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Kolachy Takes Vancouver!

Chef Fowke

By Chef Fowke
in Western Canada: Dining

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Chef Fowke

Chef Fowke

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Six years ago I met two brothers with a dream...

One brother, Jason was a design technician, the other, Keith a server on the North Shore (previously a photographer).

The dream: to open a Texas BBQ house.

The reality: The Kolachy Shop

Lucky for us the BBQ didn't take off. Two - three times a week I pass by the front door trying to get some doughy goodness. Most days I walk by, the line being out the door and down the street. Try and buy a Kolachy after 3:00pm usually proves to be full of disappointment.

The reason the shop is doing so well? I think because of the commitment to old world values and qualities. The brothers built the shop by hand, did the marketing and branding and operated it on a day-to-day basis.

Every morning around 5am Jason shows up at the shop and starts preparing the dough. Each little bun is hand rolled, shaped and filled with a selection of handmade ingredients, be it a Ruben, BBQ beef or chicken club (that’s just at lunch...the breakfast Kolachies are even better!).

Keith prepares the front, and it is always presentable and approachable. I have never walked in and not been greeted as if I am an old friend. He spends as much time in front of the counter as behind.

The shop has been open for two years and each years sees a remarkable improvement in the product. The initial run of Kolachies tended to have a soggy center that tended to get rubbery if allowed to cool. The new technique has eliminated this problem and produced a Kolachy that has not been matched in Canada.

My initial worry was that the Kolachy was the anti-Atkins and would not be received well by the customer base. Obviously not a concern, as Keith can contest too. Just like the Subway guy Keith has slimmed down from 285lbs to well less than 190lbs in the last year on a diet of Kolachies and regular exercise.

Every culture has its Kolachy, Chinese buns, French vol au vent, Italian Panzarotti, etc...

Enough about background.

Great service and personality is all fine and dandy...but it is the 'meat of the thing' that drives this product!

I do not understand what drives my passion for these little buns, but i cannot get enough!

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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Daddy-A

Daddy-A

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My initial worry was that the Kolachy was the anti-Atkins and would not be received well by the customer base. Obviously not a concern, as Keith can contest too. Just like the Subway guy Keith has slimmed down from 285lbs to well less than 190lbs in the last year on a diet of Kolachies and regular exercise.

That's hillarious! I can't imagine Keith as a 285 lb-er!

Great post Brian, and a great story. Just goes to show that good food and people that care about it will be successful regardless of the food trend o' the day.

Is there a movie deal in the works?

A.

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Daddy-A

Daddy-A

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Is there a movie deal in the works?

I heard that Brando was up for the role...but he died. Adam Sandler would be a good second....

Working title: The Passion of the Dough!

Have you seen Spanglish yet? Apparently he trained with Keller for the role. Maybe he could train with you & Keith for the role.

Working title II: The Kolachy & I

A.

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Chef Fowke

Chef Fowke

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breakfast2_20.jpg

Okay ... I'll say it:

Nice buns Brian!

A.

Oh Yeah! I have nice buns...OH YEAH!!! (Slap it…slap it…)

But more importantly Keith's buns used to weigh 100lbs each and now they only weight 50lbs each...thanks to the Kolachy phenomena.

I really hope they keep on the Christmas Ham and rename it!

As well…the curry and all the new ingredients are great. They are so inventive…

Edited by Chef Fowke (log)

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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Chef Fowke

Chef Fowke

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What would happen if I took my Pastrami recipe, made it and presented it to the Kolachy brothers? WOW!

How about we organize a 'Kolachy Filling' event. What types of new fillings could be create? I think this may be the next big Vancouver event. We could sweep the country with this new trend. I will donate the space and the time...where is Jamie Maw when you need him?

The Kolachy is the perfect vehicle for the eGullet creativity!

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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Daddy-A

Daddy-A

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What would happen if I took my Pastrami recipe, made it and presented it to the Kolachy brothers? WOW!
That would be like giving away the cure for the common cold Brian! Perhaps you could get free kolachy for life in exchange? Anything, just don't give it away for nothing!
How about we organize a 'Kolachy Filling' event. What types of new fillings could be create? I think this may be the next big Vancouver event. We could sweep the country with this new trend. I will donate the space and the time...where is Jamie Maw when you need him?
Why do we need Maw (miss you Jamie, where are you?? :laugh: )? Talk to Keith & Jason and see if we can get in there one evening. Keep in mind our social calendars are all looking a ittle nuts from Jan-Feb. :wacko:

A.

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cubilularis

cubilularis

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I would miss my own funeral for a night of making Kolachies! I think it would be great to 'develop our own recipes' then have them stuffed into Kolachy dough!!

Does the Kolachy match well with wine?

To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art La Rochefoucauld

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Chef Fowke

Chef Fowke

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OMG!!!  Talk about the most amazing eGullet event!  Just think of the things we could come up with.  Hey Brian, what happened to the butchering class?

Let me talk to Neil when he gets back from his time with Mickey...We need to do the butchering class, maybe simplify it and do the cuts from primal.

More importantly, I am sooooo into this event!! I want to make Kolachy filling!!!

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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stovetop

stovetop

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Let me talk to Neil when he gets back from his time with Mickey...We need to do the butchering class, maybe simplify it and do the cuts from primal.

Chef I am so there, if you need some help putting together a class on meats.

steve

Cook To Live; Live To Cook
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CanadianBakin'

CanadianBakin'

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The Kolachy's are great! My sister-in-law and I made the trip in today from Mission and sampled food from The Kolachy Shop, Sen5es, Sweet Obsessions and BonTons. Thanks for all the reviews you guys give. It was fun to check out some of the places you talk about. I grew up in Burnaby but wasn't interested in the food scene then. Now I'm a bit jealous that I'm not closer. I'll have to live vicariously through you all and check things out when I can.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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Chef Fowke

Chef Fowke

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If my memory serves me correctly; the first Kolachies were desserts.

But...the best Kolachy is the BBQ beef after the savoury experience I had with one last week!

I will get intouch with the ownership of the Kolachy shop...when/how/parameters/where do we want to meet and start designing our own Kolachies?

Should this be linked to our Butchery day?

How do we tie in wine?

I will host the function at my house, lets say in 60 days...

Chef/Owner/Teacher

Website: Chef Fowke dot com

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