As a new father, working in the hospitality industry.

As any parents (especially first time parents) know, the challenges of bringing a child into this world are myriad. There are many emotions and questions once you find out you are going to have a child, and this is before the advent of pregnancy has even begun.

For my wife and I the news was out of this world and the perfect ending to an amazing 18 months which had seen us married and proud first time home owners. After the initial “happy” shock had worn off we then started to ask the usual questions such as can we do this, can we afford this, what is going to happen with work, are we going to make good parents, on top of the obvious will it be a boy or a girl!! My wife and I are both shift workers (my wife is a paramedic) and we work often long and unsociable hours so the prospect of having a child also posed many questions regarding our life style. For myself (and I’m sure for most expectant fathers) there is only so much you can do above hopefully being a supportive partner. I was fortunate enough that my wife arranged all of her OB appointments around my schedule so that I could attend and feel included. As far as names, showers etc there was little or no affect on my job and we were very fortunate that my wife had a great pregnancy with little or no issues. The fun really didn’t start until the birth!!!

Once I returned to work my wife and I found new challenges and struggles that we had to adjust to.  As all new parents know, being perpetually tired through lack of sleep is something we know to expect. Working late nights I was able to take the “graveyard shift” some nights when our son was bottle feeding to try and give my wife a grace period of sleep. This didn’t last too long however, as my wife opted to breastfeed (hence making my feeding obsolete!!) and then we were blessed with our son often sleeping mostly through the night. That being said the mornings of lying in bed after a late night at work are now a thing of the past as my son isn’t quite aware of when I get home from work! And it is only fair that if my wife is awake to feed then I can at least change him or play with him in the morning hours. Other than two of my shifts, most of my shifts start later in the day which gives me time to spend time with my wife and son prior to starting work. Again this isn’t an opportunity many working fathers get. My schedule is also flexible to a degree that I can still mange to participate in a lot of his firsts and I have been blessed to see some of his early development and achievements.

For the majority of the working population the weekend is when most family and social gatherings occur, so unfortunately you miss certain events. You hope that there is room within the schedule to work around certain “big” firsts such as birthdays, Christmas etc but this all falls at the behest of the employer. For myself, my employers place a big emphasis on family so thus far I have been very thankful that I have been able to attend most family events. Moving forward the next big challenge will be daycare and who is going to be the prominent provider in child care for our son once my wife returns to work. Family, friends and employers all play an important role in this and unfortunately for many people working in hospitality there isn’t much in place for daycare provisions through work so you have to rely on family and friends.

As my Grandmother told me (god bless her still with us) it is one thing to have a child and another to raise a child. I hope the values and experiences I have found during my life both personal and in the workplace will help me be the father I want to be so that I may raise my son with all the opportunities and more than I was given as a child. My son Charlie has already achieved a celebrity status within our restaurant and I’m sure will continue to be an integral part of my job as my values and decision making will evolve based on my responsibility of being a father.

Gavin Thomson
Hospitality Coordination Officer
Jawny Bakers Restaurant

Looking Ahead: Food Trends Coming in 2013

The following was taken from "The National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) “What’s Hot in 2013” survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs, (ACF) – reveals that children’s nutrition and local sourcing will continue to be the hottest trends on restaurant menus."

The top 10 menu trends for 2013 will be:

1. Locally sourced meats and seafood
2. Locally grown produce
3. Healthful kids meals
4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme
5. Children's nutrition as a culinary theme
6. New cuts of meat (e.g. Denver steak, pork flat iron, teres major)
7. Hyper-local sourcing (e.g. restaurant gardens)
8. Gluten-free cuisine
9. Sustainable seafood
10. Whole grain items in kids meals

These trends were taken from an article posted in a monthly newsletter that we subscribe to from The National Restaurant Association. Isn't it amazing that people are finally putting Healthy Kids Meals and Quality above quick service, pricing and quantity!

At Jawny Bakers, we strongly subscribe to many of the above food trends and we have had a healthy kids menu in place for many years. We are always looking for ways to improve and expand the taste buds of our younger and discerning diners by making food interesting and rewarding from a nutritional perspective.

