We recently connected with TUCKY DIAS BANDARANAIKE and have shared our conversation below.
TUCKY, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
Here at The Arbor, we seek to honor every ingredient and how it was sourced. Everything that goes in to a dish is perfectly and specifically chosen to enhance and marry all other ingredients. Each thoughtfully chosen both in quantity and quality. Meals are curated with balance and detail. We source protein from sustainable farmers, vegetables and fruit are organic or local. We strive to showcase local farmers and growers, sharing their stories and labors in each Chef’s Table Dinner.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
The Arbor is a culmination of my journey of over two decades in the hospitality industry. It brings together my passion and dedication to food, booze and health to your table. My goal for The Arbor is that every person entering our restaurant might experience, feelings of warmth and love they felt at home.
Meet the Chef – Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Tucky was exposed to a great array of spices and flavors. His parents were both excellent cooks and exposed them to a variety of flavors and cuisine. The passion for cooking stemmed from his mother, who taught him how to bake a cake. Once the seed was planted it took very little nuturing to fuel a passion for all things food and beverage.
Migrating to a new land in his late teens, he discovered more flavors and was exposed to food that was unavailable to him. This sparked a need to study in culinary arts and gain more knowledge, unfortunately it was financially further than he would have wanted it to be. In order to make a dream come true he started bartending. At this junction in his life a deep rooted love for all things fermented was started.
With completing culinary school and the need to use the creative information that was gained, the bar became his playground and a space to try new flavor combinations, methods etc. The constant harmonious combination of booze and food pairings became a normal routine at any bar he stood behind. Knowing that his true passion lived in food he never stopped the search for new flavors and learning from great chefs and bartenders.
Cheers!
Chef Tucky
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
The Arbor at Young Acres is a family run business. We are nestled on a 1600 apple tree orchard. Husband and wife team, Tucky and Rachel head up the restaurant side. The orchard side is run by Amy, Rachel’s sister. In the summer of 2020, the family purchased the orchard as a way to keep the family close and create a life change for us all. Tucky and Rachel were the first to arrive to the property, followed by Amy.
Tucky and Rachel met through a mutual friend and after many years of friendship, they married in 2017. Their years of courtship and marriage are punctuated in adventure. From living on the road in an RV to hot spring hiking adventures, the pair lives outside the norm.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Chef is on the never ending journey to create a space that is as warm and inviting as his mother’s kitchen. Food is a means of connection and gathering, of joy and closeness. It is an artform to create something that is not only delicious, but also elicits the community and love he experienced with his Ammi.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youngacres.com/TheArborAtYoungAcres
- Instagram: @thearboratyoungacres
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheArborAtYoungAcres