Growing up in Kelowna with a family that was keen on development, Quinn Perks knew she would one day return home to start a company of her own.
Her dad once owned the "Cats' Cafe", located at 210 Lawrence Avenue where Humo Izakaya is now.
Perks left Kelowna several years ago to live in Ontario, after working in the Okanagan’s hospitality industry.
And, after marrying her husband John and starting a family, the happy couple decided to look west for what was next. Soon John was offered a job at a college in the Okanagan, in his field of tourism.
“We were back in Kelowna and John woke up at 3 a.m. and looked at me and said, 'Quinn, I know what we are going to do, we are going to start a walking food tour company’,” said Perks.
That was the spark that led to BC Food Tours, just a little over a month ago.
The pair then hit the pavement to map out different walking tours in Kelowna’s downtown. Perks, who has spent years working in restaurants, knew it was important to forge relationships with the businesses and chefs at the locations they wished to have on the tours.
BC Food Tours currently has five different tours to choose from including a foodie tour, sunset sips, brunch tour, private tour and a taste of the nation's fine dining tour.
“Tours can include live cooking demos, meet and greets with executive chef, as well as fascinating tales of Kelowna's history, from its early settlement to its modern-day culinary renaissance told by our guides,” explained Perks.
But BC Food Tours is looking to be much more than just a tour company, Perks’ husband John said the concept is to build a community within the restaurant and hospitality industry.
“We want to help create the culinary experience in Kelowna and make it a centre known for its food and chefs,” said John.
BC Food Tours is also offering private financing to restaurants, chef training, cooking shows, social media assistance for businesses and support for the Chefs in the Classroom program in the Central Okanagan.
“A lot of restaurants are still struggling after the pandemic and many are on the verge of going under. We can’t afford to lose our locally owned and operated businesses in Kelowna, we need to bridge the gap and bring the restaurants together,” explained John.
The feedback on Perks’ concept has been positive they both said, with multiple chefs coming forward to get involved with the idea.
This has led to BC Food Tours to start up events, with the first being the Strawberry & Champagne Festival on July 5 and 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Innovation Centre. A portion of the tickets as well as a silent auction during the event proceeds will all be going to World Children’s Day- founded by Daniel Germain, creator of Breakfast Club of Canada, a Canadian charity that promotes and assists the establishment and maintenance of school breakfast programs across the country.
Then on July 21, American pastry chef Anna Olson will be in Kelowna for a private cooking class at LakeHouse Kitchens followed by a tea party at the Delta Grand, which will include a band on a floating dock in the lagoon.
BC Food Tours will have a ticketing booth in the Delta Grand Hotel and an office at the Innovation Centre.
A schedule of events and more information on tours can all be found at https://www.bcfoodtours.com/.