In fact, this year we were named one of Canada's Best Family Restaurants by Today's Parent!

Next month we will explore how Jawny Bakers is doing it's part with the latest in North American food trends.

Russell Pratt
Kitchen and Operations Officer

The Traditions of Christmas

For so many, Christmas is the most anticipated time of the year. What’s there not to love? The beautiful decorations, the smells of holiday baking, the family time and of course, the wondrous anticipation of Old St. Nick!

Traditions are an important part of many families; they provide meaningful and cherished life long memories, they give us an opportunity to spend valuable time with our loved ones and to give thanks. Traditions don’t need to be extravagant; they can be as simple as you make them. Below I have included some of my favourite ideas and fun filled activities for spending time together as a family this holiday season.

1. Drive through the Neighbourhood - Create an evening tradition of taking a drive to view the holiday lights. Make it more memorable by taking a hot chocolate for the ride!
2. Christmas Movie Night - You’ll need to plan a few nights for this one. There are so many great movies out there: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer...
3. Picking out the Family Tree - If you are into the “real deal” you’ll know how excited children get about the responsibility of choosing the perfect tree! Think about trading in the plastic for the fresh smell of cedar and pine.
4. Decorating the Christmas Tree - Make it a night to remember! There is so much joy in unpacking boxes filled with all the special things you have collected as a family.
5. A picture is worth a thousand words - Choose a special place in your home that is the same every year and take a picture of your children. In the years to come you will enjoy looking at how they’ve grown and changed.
6. An Annual Ornament - Choose a special ornament for your children every year. Try to pick one that reflects something specific to that year; like an accomplishment, something about their personality or an achievement. This will be a great collection to cherish for years to come.
7. Christmas Baking - Holiday cookies are a great way to show your appreciation to those people who make your everyday life a little easier; the postal carrier, a teacher, a co-worker or neighbours.
8. Remembering the Reindeer! - Cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the Reindeer are a must. How about adding a special twist by making reindeer food, a combination of oatmeal and glitter. Sprinkle the glitter on your front lawn to help guide Santa's reindeer to your house.
9. Help out Santa - For those of you without a fireplace and kids who are curious about how Santa will get in? Leave a special magic key for him. Problem solved!

Finally, here are three of my absolute favourites:

• Pyjamas for Christmas morning - Thank you to my girlfriend Jennifer for sharing this one with me. Every Christmas Eve, her mom would let each of her children open “one” present. Every year the gift was the same, a new pair of “PJ’s’.” This tradition served two purposes: the kids got to open a gift and rip through the paper a little early, not to mention the pictures on Christmas morning were always sure to be spectacular.
• Give Back This Holiday Season! - Last year, my husband’s organization asked for volunteers to help serve a hot dinner at our Local Food Bank. In his words, “this was perhaps the most humbling experience of my life.” He will continue to volunteer his time every year and encourage our kids to do so when they are old enough. This will be his reminder of how fortunate we truly are. There are many ways that you and your family can give back this holiday season-you can donate toys or clothing, buy Christmas presents for needy children and much more.
• Help those in need - One year, my brother(and business partner) Tom, filled paper bags with a few Christmas goodies from Jawny Bakers(soup, sandwich, and a $5 bill). Together with some volunteers on our staff, they delivered these bags to the homeless people on the downtown streets. Perhaps this story has inspired you to think about how you can give back to someone who doesn’t have this season.

Hoping you enjoyed some of these ideas. Wishing you and yours a holiday season filled with joy, love and lots of great shared meals.

Jawny Bakers Goes Gluten-Free in 2012

Jawny Bakers has just launched our updated Gluten-Free Menu for 2012.

Click here to download the PDF.

Beer, Wings & Football

You asked for it sports fans! We're bringing back the good old days of JB with a beer and wings special for the 100th Grey Cup.

Come cheer your Toronto Argonauts to victory with your friends at Jawny Bakers Restaurant. Celebrate with a pitcher of any of our domestic premium beers, and receive 1lb of our famous BBQ Wings for $5, or choose 2lb for only $10.

