Local Love Blog Series – Take a Hike Market

Welcome back to the Local Love Blog Series!

This is a feature I’ve been so excited about and also a Local Love Blog Series first – we’re featuring an upcoming local business that I can’t wait to see open! 

Together since 2015, Amanda and Jonathan started talking about opening a restaurant as early as their first date! They met while working in Nunavut and knew that their goal would be to find a way to work together. The reality of the pandemic shifted their vision a little bit from opening a more traditional restaurant to looking at a multi-channel business model that Take a Hike Market has evolved into. 

Take a Hike Market will be a completely unique spot for Bow Valley locals and visitors excited to see something new! 

Perfect for those who are curious and open to trying new things, Take a Hike Market will rotate through seasonal menus as Jonathan explores flavours and plays with new products. Once they open, you’ll find a café, made-to-order breakfast and lunch options, a decadent cheese counter, grab-and-go hot and cold options, and a delicious deli counter. 

They share a passion for learning and exploring, two values that are at the forefront of Take a Hike Market! They can’t want to welcome cheese lovers, tourists looking to try some amazing Canadian dishes, and Québécois longing for familiar treats. When you step into Take a Hike Market, you’ll be guaranteed to find quality, technique, and curiosity in anything you pick up or taste! 

For Jonathan and Amanda, their love language is watching people enjoy their food so they can’t wait to get going! 

Jonathan was born in Sept-Iles, Quebec and grew up seaside where he would find himself at his grandmother’s house for a breakfast of fresh lobster and scrambled eggs. He would eventually end up spending lots of time submerged in one of the best food scenes in Canada, Montréal. Amanda is a first-generation Canadian, with her Belgium-born French-raised mother and English father. Amanda was born and raised in Toronto and spent lots of time exploring the incredible food scene in the city, as well as being lucky enough to spend lots of time in France, England and Spain growing up. 

Inspired by the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Jonathan has a truly spectacular way of making food more than just nutritious and delicious but rather turns each bite into an incredible experience that leaves you wanting so much more. Whether he finds natural inspiration from his surroundings or from countless hours of flipping through the pages of his 100+ cookbooks, Jonathan will come up with the most amazing culinary creations and find a way to perfect them. 

While a restaurant was originally their goal, Amanda and Jonathan saw their struggles through COVID so knew they had to pivot slightly. 

Take a Hike Market is the result of that pivot, and after finding their location in Solara Resort and Spa they can’t wait to see what else the space and the business can become! Amanda and Jonathan’s combined passion is people, so ultimately they are excited and working hard to create a safe and healthy space for their team to learn and grow as they open! 

As they settle into the community as business owners and make more connections, Amanda and Jonathan have found plenty of amazing locals they wanted to shout out! They have lots of love and respect for Danny from Ankor, Blake and Kale from 4296, Pascale from Le Fournil, Josh from Sheepdog, Chris from EpiCanmore, and Makaylah and Fia-Lynn from Frankie D’s Donuts! They also definitely wanted to highlight the great work at the Bow Valley Food Alliance – food insecurity is a real issue, especially with the rising cost of food and while a great meal can completely make your day, that’s not a guarantee for everyone. 

The learning curve is steep, but Jonathan and Amanda also know that everything can be figured out! They’re learning to figure out how to settle into the happy middle of the roller coaster that is entrepreneurship. Opening a business is incredibly hard work so they’re also learning that people are keen to help when asked, to be humble, and be open to other people’s ideas. 

As they keep working on opening, keep your eyes peeled for updates on their Instagram and Facebook pages. Personally, I can’t wait to see how Take a Hike Market comes together at Solara Resort & Spa. I’m lucky enough to have gotten the chance to taste-test a couple of things you’ll find at Take a Hike Market and I can’t deny dreaming about Jonathan’s amazing food – I can’t wait for everyone to finally get a chance to taste their delicious food and visit the space in person! 

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