Moms, For Real: Who's Your Farmer? Cilantro and Chive Restaurant

Moms For Real Food Initiative Whos Your Farmer? Cilantro and Chive Restaurant

So far with "Who's Your Farmer?" we've focused on people who USE farmers ... and that's ok! Because without these amazing people who use locally produced and sustained foods, our local farmers wouldn't be as famous as they are.
Keri visited Cilantro and Chive on Lacombe, AB, a few months ago and could not stop raving about them. So she left the owner a note (albeit a slightly tipsy napkin note) to contact her.
A couple weeks later she got an email from the dubious Rieley Kay, chef and co-owner.
He proceeded to tell her that not only were they a local restaurant, but that they source locally, and where possible use organic producers! WIN-WIN-WIN!

So we made an appointment to go visit and have a little chat.
Below is the video of the interview, and the some really great information about Cilantro and Chive's origin, a list of farmers they use, AND a list of BREWERIES AND DISTILLERIES they use.
You are welcome.

If you want to get the FULL Cilantro and Chive experience, make a reservation for a Friday or Saturday night - you'll need one as they get a tad hectic.
ENJOY!

Moms For Real Food Initiative Whos Your Farmer? Cilantro and Chive

Cilantro and Chive's Rieley Kay

A little history about Cilantro and Chive's Rieley Kay

"My first real job was washing dishes in the 'fancy' small town restaurant and worked my way up to prep and working on the line pumping out pizzas and pastas.
After graduation, I thought I knew everything about the restaurant industry and headed to Calgary to venture into the Professional Cooking Program at SAIT. I found out quickly that I knew nothing of the industry.
After this I worked at several golf courses and operations in the city, along with work camp catering in Northern Alberta. Along the way, I happened to run into a girl who was something special and had to follow her. My job came to an end and my lease was up. She moved to Grande Prairie for work and I followed.
She moved to Lacombe for work and I followed, kicking and screaming like a 4 year old. I did not want to be in central Alberta. We came with a five year plan of hanging out in Lacombe.
Fast forward 10 years and I think we're here for the long term. During this time I was able to go to RDC (Red Deer College) and take the Hospitality & Tourism Program and come out with a double Diploma in Food & Beverage Management and Tourism & Marketing Management.

We started catering by looking after a couple friends and family weddings and word spread quickly. After 2 years of bouncing back and forth from hall to hall we looked for a more permanent home for our catering services. Word got back to the owner of a building in Ponoka and we talked. They had a kitchen and restaurant space available and we jumped on the opportunity. 3 months later we opened Cilantro and Chive in Ponoka. After a good run in Ponoka, our lease came to an end and our building sold. We were on the hunt for a new home."

Cilantro and Chive's building has some amazing history!

The building that they are in was built in 1934 and has had several stories to tell over the years.

It was a Robinsons Store for many years, a Greyhound Bus Depot, Antique store, Bike Repair store, Guitar Store, Model Train Store and several others in between.
Rieley and his team have renovated the entire inside to the extent that they had taken the floor back to the original floor (and unfortunately, they weren't able to save the floor as it was beyond repair), put in a new ceiling, new roof, new electrical, gas and plumbing and added a kitchen to the rear of the building.
They have recently opened a patio in the rear of the building in the alley, and are working towards a better awning on the front, keeping true to it's industrial style and the historic tone of downtown Lacombe.