Your choice of draught includes Mill Street Tankhouse and Organic Lager, Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale and Red Amber Ale, Steamwhistle, Rolling Rock and Thornbury Cider.

ARRRRRGOOOOOOs!

Black Friday at Jawny Bakers

We know it's an American tradition, but with so many Canadian retailers jumping on board this year for the Black Friday Festivities, we just had to throw our hat into the ring.

Join us on Black Friday, Novemeber 23rd and when you spend $100 on food or beverage purchases, you will receive complimentary brunch vouchers for two, valued at $24. This offer is for one day only!

No rainchecks, some conditions apply, please see in store for full details, $100 spend must be pre-tax.

Our Great New Catering Menu

Here's a link to download and view below our new catering menu.

With a great variety of speciality dishes designed by Jawny Bakers Restaurant to provide maximum enjoyment at your home, party or office, Jawny Bakers Caters is sure to make your event a success.

Give us a call today and we'll look after everything!

New Jawny Bakers Features Start Today!

Join us for Jawny's new feature menu! With spectacular winter fare designed to tantalize your taste buds, we're sure you will love our new features.

Don't forget to book for your holiday party at Jawny's, or call us today to order a fully catered meal delivered right to your office. Unless you work here, you just can't get better food at work!

Jawny Bakers Bulldog Curling Bonspiel 2012

It's that time of year again and great curling is in the air! We are a little over one month away from the November 17th date for the 2012 Jawny Bakers Bulldog Curling Bonspiel. Mark your calendars and visit www.eastyorkcurling.ca to find out all of the great events happening in the coming month.

Click Here to download the flyer and registration form and put together a team to compete for your chance to win over $3000 in cash and prizes. Registration includes a Jawny Bakers Catered lunch, door prizes and much much more.

Need more information about the event? Contact EYCC's Jason Chang for more information at bulldog@eastyorkcurling.ca. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

CIBC Aerogold is Back This Month at JB

Join us at Jawny Bakers from October 15th through November 15th and all payments with your CIBC Advantex Aerogold Visa card will earn you a double bonus on points collected. That means that for every dollar spent, you will collect 3 Aeroplan Miles!

Join us again between November 15th and December 15th and pay your bill with the same card to automatically receive an additional 250 Aeroplan mile bonus!

New Cocktail Menu and Beverage Specials

Join us at Jawny Baker's Lounge  to enjoy a great price on prime-time apps from Jawny's Cocktail Menu. See you there!

Any day of the week, you can choose one of our great beverages on special. We have something for everyone!

Jawny Bakers Fall Features

One of my favourite things about fall is that, with the lower temperatures, it makes Soup with every meal a valid and delicious choice. With Jawny Bakers' great 2 for 24 lunch special this October, make sure you are trying all of our great fall soup selections and you may find yourself a new favourite!

Jawny Bakers Restaurant has delivered yet another spectacular fall feature menu this season with more than a few enticing offerings to delight your palette. Today I wanted to highlight just a few that I have had the chance to try and love this month.

German Chicken Rouladen

First up, we have the German Chicken Rouladen. This dish has it's roots as a German-inspired comfort food. With a perfectly balanced addition of Swiss Gruyère cheese, bacon and onion to a tender-roasted, panko-encrusted chicken breast, this dish will leave you feeling warm and satisfied. The topping sauce of Sundried Tomato Pesto Cream with our crispy onion straws feels lush and luxurious as you try to make sure each and every bite is able to capture all of the spectacular flavours that comprise this dish.

Chicken Vindaloo

Next, one of my favourite recurring features, the Chicken Vindaloo is a variation on one of Jawny Bakers' signature favourites, the Bombay Chicken Curry. Don't be confused by the dish's demure appearance, this menu item packs a punch in terms of flavour and heat. Made fresh in house, this sauce rivals one of my personal favourites at Jawny Bakers, the sauce for the Bayou Jambalaya. Served on a bed of basmati rice and with a crispy poppadom accompaniment, the Chicken Vindaloo is a surefire hit for Jawny Bakers fans who enjoy a spicier entrée.

