This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today, we hear from Christy Kennedy of the St Croix Olive, Treadwell Inn, and The Chandler Room Wine Bar & Kitchen in Saint Andrews.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAD BEEN LIVING IN CALGARY, BOTH WORKING IN PHARMACEUTICAL SALES FOR 20 YEARS. WE WERE CRAVING A LIFE CHANGE. AFTER VACATIONING FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN SAINT ANDREWS, WE KNEW IT IS WHERE WE WANTED TO CALL HOME. WE BOUGHT AN EXISTING INN AND RETAIL SHOP AND THEN OPENED UP THE RESTAURANT AFTER OUR FIRST YEAR. OUR CHEF, WHO HAD COMPLETED HIS CULINARY TRAINING HERE IN ST ANDREWS HAS CREATED A MENU CENTRED AROUND WHAT IS LOCAL, FRESH AND AVAILABLE.
“What goes around comes around!” When we try and shop local, each supplier has an investment into the quality of products that goes onto our plates. We advertise where we are sourcing our food on our menu, and our suppliers then take pride in delivering the best product to us possible.

Shopping local has been our saviour. With the supply chain stretched and even broken in some instances, shopping local was the only choice, and a great one. Chef Will would often find out what was available and then come up with menu options, rather than the traditional way of creating a dish and then sourcing ingredients after.

Additionally, as a Chamber of Commerce Board Member and Vice-Chair of the St Andrews Tourism Board, I have the added philosophy of enhancing economic growth in our community with a “shop local” initiative.