The Road to 100
THE ROAD TO 100
- An open letter from our CEO, Ryan Moreno
This past Tuesday, September 8th, marked 100 days since the majority of our locations re-opened our doors and welcomed back our greatly missed guests. And while this is certainly a milestone I never expected to recognize, much less write about, our team and I will certainly be celebrating this one.
Reflection
We’ve collectively seen a world where our freedom to travel pretty much anywhere on a moments notice ended in an instant. These days, the ability to visit family and friends and greet them with a customary hand shake or embrace is only recommended if absolutely necessary, and to do so is ‘at our own risk’. I can’t even count the amount of conversations I’ve had since March that have had the words ‘pivot’ and ‘new normal’ included in them. Yet I still can’t help but focus on the silver lining of what we’ve all experienced thus far and what still lies ahead. The amazing innovation and resilience of many of us in hospitality, and pretty much every industry, to adapt and change course. The beauty of exploring our own backyard here in BC - which is something my family and I can personally attest to enjoying over this past summer with the current travel limitations. While there are clearly still challenges ahead in the ongoing efforts to manage this pandemic, I strongly believe that these efforts by us all are necessary in order to bring us closer to the freedom we used to enjoy.
Recovery
These past 100 days, which probably feel much longer to many of us, have been filled with a number of emotions - uncertainty, fear, relief, anxiety, frustration, joy, reconnection. But for me, the two that stand out the most are gratitude and pride. Pride in our team for being able to shift tremendously these past 6 months, and immeasurable gratitude from both Andre and I for their trust in us and our executive team to keep their health, safety and well-being at the forefront of all we do. Our reopening came with a robust new set of safety procedures and an entirely new service model that our teams learned, adopted and executed in a matter of days across all of our locations. In these past 100 days, despite the uncertainty that this pandemic has brought, our team has remained committed to delivering the best experiences to our guests, whether dining in, taking out, or ordering delivery and I am extremely grateful and ever so proud of how our team has come together, grown stronger and continued to work through this challenging time with care, innovation and resilience.
Challenges?
C’mon, we’ve asked our service teams who are some of the most friendly and out going individuals to cover those smiles with masks. We’ve asked our guests to kindly not approach or talk to other guests they see in our once vibrant social, community environments. And let’s not forget the obvious – having to take away as much as half of our revenue generating tables and chairs. So has it been challenging? Definitely! Worth it? Absolutely! We quickly pivoted (there’s that word again!) and remained committed and as hungry as ever (pardon the pun) to educate ourselves on how to continue to provide great spaces for friends and family to come together, safely and responsibly for the betterment of the communities we live in. And while another commonly used word these past months is ‘uncertainty’, I believe we’re starting to gain some. Certain that masks, proper hand washing/sanitization, social distancing, and just an overall more conscious approach to our day to day will be something that’s here to stay for some time. Safety for each other is just as important as the experience in our stores or the ingredients we put into every dish, so it’s also an absolute certainty that we will always strive to do what’s best for you, our communities and our team.
You
What could deserve more acknowledgment than you, our guests, our community. Nothing has been more meaningful, more valued, and more important than the support, understanding and genuine care that many of you have shown us. Our guests ARE our business, and this could not have been more evident 100 days ago when we re-opened our doors. We were unsure how many guests would be comfortable dining out in general. We were uncertain how many would choose to spend those very selective dining moments with us. But you showed up. Many of you, across all of our locations from Stanley Park all the way to Chilliwack – you showed up. You’ve given all of us at JRG some much needed encouragement, offered valuable advice and most all, supported all of us through this unusual time. For that, we are all truly grateful and want you all to know how immensely valuable you are and that we will never waiver in our pursuit to always deliver the very best and safest experiences possible. So from all of us to all of you, THANK YOU.
Gratitude
Although the tone of these sorts of conversations can tend to lean towards the negative, it’s the positivity and optimism that has carried us through. Excitement to see what innovation ours and many other industries will come up with next. Appreciation for the talented and dedicated health care professionals and first responders we’re so blessed to have among us, knowing so many places in the world go without. Thankful to be a part of so many of these amazing communities and for the people that make them what they are. Love for friends, families, our team, and our valued guests, that this pandemic has taught us never to take for granted. And above all, gratitude for it all, for all of you, for this life we’re all so lucky to have.
These past months have required more change in a short amount of time than most of us have ever seen at anytime throughout our careers. And while we don’t know what the next 100 days will bring, I do know that all the positive things that have come out of this pandemic have been solely due to amazing people doing amazing things. I’m thankful to be a part of it, I’m inspired by my team and my community everyday, and we’re more driven than ever to do our part.
