A Salmon Arm baker and trained pastry chef has brought her talents back home.
Kate Boutillier was raised in Salmon Arm, but moved away right after high school to pursue her dream: baking and perfecting pastries. She visited infrequently during her young adult life, she said, but on one trip home she felt a difference in Salmon Arm, a younger and more vibrant feel, and decided to move back shortly after.
As she settled back in town, Boutillier entered the 2022 Shuswap Launch-a-Preneur competition, hoping to kick start a local storefront where she could sell her cakes and treats and introduce Salmon Arm to the world of upscale pastry with Flake Pastry and Chocolate.
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A friend who has since passed away was instrumental in getting Boutillier to compete, she said. He came from Alberta wanting to open a coffee shop in Salmon Arm and they were working together at first.
鈥淚t was an excellent experience, and fantastic for meeting people in the community, so I thank him,鈥� Boutillier said.
After winning third place in Launch-a-Preneur, she said most of her winnings went to legal and corporation fees, 鈥渘one of the exciting stuff,鈥� and her first year in business was spent at farmers鈥� markets and the Zest Food Hub鈥檚 night market events.
She was pregnant at this time as well, so her personal life was just as busy as her new business, she said.
When the market season was over, Boutillier said she went to PJ鈥檚 restaurant in Centenoka Mall and saw an open space, after Florabella Decor moved its storefront across the mall.
鈥淚 thought, since we move all our stuff from our kitchen to markets, why not do that whenever our open hours at the mall are? Why wouldn鈥檛 that work?鈥�
After applying to Community Futures for a small business loan, renovating the mall space slightly, updating signage and buying a new oven and display case, Flake officially opened in February 2023.
鈥淚 underestimated the financial investment that goes into renovating a space 鈥� I鈥檓 kind of thinking this might be more of a launch pad location, but I鈥檓 not sure,鈥� said Boutillier. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of grassroots. But, Purdy鈥檚 business model is in malls, so maybe we do want to do that.鈥�
With plans to eventually expand Flake, Boutillier wants to find the right staff to move forward, especially a trained pastry chef to help offset some of her workload with a new baby in tow.
鈥淓ven just somebody who has inspiration to learn, because for now I can only do so much. I don鈥檛 want to outsource parenting my children!鈥� Boutillier laughed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 trying to find a happy medium right now. I do feel bad I can鈥檛 be open five or six days a week, but the community is fantastic and maybe just don鈥檛 know my story.鈥�
Boutillier has an extensive history in the restaurant industry, having served and cooked in commercial kitchens, baking and honing her pastry chef skills. She also draws on her upbringing in a family that gardened and prioritized fresh food, with a mother and grandmother who fostered her interest in baking.
After attending Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver, Boutillier worked at Karat Chocolate in 琉璃神社. She also has her fair share of competition experience, having competed in Junior Chef of the Year in 2012, winning regionals in 琉璃神社, provincials in Vancouver and nationals in Edmonton. She was also on Team Culinary, living in Vancouver to train with the team and go on to compete in Switzerland.
鈥淭he industry was a rude awakening, I鈥檒l be honest 鈥� it鈥檚 male-dominated, rough, fast-paced and there鈥檚 not a lot of margin for error. But it鈥檚 exciting. I fell in love with the fast-paced bit of theatre that is the restaurant industry and the rest is history.鈥�
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rebecca.willson@saobserver.net
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