EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
“We’re encouraged to take ownership and work together toward a common goal, which raises our game. All of our best friends are here. We’ve been in each other’s homes, shared meals, traveled together. Kate and I aren’t the only ones who have been around for decades.” Naturally, the friendship between coworkers impacts the restaurant atmosphere and customer experience. “I think we’re actually a part of the hospitality industry, not the service industry,” Kate said. “There’s more genuine concern about how your customers feel. We have a passion for the work but, more importantly, we have compassion for our customers. Why are they out tonight? How can we help them have the best possible time? I often feel like I’m personally sharing dinner with guests. It’s just a different level of care.”
Making a Difference for Customers Kate and Thomas agree that the best part of the job is knowing they’ve actually had an impact on someone’s life—and one of the biggest ways they do that every week is through the Paleo Program. “My absolute favorite thing about working here is the connection I get to have with our guests. To me, the avenue doesn’t matter,” said Kate. “Whether they’re here for dinner or they pick up Paleo meals every week, they’re sharing an important part of their lives with us, and that matters. With Paleo, especially, I feel like I’m making a difference.” Thomas agrees: “Paleo is the best. I get to take a step back from the restaurant frenzy to catch up with these regular customers who come by to pick up their meals. It gets me out of my 'cave' in the kitchen.” Kate and Thomas work together to manage the Paleo Program. Kate does front of house management tasks such as getting in touch with customers, organizing special requests, and sorting the meals. Thomas manages the weekly menu and meal preparation. “Last week, we had nearly 200 customers with 15 meals a piece that all had to be vacuum-sealed, stickered, and sorted,” said Kate. “Meanwhile, we’re putting together the next week’s menu. It’s a huge production.” And no two weeks are the same, either. “We always have a wide variety and include two brand new items each week,” explained Kate. “Thomas and I eat the Paleo meals, too. So we get fussy. If I don’t want to see something on the menu again, I’m pretty sure the customers don’t want to see it, either.”
Moving to the New Location Kate and Thomas have been at Saskatoon Lodge long enough to see the restaurant evolve and expand in many ways, but perhaps the biggest change has been the move to the new location. For Kate, the move to the new location was also meaningful because she’s been hearing about the plans for so long. “I remember from the time I first started working, Edmund told me about his ideas for Saskatoon Lodge—he talked about these wall murals he’d seen at a Disney resort and the lodges he’d visited. He pictured Saskatoon Lodge as a hidden lodge that travelers might find while hiking, with a big, open floor plan. Seeing it happen has been really beautiful. When I first walked into the new location, it felt more like walking into my new home.”
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