Thank you again for being a valuable part of our journey, our past 100 days and hopefully many more moments in the future. Stay safe and take care of one another.
-Ryan
The Cheesecake Factory Bakery in Metro Vancouver
EDIT: New flavour available from The Cheesecake Factory Bakery beginning Friday August 21, 2020! The Hershey’s® Cheesecake - Hershey’s® chocolate cake, layered with chocolate ganache and chocolate cheesecake, finished with chocolate icing. Or select up to 4 flavours for The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Variety Pack for $35.99 .
Did someone say cheesecake!? The Joseph Richard Group has partnered up with The Cheesecake Factory Bakery after they contacted us in hopes of increasing distribution to the West Coast. We jumped at the opportunity to work with them and bring the infamous cheesecake to our guests - I mean, have you tried their cheesecake!? Why wouldn't we want to get in on that?
We have up to 10 varieties available for dine-in at all JRG Public Houses along with pickup or delivery.We had an overwhelming number of guests order cheesecake in the first few weeks of being available!! This is very exciting but it definitely sounds like we need to bring in more cheesecake!
Here's how to order for pickup or delivery ...
FOR DELIVERY
On DoorDash or Uber Eats or SkipTheDishes from any of the following locations:
Sweet Tooth Desserts
Oak & Thorne Neighbourhood Public House
Townhall Public House Langley
Townhall Public House South Surrey
Townhall Public House Maple Ridge
Townhall Public House Abbotsford
Townhall Chilliwack
Edith + Arthur Public House
The Buck & Ear Bar and Grill
The Henry Public House
FOR PICKUP
Available from any JRG Public House at www.jrg.ca or call us directly at any of the above noted locations and we’ll have it ready for you ASAP!
Don't bother trying to resist. If you don't believe the hype check out what Narcity Canada and Daily Hive had to say!
Welcoming A New Culinary Director, Chef Colin Burslem
Yes Chef!! Please help us give a warm welcome to our NEW addition to our growing family!
We’re excited to be welcoming a new Culinary Director, Chef Colin Burslem ( @colinburslem )👨🍳
Chef Colin’s culinary experience includes a 14 year tenure with Fairmont Hotel and Resorts, including working in locations throughout Canada, U.S.A and Mexico and receiving the hotel’s prestigious Leader of the Year Award in 2011 & 2016. Chef Colin’s experience also includes working at the Four Seasons & Marriott Hotels and Resorts, as well as cooking at Accor Hotels headquarters restaurant; The Bird, in Paris France and serving on Accor Hotels America's Food and Beverage Council. ✔
Apart from his impressive resume and experience, Chef Colin is passionate about building a strong team culture, fostering environments that encourage motivation and growth opportunities and of course, elevating food and menu offerings and the overall guest dining experience. 🍽
Chef Colin will be working closely with our Culinary teams, with the support of our Executive Chef Andy Slinn ( @aslinn10 ) and our Regional Chefs Steve Bell, Andrew Robertson and Sean Moreno. Please be sure to say hello and give him a warm welcome when you see him at any of our great locations. After knowing and seeing what Chef Colin has done in his career over the years, we’re excited to have him with us and looking forward to all that we can achieve together. 🙏🏼
Meal Ticket Brands in Partnership with Kernels Popcorn
EDIT: We're adding an additional variety to our inventory available at all JRG Public Houses and for delivery from Sweet Tooth Desserts by Meal Ticket Brands. Get the SAY Cheese Extraordinary Popcorn now!
We're popping up with a new partnership with Kernels Popcorn! You can now order Kernels Popcorn for delivery from Sweet Tooth Desserts in select areas of Metro Vancouver. SEARCH Sweet Tooth Desserts on DoorDash, SkipTheDishes and UberEats to find out if we're in your area! We have 3 flavours available in the snack bag size for $2.85 including Buttersalt, Creamy Caramel and Jalapeño Jack with more flavours coming soon!
"One of the key reasons Meal Ticket Brands was created is to be able to form dynamic partnerships with top brands and businesses looking for additional distribution channels. We're able to introduce such items to our menus and kitchens to enable them to reach more guests." Ryan Moreno, CEO of the Joseph Richard Group
We've joined forces with Kernels to supply salty, delicious popcorn snack bags to you, our valued guests. This new collaboration follows the successful footsteps of other recent collaborations with The Cheesecake Factory Bakery, Krause Berry Farms, and Darvonda Nurseries.