It's hard to stop there with all of the wonderful items on our seasonal feature menu. With three dishes incorporating our Caribbean Lobster Tail and fan-favourite Hunter Schnitzel your choices are plentiful when it comes to this month's menu at Jawny Bakers Restaurant.

Be sure to get them in October, as of November 1st, we will be introducing a new slate of great dishes for our winter features for our guests to enjoy.

DINE.TO BEST OF AWARDS

The voting has been extended until September 30th at dine.to/jawnybakers. Vote for us and choose your favourite category and let everyone know what you love about Jawny Bakers.

CIBC Aerogold Advantex Promotion on now!

Join us at Jawny Bakers from August 15th through September 15th and all payments with your CIBC Advantex Aerogold Visa card will earn you a double bonus on points collected. That means that for every dollar spent, you will collect 3 Aeroplan Miles!

Join us again between September 15th and October 15th and pay your bill with the same card to automatically receive an additional 250 Aeroplan mile bonus!

Highlights from the Providence Golf Classic

A great big thanks goes out to all participants in the 2012 Providence Golf Classic. Those involved contributed to a huge success in terms of a great time had by all and an outstanding fundraising success to help with Providence Healthcare's areas of most urgent need.

Click the following image for a get slideshow showcase from the Classic.

Some of the day’s highlights included:

An amazing selection of items at live and silent auction items raising a combined total of over $32,000!

Argos cheerleaders showing their support for Providence;

4 NHL Legends including; Johnny Bower, Dick Duff, Red Kelly and Bob Nevin

A Camel from the Bowmanville Zoo animals and reptiles from Reptilia Over 200 new and old friends of Providence joined together on the beautiful greens of the Bayview Golf & Country Club in the spirit of sportsmanship and philanthropy.  It was a fun-filled and memorable day, all in support of an exceptional cause: Providence Healthcare.

If you missed the event this year, then mark your calendar for next year to make sure you book in early for the 2013 Providence Golf Classic.

East End Pioneer: Bakers Delight

We love it when people find us! Here's a story of how someone recently discovered our restaurant, and we're very glad they did!

East End Pioneer: Bakers Delight

Jawny Bakers Loyalty Launch

After a long testing and verification process, the time has arrived to open our doors to new Jawny Bakers Loyalty members! Beginning on July 2nd, you will be able to join our Loyalty Program by signing up with a manager when you visit Jawny Bakers Restaurant.

If you have a Jawny Bakers Loyalty Card, previously distributed on redemption of your birthday meal postcard, then you are already a member! If you have had a birthday in 2012 and have not yet used your card, you might even have a birthday credit available for use today! Make sure to fill out a form at the restaurant in order to add your email address to your account in order to be notified when your card is loaded with your annual birthday credit!

For new member sign up, simply fill out the application at Jawny Bakers Restaurant and submit it to the Manager on Duty.

A one-time administration fee of $20 will be billed to you when you receive your Loyalty Card. A portion of this activation fee will be credited back to your card immediatly in the form of 500 Loyalty Points, a $10 value. You will also receive a 500 point Birthday Bonus on your card once annually on your birthday, and you will receive a free appetizer card for use at any future visit.

Thank you to everyone who has been helping us in our testing of this program over the past six months and we are looking forward to a very successful launch of our Loyalty Program. Our attention will soon be shifting to provide additional bonuses for our Loyalty Guests in the form of Double Bonus Points and Loyalty Member Exclusive Offers.

Tom Tranmer

Jawny Bakers Restaurant & Caters

Terms & Conditions - Within approximately two weeks from registration, your card will be credited with the sign up bonus points - Birthday Bonus expires 11 months from birthday - Card must be used at time of purchase for redemption, no exceptions - Points may be collected only at time of purchase with a valid Loyalty Card or Loyalty Card Number, no exceptions - A $10 Loyalty Card replacement fee will be levied for the replacement of a lost card - Minimum redemption of $10 redeemed value of points per visit per table - Maximum of $100 redeemed value of points per visit per table. Pre-tax spend only - Points cannot be collected on the purchase of Gift Cards or Catering orders - Points may be redeemed towards the purchase of Gift Cards or on Catering orders.

