Dan Kutcher and Ian Gass have been friends since high school and have decided to go into business together.
It has a been a life-long dream for both men to open a restaurant and they’re excited to finally tell the community about what they’ve been working so hard towards.
They’ve been in the planning stages for months – or years, depending on how you look at it. Renovations to their chosen location recently got started and they’re shooting for a late fall opening.
They have a certain vision for their eatery, said Kutcher.
“We describe it as a laid-back, approachable and affordable take-out, or hang-out,” he said.
They’re calling it South Central Kitchen and Provisions and are setting up shop at 24 Central Street (the former Guardian newspaper office.)
The building is not large, so it will only have initial seating for 16 to 20 customers. But their main focus will be on the take-out breakfast and lunch crowd.
As a result, they will be focusing on homemade soups, salads, Buddha bowls and are making sandwiches their specialty.
Gass is a 2008 graduate of the Culinary Institute of Canada, while Kutcher, until earlier this year, was a lawyer with a focus on food-law.
Making that jump from practicing law full-time to operating a restaurant might seem like a big jump, said Kutcher, but it’s actually been a pleasant transition, if not without its challenges.
“I don’t think I would have done it unless I had Ian to do it with,” said Kutcher.
“It’s been great,” added Gass.
“It’s really exciting, we’re committed now.”
@JournalPMacLean