"Kernels, and the team of individuals behind it, are very excited to join the Meal Ticket Brands family so that we may find new ways to celebrate snack time with our fans!" Eli Staiman, President & CEO of Kernels Extraordinary Popcorn
Known for their freshly popped flavourful options, Kernels is the latest mouth-watering addition to our menu portfolio. Established in 1983, Kernels has been the popcorn of choice for many snack lovers. Whether salty or sweet, spicy or cheesy, there is something for everyone when it comes to Kernels Extraordinary Popcorn.
Search Sweet Tooth Desserts on DoorDash, SkipTheDishes and UberEats to find out if we're in your area! We have 3 flavours available in the snack bag size for $2.85 including Buttersalt, Creamy Caramel and Jalapeño Jack with more flavours coming soon!
A Cut Above Knife Club at S+L Kitchen & Bar
A Cut Above Knife Club at S+L Kitchen & Bar … and everything you need to know about THE Knife
The first rule of Knife Club is, you definitely talk about the Knife Club. The second rule of Knife Club is you identify the brilliance of the steak knife and take the opportunity to know you are our special guest. The third rule of Knife Club, only one steak per knife, well … at least at a time. Fourth rule, you play along when we want to produce a silly infomercial. The S+L Knife Club is for our guests who are "a cut above". Membership is reserved for those who have become or are becoming our most loyal guests. With membership comes benefits, so they say, such as first access to special events, a direct line to our leadership team for reservations or feedback or first priority for the JRG Courtesy Shuttle which runs on Friday and Saturday nights.
Perhaps the biggest benefit though is the silverware that comes with it. A hand-crafted steak knife fit for a king or queen, complete with your name engraved to its handle. Trust us when we say, there is nothing like slicing into a fresh filet then when doing so with one’s own personal knife. This knife will guide you through each inch of your meal and when you’re done, your knife will be refurbished (OK, washed) and placed back in its place of rest, on display, waiting for you, for your next. It’s waiting, until your next visit.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see what we're up to at JRG
PIE Club at The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar
Who doesn’t love some PIE?
We do! However, we aren’t talking about apple pie, we’re talking about your Personal Italian Experience aka PIE Club at The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar. While all of our guests enjoy something special when they visit The Italian Osteria and Cheesebar, our PIE Club members receive a number of added benefits. Whether it’s first access to special events, a direct line to our leadership team for reservations or feedback or first priority for the JRG Courtesy Shuttle, our PIE Club members hold a special place in our hearts. And just in case you can’t remember what the place in our heart looks like, we keep a reminder on the wall just behind our host stand. Inside that beautiful red display case you will find the shrine to our P.I.E. Club members made up of spoons from the Robert Welch flatware collection, meticulously crafted with gracefully arched handles that fit perfectly in the hand and are engraved with our members names. Next time you see one leave the case, just know that there’s someone special in the room.
So, the next time you're at The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar, ask for the Manager to get more information on how to join one of the coolest clubs in town.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see what else we're up to at JRG
Restaurant Reopening Phase Two
Phase Two of The New Face of Dining
We are stronger together and we look forward to welcoming you back to the new face of dining through our restaurant reopening phases. While you may not be able to see our smiles behind our masks, please know we’re immensely grateful and smiling at you with our eyes!
As we mentioned early on, our team at the Joseph Richard Group continues to stay well-informed of the rapid changes arising from COVID-19 which ultimately changes our outlook at the operation of our business. Today is no exception. The restaurant industry is moving towards accommodating more guests with the removal of a the 50% capacity restriction. We're ecstatic at the thought of welcoming more of you back very soon! In addition, our team has reviewed reports and best practices from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and you will no longer see our servers, bartenders, chefs and management wearing non-medical grade gloves. However, rest assured that our teams will continue to follow through on regular hand washing and sanitizing practices. We will continue to do our part to reduce the risk of transmission while also offering some level of what "used to be". Come by for a beverage or a bite at any of our locations and I promise you, we'll be so happy to see you - smiling with our eyes with masks on.
Here is the statement from BCRFA restating the regulation changes by Dr. Bonnie Henry that became effective today.
"This morning Dr. Bonnie Henry issued a new public health order that is effective immediately. The order removes the 50% capacity and allows operators to determine their capacity based on the ability to physically distance staff and guests by 2m. This will support the work we accomplished on patio extensions, those restaurants who are expanding their patios will now be able to come closer to their licensed capacity numbers with the use of a larger patio while still abiding by social distancing requirements.
The order officially legislates the use of plexiglass partitions to create separation: provided that they are washable, rigid and impermeable. They can be floor, table or counter mounted or hung from the ceiling.
Buffets/Self service are now allowed to open with certain regulations - hand-sanitizing must be available before any self-service stations.