Jawny Bakers Features - July & August

Special sneak peek at the 2012 Summer feature menu from Jawny Bakers Restaurant!

With a great slate of features for the Summer, we're sure everyone will find something they love!

With a great choice of steak, seafood and favourites like the Tandoori Salad, thank goodness its Summer so you have a chance to try them all!

Click Here to download the menu PDF.

Congratulations to our Winner!

A big congratulations goes out to the winner of our latest Jawny Bakers Contest!

David Mason has been selected as the winner in this year's Father's Day contest and has been awarded a $200 Gift Card from Golf Town to gear up for the 2012 golf season.

With the Summer of 2012 just under way, there is no better time to hone your skills with that new putter you've been eyeing. Or treat yourself to a custom-fitted driver to really take your long game to the next level.

Congratulations again from all of us here at Jawny Bakers Restaurant.

FORE!

Changes Coming to Jawny Bakers Email Club

We have been working hard on the launch of the Jawny Bakers Loyalty Program in 2012 and to go along with that we have decide to transition away from a public distribution of our email newsletter in order to focus our content and promotions on members of the Jawny Bakers Loyalty Club.

After this summer, the email distribution will be modified to only be sent to members of our Loyalty program. If you are not yet a part of our program and would still like to peruse our newsletter, it will be available on our website at http://www.jawnybakers.com/events.

If you are already a loyalty member, please make sure that your profile is up to date by filling out a form with a current email address so that you can take advantage of upcoming promotions and mailings from Jawny Bakers. Promotions will also be announced via Facebook and Twitter, so make sure you join us on those platforms as well to take advantage of time-sensitive promotions like Double Bonus Points and Limited Time Food & Beverage Specials for our Loyalty Guests. 

If you would still like to receive our monthly mailings and to take advantage of the great promotions coming in the second half of 2012, make sure you inquire in the restaurant about how to be come a member and receive the Jawny Bakers Loyalty Card. New memberships will begin to be accepted on July 2, 2012.

Thank you everyone for your ongoing loyalty!

Tom Tranmer
Jawny Bakers Restaurant & Caters

Jawny Bakers Video Podcast #9

Corporate Profile - SNAP Magazine - 2011

Click here to download the video file: JB Podcast 009

Subscribe to us on iTunes and get this directly on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

Stay tuned to JB's Blog for more great original content next week!

Are you ready for some football?

No, not that football.

The European Championships 2012 – Poland/Ukraine.

Starting on June 8^th sixteen football teams (soccer for North Americans) will represent their respective countries for a chance to be crowned “The European Champions.”

This year marks the 14^th year of competition and will be co-hosted by Poland and The Ukraine.

This tournament was first hosted by France in 1960, and has evolved considerably as a “World Class” competition.  Next to the World Cup, this is probably the 2^nd biggest event of the Football Calendar. As with the World Cup, the Euros (as it is referred as) are held every four years. 

Qualification began back in August 2010 with 51 countries competing for the final 16 berths which were decided in November of 2011.  The sixteen teams that qualified were placed in groups of 4.  The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals and the finals will be held in Kiev on July 1^st, 2012.

The following is a list of the groups:

Group A            Group B                   Group C                      Group D

Czech Rep.         Denmark                    Croatia                         England

Greece               Germany                     Italy                            France

Poland               Netherlands                 Rep. of Ireland             Sweden

Russia                Portugal                     Spain                           Ukraine

Group B is considered by many to be the “Group of Death” but every group poses its own interesting match-ups with every country having realistic hopes of moving on to the final rounds. 

Spain is the defending champion and also the World Champion.  Spain is considered by many to be the strong favorite, but Germany, Holland, Italy, France and England are always in the race. That being said, some of the dark horses like the Czech Republic, Portugal and Russia can never be counted out and both the host countries will receive a lot of home support from their fans.

Here in Canada, every game will be televised on TSN and TSN2, with the time difference being only 6hrs.  Most of the games will be televised at 11.30am or 2pm.  So make Jawny Bakers your destination headquarters for the Euro! 

