Lee Theodore is attempting an extended pop up venture over 3 months
Here he is again, popping up with yet another wonderful offering of flavors. If you may recall, Theodore has successfully completed a number of pop events over the past few years. Partnerships starting with Bar Q and ending with Spinners Diner to name but two. He does not declare himself a veteran in any regard but explains that he has something different to offer to the local culinary scene.
“We have a wonderful spread of options in Cornwall SDG. From the vegetarian haggis in Maxville to the Thai cuisine in Cornwall to the little Chinese restaurant in Casselman to the Quirky Carrot in Alexandria and of course, the best pizza in Ontario. But locally, we have a limited offering of Caribbean flavors. There is room for it.”
As he continues on his road to business operations, he has refined his craft and gained insights. He explains that even though there is an appeal to the flavors provided, that market is not as clear as say, the “pizza and wing” crowd. Even the language used to describe the food is not common. Sós pwa, for example, pronounced as “sauce pois”, translated as pea sauce in not common to almost anyone. So these events are key to normalizing some of what is available through Caribbean by Cornwall.
“These events allow me to gently introduce ideas and staple dishes from back home (Haiti). These events also allow me to not get in way over my head before I know how much I need to give of myself and my partners”
So what are you most excited about for these upcoming events Mr. Theodore?
Sós pwa, Haitian dumplings (fried and not deep fried), griot (deep fried pork), pikliz burgers, veggie stew, seasoned fried beef cubes, rice, Haitian sauce, chicken and of course our Canadian specials, for the kids that may be picky eaters. But internally, this will be the first time we will have trained someone to be able to cook the 9 dishes we have in mind so it will be a measure of how we are scaling forward now. I am pretty excited about that.”
So what is the end goal here Mr. Theodore?
“Eventually, it would be nice to have a small operation that does a handful of items really well at a low cost. If I can employ a few people and then scale up to a venue where I could bring in music from Montreal, more fusion of culture, well that would be just dandy. My goal is to hopefully serve 75 people over the 3 hours we are open each Sunday. But for now, just putting on these events, learning from each one and obviously saving a bit of money to advance a dream.”
A Caribbean offering of a Haitian variety. Add it to your list of things to do in Cornwall March 31st through June 30th and bring the kids too. This pop up entrepreneur is letting kids under 12 eat free under the Classic Canadian dish option, 2 children per couple and until food lasts.
Starting on March 31st and every Sunday thereafter, Caribbean by Cornwall is teaming up with their long time partner, Spinners Diner in Cornwall, offering 4 different options at a fixed price of $15. It will begin at 4pm until 7pm. It will run until June 30 and you are invited. Be sure to stop by their Facebook page, Caribbean by Cornwall.