Limits re-confirmed for:
- Events - no more than 50 people. Added: people leaving cannot be replaced with new people.
- Table limit - 6 people max at a table or booth."
Please note the business hours for each of our locations as they may have changed.
JRG Public Houses
- Friday and Saturday 11am-12am
- Sunday - Thursday 11am-11pm
Townhall Public House Abbotsford
- Monday - Thursday 11am-11pm
- Friday 11am-12am
- Saturday 10:30am-12am
- Sunday 10:00am-11pm
- Monday - Thursday 11:30am-11pm
- Friday 11:30am-2am
- Saturday 11am-2am
- Sunday 11am-11pm
- Monday - Thursday 11am-11pm
- Friday - Saturday 12pm-11pm
- Sunday 10am-11pm
- Monday - Friday 12pm-10pm
- Saturday - Sunday 11am-10pm
The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar
- Monday - Friday 12pm-10pm
- Saturday - Sunday 11am-10pm
- Monday CLOSED
- Tuesday CLOSED
- Wednesday 12pm to 6pm
- Thursday 12pm to 6pm
- Friday 12pm to 8pm
- Saturday 12pm to 8pm
- Sunday 12pm to 6pm
Restaurant Reopening Phase One
Welcome To The New Face of Dining
To our dearest guests,
From my early years as a busboy till today, I know none of us have seen or experienced a time like we are all in currently and as we prepare to move into yet another chapter of unchartered operations, we need to first start here with all of you.
We want to whole-heartedly thank each and every one of you for your support during this time and for all your patience as we work desperately to figure every detail out and keep pushing to try and deliver all of you the very best experiences possible, in the safest way possible. So THANK YOU again.
When given the opportunity to resume operations on May 19, we made another difficult, but necessary decision to postpone reopening for another couple weeks. In hindsight, we feel this was the best approach. We’ve been able to observe the industry as they navigate through Phase One of this reopening plan. We’ve heard from our community about their post-COVID dining experiences. We’ve continued to stay abreast of protocols set forth by Fraser Health Authority and WorkSafeBC And the impact that this initial reopening has had on COVID cases throughout our province. We’ve worked closely as a team to consolidate all this valuable information and diligently prepare for our own phase one of reopening. Our guests and employee’s health and safety is our top priority so we even created a COVID-19 Protocol Training Seminar for all employees to learn our new temporary steps of service and culinary procedures in order to avoid transmission and reduce the risk of spreading the virus. In addition, every employee has received their Pandemic Awareness Certification from the Worksite Safety Compliance Centre. We are stronger together and we look forward to welcoming you back to the new face of dining through the reopening phases. While you may not be able to see our smiles behind our masks, please know we’re immensely grateful and smiling at you with our eyes!
Many of our locations will be re-opening as of tomorrow, Friday May 29th and throughout the coming days. We anticipate all locations to be fully operational by early next week and will communicate all the dates with you through our social channels.
Please have a look at just some of our safety protocols that are in place to ensure we exceed the recommended health measures:
- Employees are not permitted to work if they feel sick in any way or are displaying flu-like symptoms.
- Contactless daily temperature logs for all staff
- All JRG establishments are setup with the recommended distancing between all guests.
- All JRG employees are to practice proper hand washing, wear protective face masks, and gloves at all times.
Contactless menus and payment is available. - Plexi dividers are installed in areas with fixed guest seating.
- Sanitizer stations located at all entry/exit touch points.
- Entry, exit and washroom areas will be cleaned and sanitized every 15 minutes.
A full description of our re-opening protocol can be found on our website and please reach out to us if you have any further questions or concerns.
We want to sincerely thank you all again, and can’t wait to see your faces in our stores again soon!
Ryan Moreno
CEO & Co-Founder
Joseph Richard Group
Please note the business hours for each location as they may be different from what you are used to.
All JRG Public Houses (except The Henry Public House)
- Friday and Saturday 11am-12am
- Sunday - Thursday 11am-11pm
The Henry Public Houses
- Monday - Thursday 11:30am-11pm
- Friday 11:30am-12am
- Saturday 11am-12am
- Sunday 11am-11pm
S+L Kitchen & Bar Langley
- Every Day 11am-12am
S+L Kitchen & Bar Abbotsford
- Friday - Saturday 11am-12am
- Sunday - Thursday 11am-11pm
S+L Kitchen & Bar South Surrey
- Friday - Saturday 11am-12am
- Sunday - Thursday 11am-11pm
The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar
- Every Day 11am-11pm
The Buck & Ear
- Monday - Wednesday 11am-12am
- Thursday 11am-1am
- Friday - Saturday 12pm-2am
- Sunday 10am-12am
Glass House Estate Winery
- Friday 12pm to 8pm
- Saturday 12pm to 8pm
- Sunday 12pm to 6pm
- Monday CLOSED
- Tuesday CLOSED
- Wednesday 12pm to 6pm
- Thursday 12pm to 6pm
Reopening In The Near Future
After many of the hardest days and weeks any of us have ever gone through and having to suspend the majority of our business operations due to COVID-19, we now have been given some clarity as to the ability to finally reopen our doors to the public. Weeks ago that’s the very news we were praying for and now that we have it, many of us while obviously excited to get back to what we love, are also wrestling with feelings of uncertainty and mixed emotions as well.
