Mile One Eating House
Mile One Eating House: Pemberton's Comfort Food
The Mile One Eating House opened in March of 2011 to be the source of high quality, super delicious comfort food in Pemberton. The type of place that would become the go-to eating house in Pemberton, the one you go to as a matter of course, and not just for special occasions. Randy Jones, head chef and owner, saw that there was a need in Pemberton for some high quality, locally grown and made homestyle comfort food that was available at a reasonable price. Randy has wanted to balance that equation of awesome, locally grown and cooked food with the need for a casual dining experience -- to be a place you can go every day.
It All Starts with the Farmers
Trying to use local Pemberton farmers, bakers and ranchers is a wonderful thing to aspire to do. To do this authentically, out of a real ethic to do one's best for the community you live in is sometimes a pretty rare commodity these days. Lots of places talk about doing this, but fall short. Luckily, Pemberton is full of businesses that not only aspire to do this, but succeed, and Mile One is no exception. As Randy says
"Great ingredients are our passion. For us to put the effort in and be proud of what we do, we need to use great products. I love the diverse province that is BC: its bounty is amazing; from ranch lands to rainforest, the alpine to our coastal waters, desert to lush valleys, the wild things that grow and the farmers and producers that put forward their craft: We have an amazing opportunity to play with these ingredients."
At times trying to balance using amazing ingredients with reasonable prices can be tricky -- but Randy feels like it is completely worthwhile. A big part of the equation is the stories that come from using real people's stuff to make this food. One of the things Randy, and the entire crew at Mile One loves to do is to showcase the local Pemberton farmers and producers. As he puts it, "Frankly, they're great products, so it just feels right to showcase the community's work!"
...Continues with Raving Fans...
Another thing that Randy feels grateful for is the amount of regular guests and positive reviews Mile One receives. People recognize the extra effort going into the food (and service) and thank him with their repeat business and great reviews. Mile One has earned the prestigious TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence (the same certification Pemberton Valley Lodge has earned) which puts them in the top-performing 10% of all businesses worldwide on TripAdvisor. It's great to notice that working hard and doing your best sometimes pays great dividends. And people come from far and wide to eat this food. Recent reviews come from The UK, Washington state, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Connecticut. All of them rave.
And raving fans are a huge part of the equation. One thing that shines through in speaking with Randy is his genuineness. There is a sense that he has a ton of real gratitude. "Our fans have been amazing," he says, "we are blown away by their support and appreciation for what we do. We are not always perfect, but our fans keep us pushing forward to do our best." He adds "I just want to say thank you to everyone for the support and recognition of the team's effort."
Well said, Randy.
...And Ends With the Farmers
To hear Randy talk about the farmers (including oyster farmers!), fishers, and ranchers that supply him with the food he prepares, is a treat. He genuinely, really esteems these people. When he talks about the Kuurnes, for example, he says "I am always amazed with what is just normal stuff to them, when I head up to their farm." Or Bob Mitchell from Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef. Once he was at the ranch, serving up 600 - 700 burgers from Bob Mitchell's ranch, with the steers coming right up to the gate, checking it all out, and moving on. And as Randy tells the story what sticks out is the genuine love for the process, the craft of producing food, whether it be cattle ranching, oyster farming, or tuna fishing. In hearing Randy tell the stories, what comes through loud and clear is the passion for food and the people who do the work to provide it for us.
Cornucopia
On November 17th, the last day of Cornucopia, Mile One Eating House will team up with Pemberton Distillery to offer Cocktails & Comfort Food Pemberton style. They will be doing a 4 course culinary stage tasting menu, showcasing a mini version of the Mile One burger, complete with Rootdown Farm Relish, & Apple Brandy Braised Onion & Bacon Jam, Pemberton Potato Pancakes paired with some Okanagan Cheese Curds & Whiskey Gravy, a Nerka 1 Mac and Cheese featuring smoked Pacific Albacore Tuna from Port Alberni based fishing vessel Nerka 1. And, finally, a Root Beer float & Apple Bale dessert. Randy notes, with characteristic humbleness, "We are honoured to have the Schramms ask us to join them."
Mile One Eating House is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. They are located at 7330 Arbutus Street.
Posted: Friday, November 08, 2013
