Last weekend I drove down a sunbaked road north in the wee town of Osoyoos, just shy of Oliver, across acres of vines and weaving along the Black Sage Bench in the middle of Canada’s only “official” desert. I passed cow grates, turtle crossings and a freak (brief) rainshower. My destination? A shipping container.
That’s right—a fancy, kitted-out kitchen-from-container that had arrived to Black Hills Estate Winery the day before (and weeks later than anticipated, naturally). Some rapid fire hook ups, inspections, testing testing testing, and the new beautiful home of Joy Road Vineyard Kitchen was open and welcoming a handful of lucky guests.
This first-of-its kind eco-friendly “container kitchen” in the vineyard is a brand new partnership between two Okanagan entities that need no introduction to locals. Black Hills Estate Winery was established in 1996 and gained attention for its lauded (and pricey) icon wine, Nota Bene. In years since, owner Glenn Fawcett, winemaker Graham Pierce and their crew have gone on to hone the prestigious Bordeaux blend while adding other wines to the portfolio, including the impressive value Cellar Hand Red & White.
Joy Road Catering is a name that produces salivary action without even being in the same room—or country—as the stunning and delicious “cuisine du terroir” that chefs/partners/locavores Cameron Smith and Dana Ewart create. For the better part of the past decade, Cam and Dana have been popping up throughout the Okanagan at farmers’ markets, catering events and as hosts at their very popular long table dinners at God’s Mountain Estate. I always try and time my visits to the Okanagan around one of their events, and now, with the opening of their Vineyard Kitchen at Black Hills, my scheduling has become a whole lot easier.
The seasonal, sustainable, unfussy food that the duo is known for will be available for lunch and afternoons during the summer. Small plates allow for all appetites to mix and match, and the menu will change up regularly (I reckon daily) depending on what produce, herbs and ingredients are freshest. Dishes are casual and quick out of the shipping container kitchen—think marinated heirloom beets, burrata with olive oil and sea salt, blistered hand-tossed pizza (there is a purpose-built pizza oven), house-cured salumi, local cheeses, assorted salads and comforting, simple desserts (the killer dark chocolate cookie with sea salt is worth the drive alone).
Though the kitchen may lack square footage, the presentation and taste is exponentially awesome. It’s easy math for me: eating outside on the patio, shaded by the summer sun, overlooking the Black Hills vines and drinking the wines of the place. Summer holidays, here Sip comes!
The Joy Road Vineyard Kitchen hours:
June 14 – 29, 2014: 11:30 am to 5:00 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
July 3- Sept. 1, 2014: 11:30 to 5:00 pm on Thursday to Monday
Sept. 4- Oct. 12, 2014: 11:30 to 5:00 pm on Thursday to Sunday
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