Specialties
Guilt-free, kale-free, and superfood-free. Indulgent servings of more indulgent dishes.
Nachos/pie hybrids, real chips that make you go weak at the knees, big breakfasts that nearly need their own table, and our almost famous, in demand Bacon Jam.
History
Established in 2016.
The Shoe Chef opened its doors in May 2016, and offered a new (old?) option for café patrons in the area. The Shoe Chef, himself being a portly fellow, was getting annoyed at ordering a big breakfast, and receiving a thin slice of sourdough, a piece of fat free bacon, and an organically sustainable overdressed volunteer bean sitting atop a smear of beetroot relish. He longed to feed people real big breakfasts, thick slabs of white toast, generous servings of bacony bacon, baked beans, hash browns... You get the idea. This idea has extended to all parts of the breakfast and lunch menus, with things like Nachos Pies, and Maple Bacon Quiches making an appearance. The Shoe Chef Burger is something to behold! That thing is huge!
Meet the Business Owner: Mike J.
Mike is the Shoe Chef.
Why the Shoe Chef?
Nothing pleases Mike more than feeding people.
The only thing that comes close to that kind of pleasure, is buying shoes. He has amassed a collection of over 200 pairs, which you can see a proud photo of in the café hallway. Some of those shoes are also on a weekly changing display in the front room. Mike says "It's my version of Bring Your Kids To Work Day." He may be touched in the head... His partner, Sonia, isn't helping the matter either, with a personal collection of over 100 pairs.
So, why food?
Mike has always been happiest in the kitchen. Owning and operating a café was always a "one day" dream, but as careers do, his took him along a different path. An unexpected loss of employment brought him to the moment which Sonia calls the "now or never moment". So they bought a local café, and gave it a fresh refit, bringing their love of shoes into the décor, and launched The Shoe Chef.