubs, cafes, caterers, etc. who are interested in joining the revamped Prince George Restaurant Association can contact Jarbek at 250-960-8243 or Robison at 250-563-0121.