Come support your own country of heritage or adopt a country and enjoy four weeks of brilliant football with some of the games most talented players all vying to be crowned Champions of Europe. Personally, I will be cheering for the Three Lions of England!! (With Ireland as my second country of choice.) 

Gavin Thomson

Jawny Bakers Restaurant

Stanley Cup Final 2012

Going into game one of tonight's Stanley Cup Final, I can't recall off the top of my head, a Cup Final that seemed to hold as small a perceived interest here in Canada. Certainly we were spoiled last year with Vancouver challenging for the cup in 2011, and even the Ottawa Senators making a return to the cup final  in 2007 for the first time since the Senators Era of the 1920's. The series in 2007 was preceded with two more appearances by Canadian clubs, in 2004 (Calgary Flames, pre-lockout) and 2006 (Edmonton Oliers, post-lockout).

The unfortunate similarity between these appearances by Canadian teams? All losses. The last year a Canadian team hoisted the Cup was the 1993 Montreal Canadians.

One might say that of all the teams I mentioned, only Vancouver was expected to win the Cup, but I'm sure we were all caught up in the hype in 2006 when the Oilers went on their cinderella run to the cup from the 8th seed position.

This series in 2012 may not have the intrigue of the Canadian team, fighting to bring back the Cup to Canada. It certainly doesn't have the allure of Sidney Crosby, challenging for back-to-back cups in 2008-2009. That said, as the series prepares to kick off tonight in New Jersey, the Devils and the Los Angeles Kings are not without their fair share of interesting story lines.

First off is Martin Brodeur. The veteran goaltender and future hall-of-famer turned 40 during the fourth game of the Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Philadelphia Flyers and has been making jaw-dropping saves on almost every night of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He already leads all goalies in history in every conceivable statistic on which a goaltender is judged. Would a fourth Stanley Cup ring in an unprecedented third decade be the crowning achievement in an already legendary career?

Since settling in New Jersey in 1982, the Devils have won three Stanley Cups (1995, 2000, and 2003), all with Martin Brodeur in the nets. The Devils came into the playoffs as the Eastern Conference's 6th seed. NJ has advanced through the 3rd place Florida Panthers (7 games), the 5th place Philadelphia Flyers (7 games) and the 1st place New York Rangers (6 games), playing 20 games, 6 games more than the Kings, enroute to the Cup Finals.

Though the Kings have had a more than ample opportunity to rest up coming to tonight's game 1, the Puck will drop with New Jersey enjoying home-ice advantage, the first such occurrence for either of these teams throughout this postseason.

For the LA Kings, a young team loaded with talent and grit, it is a surprising statistic to hear that they were 29th of 30 teams this year in goal scoring with a 2.29 goals per game average. They went through three different coaches this year, two before acquiring their current coach Darryl Sutter from the Calgary Flames. LA came into the playoffs as the 8th seed in the highly competitive Western Conference, and as little as one week before the playoffs started, the Kings found themselves out of a playoff spot.

The Kings are backstopped by Jonathan Quick who had nothing less than a Vezina trophy-worthy season in 2011-2012. 2nd in GAA with 1.95 and first in the league with an astonishing 10 shutouts. Quick's acrobatic saves in the 2012 playoffs have opened the eyes of those who may not have noticed his dominant stretches throughout the season.

In their 44 year history, the LA Kings have only made it to one Stanley Cup Final (1993) and have yet to win a cup. LA has advanced through the 1st place Vancouver Canucks (5 games), the 2nd place St. Louis Blues (4 games) and the 3rd place Phoenix Coyotes (5 games), playing 14 games enroute to this years Cup Finals.

For the first time ever, both teams have Americans as their captains in Dustin Brown (LAK) and Zach Parise (NJD). Parise is scheduled to become an unrestricted free-agent this summer if New Jersey can't lock him up to a contact after this lengthy playoffs wraps up. How the finals play out could play a huge part in weather we see Parise suit up again next season for the Devils, or exercise his right to choose any NHL team to continue his career with. As for the Kings captain, Brown's name was floated in many trade rumours as the 2012 trade deadline approached and some speculate that without a cup win in 2012, Brown might too valuable an asset to keep and may also find himself playing for another club next year.

