History
Jericho Food Group supports – bioregionalism, Sustainable, low Intensive, regenerative agriculture. Creating and supporting local food systems which look at supporting Food Security Plans
Jericho Cafe -3689 W 4th Ave, a spot that was once the famous cafe little Budapest back in— In the 60’s, the restaurant was an oasis for neighbourhood folk, with a piano, and some live music, always serving incredible wholesome European food. The owner/server was big handsome Hungarian man named Joseph. He ran the room alone, serving 8 to 10 tables; he was always busy- so sometimes service was slow, at one speed, giving gracious, professional service, if you were in a hurry, you did not bother going in. In the kitchen a team of two older aproned- Hungarian women, cooking on home style stoves, putting out amazing traditional Hungarian food. Breakfast was outstanding. eggs, sausage, potatoes, rye bread. Big stainless coffee percolators brewing coffee, the never endling flow.
Jericho got involved with the restaurant when it was called Pasquale’s, the same building as little Budapest, a restaurants life had finished so the Landlord took over the restaurant, ran a pizza concept for a few years. West fourth avenue was going through major changes, this part of west fourth became a freeway, all destination traffic, little walk-in traffic, except if weather was nice. The concept was to fill the huge breakfast gap- an all-day breakfast joint- servicing Jericho/Point Grey Kits.
Jericho Cafe became a West 4th avenue staple back in 1995 and not just for the food, which was amazing! It was a place where the community gathered. There were music nights and cabaret nights, where connections were made between artists of different disciplines. This was Steve’s vision. He was always concocting something in his mental kitchen – the next event that combined great food, drink and art. Jericho Cafe will always hold a special place in my heart as a culinary and cultural oasis.
There was a grouping of incredible breakfast places in the heart of kits, like Cafe Zen and Sophie’s cosmic cafe, but very few West of Macdonald. Serving breakfast all day became the cornerstone of that spot, it was the income centre for that location for a long time until – La Quercia opened in 2008 with traditional Italian food and won best new restaurant, right off the start.
The COVID-19 pandemic uncovered an immanent weakness in the current industrial, global food system. Which revealed consumers and industry systems were unaware of the many vulnerabilities of how unsustainable the food systems were in wholesale; retail (supermarkets), and the restaurant business. The Market was not ready for the possibility of something going wrong. A huge crack in the veneer showed a weakness in the system which almost collapsed, instead came to a halt.
The “Ghost in the Machine” showed the most relevant characteristics of today’s industrial food system which are specialization, standardization, and consolidation which achieves the economic efficiencies or increased profit or economies of large-scale food production and distribution. While such systems can be very economically efficient, it showed the risk and unsustainability and possible udder collapse of such system.
Through increased marketing, exposure, and distribution by facilitating communication between all parties. Agriculture must survive on a local level for it to benefit local economies. The wheel has not been re-invented just adapted to a sustainable local and secure food system that will grow into the future. aims to set the standard of excellence for restaurants and grocers by building a business in which quality and tradition are pervasive throughout all aspects of the process.