We were lucky to catch up with Kate + Jeff Woods recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kate + Jeff thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

We always knew we’d own our own restaurant. In interviews with prospective restaurant employers, Jeff and I would say our 5 or 10 year plan was to, one day, own our restaurant. Individually, we had long careers in restaurants. Then for a several years, co-managed a restaurant; Jeff in culinary, and myself in hospitality. This after we abandoned careers as educators. When the pandemic whipped us all into a existential frenzy, our industry was gutted. People who were laid off never returned. Left standing in the ashes, covering absences up and down, holding up other peoples’ restaurants in management roles, we started to ask ourselves, if not now? when?

It turned out to be a great time to sell a house. Like, a really great time. After the sale, we paired down our belongings to what could be stuffed into a shipping container, and moved from Saskatoon, back to my hometown, near Algonquin Park, Ontario. We moved solely to find our own little restaurant near where I grew up. Thankfully, my parent’s were willing to put us up while we conducted our search. We drove 400 kms, east, south, searching. For weeks we searched: we held up flashlights in musty basements, and held our noses over mouldy fridges. Was that a mouse? What had we done?

When we came across the opportunity, The Green Door Cafe, in Wiarton, Jeff said, “it’s not the one.” For starters, the road that runs straight through town was to be torn up: a 1 year project that had become 2. Secondly, it was much further away from where we had envisioned ourselves living. We waffled for weeks, but, as parents often push their 40 year old children out of the nest, my Mom said, “It’s the one (now get out).” I add that part in parenthesis, for dramatic effect.

GULP! Did we just leverage our entire life’s earnings for a restaurant in a town that celebrates the meteorological predictions of a rodent? Well… The Bruce Peninsula sees over 2 million visitors a year, who drive right by the restaurant. And the town had few other options for locals to dine. So here we go! All in.

The early signs of a housing crisis had already started showing up our new community. We searched for weeks to find somewhere to rent while we got on our feet, shamelessly appealing to any property manager who would take our call. “Sorry. There’s a waitlist.” We stood in line for one apartment with 30 other families! Discouraged we would become adult-children who lived with our parents, we were coached to include our housing instability in the offer to purchase the restaurant: if we couldn’t find somewhere to live, we could pull out of the deal.

Thankfully, something did turn up. But what we didn’t realize then was that the housing crisis was only just starting. Affordability in the current rental market would soon determine the availability of employable individuals: if you couldn’t find somewhere to live at an affordable price, why would you stay in the area? And so for our first two years, we struggled to find staff. Those people who worked in the restaurant industry that were laid off and never returned? Yup, they never returned. A new troop of restaurant workers would have to be trained. Good thing we used to be teachers, right?

Kate + Jeff, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Kate was born and raised in Algonquin Park, Ontario. She has worked in restaurants all across Canada, from roadside diners to niche cafes. She brings a passion for craft cocktails, good wine, local beers and all things hospitality.

Jeff is a Prairie boy, born in Saskatchewan. After completing his training at The Pacific Institute for Culinary Arts in Vancouver, he’s managed commercial bakeries and fast-paced kitchens throughout western Canada. Jeff’s love for food, using fresh ingredients and genuine recipes, reveals in each bite a dedication to his craft.

In our modern cafe, we focus on real food by honoring comforting classics. We love the idea of “new retro.” We are a comfortable, cozy cafe that delights in updated twists of nostalgic originals. We play our music a little too loud, shake cocktails while your grandma sips tea, and have fun doin’ it.

We are also proud of our healthy food offerings. Don’t get me wrong, we have the best fries, but when was the last time you didn’t have an additional charge for asking for a salad as your side? Why should you be taxed for making a healthy choice? If you have a choice of side, you can do fries, homemade soup, or a fresh salad for no additional charge.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing clientele is consistency. Guests who aren’t familiar with us are taking a risk in choosing us. Small town cafe from the outside, best meal you’ve had while visiting the area once you leave. Our favorite compliment? Guests who return for several meals during their visit to the area. And we feel this is because we are consistent. Our motto? Never practice on the guest. We test our recipes and follow them carefully. We taste, and adjust, and taste again.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

We use a couple strategies to manage our team and maintain a high morale. Early advice in our careers was simple, say hello and goodbye to everyone on your team. We take that a little further. We like to find something we share in common as a way to connect with everyone on our team. Take an interest in their lives, then continue asking them follow up questions. How did your favorite sports team do in the game the other day? How’d that test go in school? Did everything go okay when you took your dog to the vet? People like to be seen beyond their role at work. We want to know what interests our team members, and what keeps them occupied in their free time. We love seeing their face light up when we take an interest in their lives beyond work by tuning in and asking questions that show our genuine interest.

Additionally, we have a strong mission statement when it comes to hiring: “Great people make great guest experiences!
​And we love our team. We provide our guests a warm and hospitable experience by valuing team members
that demonstrate a commitment to cooperation, integrity, and positivity.” And although no employer looks forward to the day they have to measure a team member against these qualities, it truly is our guiding light in evaluating suitability and team cultural integration for all employees, future or present.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thegreendoorcafe.com/
• Instagram: greendoorcafewiarton
• Facebook: Green Door Cafe

Image Credits
Couple picture: Emily McCracken Photography Food photos: taken by the business owner