Plenty of great hockey stories heading into tonight's game. While we can expect a chess match of a series with these two strong defensive teams backed by spectacular goaltending, this series promises to showcase two teams that may not have been favourites heading into the playoffs, but each have earned their right to challenge for the Cup. I, for one, can't wait to see how this series unfolds.

All games in this series start at 8:00pm, so choose who to root for, and come by Jawny Bakers with your friends to watch some great hockey.

Neither a 6th place seed, nor an 8th place seed has ever won the Stanley Cup. All that will change, starting tonight.

Jawny Bakers Video Podcast #8

In Search of a Great Beer... How far does a man have to go?

Click here to download the video file: JB Podcast 008

Subscribe to us on iTunes and get this directly on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

Your Friends, Your Neighbourhood

Jawny Bakers has been an integral part of the East York community for the past 20 years and   I am very proud to be operating my own business here.  This is the community where I was born, raised and now reside in with my own family.  What’s not to love about East York: the  residents that truly give this area its sense of unity, the entrepreneurs that operate businesses with high levels of integrity, the hospitals, schools, Industrial and Not for Profit Organizations, the wonderous  valley, skating arenas, etc.……all that make this a wonderful place to work and live!

East York is a community that has supported Jawny Bakers from the start.  “Your Friends, Your Neighbourhood” is a tag line used in our logo and serves to reinforce our strong sense of community partnership.  From the outset, we have made a commitment to give back to the people and community that have been the anchor for our success in any way we can.  

As a small business operator, you often wonder how much of a contribution you can make for the betterment of people and life in your community.  I would say that being a independent operator has one of the greatest advantages of all: we have the ability to know our Guests, employees and community on a level that most big businesses never can, which makes it easier for us to complement them.  Unlike larger businesses, we have the freedom and the knowledge to shape our product, service and business to fit the people and community we serve.  

The following are some of the ways we have become actively involved in our community:

• Jawny Bakers places a high level of importance on giving back to the community with not only money, but time and commitment from owners/employees working towards improving the area in which we work and live.
• We partner with social and community groups to participate in  events taking place in the neighbourhood through fundraisers and sponsorship.
• We are a proud supporter of Providence Healthcare, a leader in providing rehabilitation and palliative care centre.  Both owners are passionately involved with the fundraising efforts of the hospital.
• We are committed to the health and well being of our guests and staff  by providing healthy choices.  We choose the finest quality products the industry has to offer.
• We consider ourselves a good community partner because we operate an attractive, clean and safe restaurant.  We further this goal by providing career opportunities and hiring from within the neighbourhood.

Jawny Bakers will continue in its efforts to be the best community partner it can be! Follow our blog for details on upcoming events that we are involved with in support of our community.

• May 7^th, 2012 - Did you catch us us on City Line TV, “Around the Home” episode?
• May 30^th , 2012 - Cusine & Cuvee - Jawny Bakers is a food donor at this spectacular event held at the Brick Works in support of Providence Healthcare.  Goal is to raise $200,000 net dollars.
• July 26^th, 2012 - Providence Golf Classic - Proud supporter and committee planning member.  To be held at Bayview Glen Golf& Country Club in support of Providence Healthcare. 

Blog Contributor - Gavin Thomson

Gavin has been working at Jawny Bakers for the past 7 years, first as an integral member of our Bar Team and for the last 4 years as the General/Operations Manager. Having worked in the industry for over 20 years, he has a wealth of knowledge both in the UK and Canada as a bartender, manager and owner/operator (of his own lounge bar). He has an excellent understanding of what Hospitality and Guest service is all about. He beings a passion to the job along with a “Gentleman’s Sophistication”! With a love of food and drink and attention to detail he makes it his priority to ensure that Jawny Bakers stays at the cutting edge of Hospitality and Premium Guest service.

Jawny Bakers Video Podcast #7

Join us as we create the Shannon's Stew Recipe from the Jawny Bakers Feature Menu 2012 with Russell Pratt, our Manager of Kitchen Operations. Russell has been with Jawny Bakers since 1999 and always strives for excellence in the kitchen. Those who have tried his steaks will agree wholeheartedly with that statement!