We’ve heard from half of our guests that are still very concerned about the current pandemic and worry this may be too soon, and we’ve heard from the other half that they have moved past the current situation and are ready to start working towards rebuilding the economy and getting back to some sort of normal.
As a business, we ABSOLUTELY need to open at some point and we believe it’s actually a responsibility and expectation that businesses in our community be instrumental in helping to create that path back to ‘normal’, whatever that may look like, is something none of us take lightly.
I can tell you that all of us have been in extensive contact with local government, Fraser Health Authority, WorkSafeBC, BCRFA and many others to make sure we have the very best information, real time, in order to make the very best decisions on what is expected and anything we can do to further protect our staff, our guests and our business. Experience is everything, from the minute our guests walk in to the minute they leave, the vibe we create is an important part of our business and we want to make sure we continue to provide the best experience and atmosphere we worked so hard to create in the safest ways possible for everyone.
More than anything I’d like to extend the sincerest of THANK YOU’S to every single one of you. From day one of the closure, which certainly the most challenging time we’ve been faced with, so many in our community showed up. Showed up to support through delivery, through Gift Card purchases, Meal Kits, or even by just sending supportive messages. All of it helped carry us thought this difficult and uncertain time. So THANK YOU all again, we couldn’t have done it without you.
Also a very special THANK YOU to all the amazing people at Fraser Health, the Provincial Health office, WorkSafe, all our Healthcare Professionals, First Responders and so many others that have worked so incredibly hard to keep all of us safe and even get our Province to this point that we can actually start looking at re-opening. What a bar the Province of British Columbia has set for the rest of the world!
So while we certainly plan and look forward to opening soon, we don’t have a concrete opening date as of yet. We want to take our time and ensure we’ve explored every option possible to bring you, our guests, the very best and safest experience possible. That’s what you deserve and that’s what you should expect. It’s what we expect from ourselves. We made a decision to close the business together as a team, as a community, and we’ll make the decision to re-open the same way.
PS. If any of you can make time, please join us this Thursday May 21st at 8pm on @wearejrg as I go LIVE again with Matt from Search + Rescue Marketing. We'll continue our conversation about what a re-open will look like and try to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Please try to tune in or send us any questions through email or DM prior and we’ll try to answer as many as we can.
Thanks again everyone. Truly appreciate you all! ❤️Ryan Moreno.
Now let's take a moment to recognize some of the individuals who have kept this company going through the pandemic and others who we will be able to welcome back very soon. These photos were taken at our Annual JRG Awards Night where we recognize the people who have made the biggest impact on the company, our guests and our industry. This was also less than 2 weeks prior to learning about the implications of COVID-19 and what that could mean for us. Without these people, our businesses would not have been able to offer take-out, delivery, community partnerships, new offerings, Meal Kits, Cocktail Kits, Pop-Up Garden Centers and Pop-Up Krause Berry Farms Shops. The innovation and ability to pivot is inspiring and I say it all the time and I'll say it again, we truly have the Best Team.
Temporarily Suspending Dine-In Operations
We never thought a message like this would ever need to be written. With unexplainable sadness we find it’s time to announce that we are temporarily suspending all dine-in operations at all our public house and restaurant locations effective March 17, 2020 until further notice. We certainly don’t take this decision lightly but we must uphold our social responsibility in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and implement the protocol of social distancing as set forth by the Canadian Public Health Association. The health & safety of our colleagues, guests, stakeholders, friends and families are exponentially important to us and is top priority for our team as we navigate the uncertainty of the coming weeks through this fluid course we find ourselves in.
We will continue to eagerly accept your to-go orders at all of our locations and you can find our menus for delivery on SkipTheDishes, DoorDash and Uber Eats delivery platforms. Your continued support has always been greatly valued and appreciated. That is even more true now.
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Thank you everyone, we truly can’t wait to serve you soon.
Ryan, Andre, George & Andy