Click here to download the video file: JB Podcast 007

Click Here to Download the Recipe PDF

Subscribe to us on iTunes and get this directly on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

Blog Contributor - Russell Pratt

Russell began his career with Jawny Bakers in 1999 and now holds the position of Kitchen Operations Manager.  It has been his personal goal and passion to create an amazing culinary experience for our Guests.  Russell has extensive industry experience and a strong commitment to serve food and drink of the highest standards.  He is at the helm of product selection and menu development for the restaurant, and together with his team, he continues to raise the bar for food and drink excellence at Jawny Bakers.

Blog Contributor - Tom Zoras

Tom Zoras is Chief Food and Drink Operator at Jawny Bakers Restaurant, the successful restaurant he started in Toronto in 1992. Tom leverages his Great Eating and drinking skills to the organization, by introducing, creating and sampling all the wonderful food and thirst quenching drinks created by the culinary and mixology team.  With a strong passion for Food and Drink, Tom brings the development Team together in deciding which menu items are best suited for Jawny Bakers Guests.

Jawny Bakers Video Podcast #6

Join us as we sample the Montecillo Reserva 2006 from Spain with Nick Chajoglou, chief mixologist. Nick is our resident wine expert and sommelier in training.

Click here to download the video file: JB Podcast 006

Subscribe to us on iTunes and get this directly on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

Blog Contributor - Olga Kirakou

Olga Kiriakou is the Chief Family Officer for Jawny Bakers Restaurant.  Olga holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and boasts 25 years of industry experience.  She is actively involved with The Providence Healthcare Foundation in its fundraising efforts and is a proud member of its “Women in Philanthropy” group.  As a young mother of two, it is her commitment to provide extraordinary Hospitality and Food Service in every facet of the “Jawny Bakers Experience.”

Featured Beverage: Stella Artois

A pilsner-style lager, originating from Belgium in 1366, Stella Artois is named after the latin word for Star. Stella Artois was originally developed as a Christmas beer. 

Proper appearance is golden straw colour with decent carbonation. Odour is clean with a slight malt sweetness. Taste brings a hoppy bitterness and a mild sharpness that builds with the tasting. 

Stella has a great unique appearance that is enjoyed visually almost as much as the great taste.  Accentuates the richness when pairing with a Pan-Halibut or a lobster dish. 

Featured Beverage: Steam Whistle Pilsner

Steam Whistle’s distinctive recipe was developed based on Europe’s renowned brewing standards.  Brewed with just spring water, malted barley, hops and yeast these all-natural ingredients are GMO free.  

This independent pilsner is now one of the top selling premiums brands in Ontario Beer stores, and is a refreshing golden beer, a pride amongst Ontario’s Independent Breweries. 

We recommend a grilled meat or comfort food pairing, great for any occasion.

Jawny Bakers Video Podcast #5

Invented by Caroline in a fit of whimsy, this dessert has rapidly grown to become both a personal and a restaurant favourite.

Click here to download the video file: JB Podcast 005

Subscribe to us on iTunes and get this directly on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

Blog Contributor - Nick Chajoglou

For the past 18 years Nick has made it his career to be a part of the food and hospitality industry. Having been with Jawny Bakers since 2004, he has held the positions of bartender and manager. 

With experience, Nick has developed a passion for food and drink and specializes in the matching of the two to create a memorable experience. Using some of today’s ground breaking liqueurs, Nick and Jawny Bakers have developed beverages that are unique in the industry. You can taste some of his signature creations on the menu, like the Emerald Moon or the Summer Berry Lemonade.

Recently, Nick has returned to school part-time and is working on completing the sommelier certificate through the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. 

Blog Contributor - Tom Tranmer

Tom Tranmer has been working at Jawny Bakers, his first career hospitality job, for the last five years. Though the training and development on the Restaurant floor, Tom learned much about the Jawny Bakers business from the guests and his mentors above. Bringing both a history of performance and a technical background makes Tom's skill set relatively unique. As a former actor on both stage and screen, Tom's theatricality and passion for media remains evident in everything that he does.