- Words by Joanne Peters Photography by Lia Crowe
Sisters Nora Iliakis and Jenny Siormanolakis have shared a love of food for as long as they can remember. When they weren害羞草研究所檛 cooking by their parents害羞草研究所� sides while growing up, they were helping out at their family害羞草研究所檚 Greek restaurant. Time and again, customers and friends would ask them, 害羞草研究所淲hat is it that makes Greek lemon potatoes so good?害羞草研究所� If you害羞草研究所檝e ever been to Greece or dined at a taverna, you害羞草研究所檝e likely had the deeply flavourful dish of citrusy-garlicky golden-roasted spuds.
Greek lemon potatoes are so delicious because they soak up all the juicy flavours of the aromatic broth in which they害羞草研究所檙e cooked. They害羞草研究所檙e not especially hard to make, but home cooks often simply don害羞草研究所檛 have the time or the know-how. But Nora and Jenny are making it easier for people to whip up the dish that害羞草研究所檚 as much a part of their culinary roots as tzatziki, souvlaki and moussaka. The two form the entrepreneurial duo behind , a Vancouver-based company that crafts a line of fine seasoning blends.
Greko Lemon Roast Potatoes Seasoning is Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚 signature item. All it takes for people to make the namesake dish at home is to dissolve some of the seasoning in a mix of olive oil and water, pour the liquid over chopped potatoes in a pan, and bake. It害羞草研究所檚 foolproof.
And the seasoning salt essentially saved the company from falling prey to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
害羞草研究所淭he pandemic was our silver lining,害羞草研究所� Nora says.
Here害羞草研究所檚 the back story. The women害羞草研究所檚 parents hail from Veroia, Imathias in northern Greece and came to Canada with strong connections to their culture, including its cuisine. The family ran their Greek restaurant for some 40 years, selling it in 2014. In 2004, the two women were given the chance to take over Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚 Seasonings Inc., which was founded by Jim Voulides, their late Uncle Jimmy. A former master chef with more than three decades害羞草研究所� experience at steakhouses across Canada and the US, he was a visionary at the time, having been the first locally to make a versatile, wholesale no-MSG-added seasoning, launching the company in 1995.
At the time, Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚 consisted of a single product: the original All-Purpose Seasoning Salt. The all-natural product can be used prior to grilling or roasting and to flavour sauces, dressings, marinades, soups, stews and more; it can be sprinkled on French fries or potato wedges. The OG seasoning was and still is a hit: it害羞草研究所檚 the company害羞草研究所檚 bestseller.
The pandemic, however, upended everything. Prior to the spring of 2020, Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚 was primarily a wholesale business. The then-unfathomable era of lockdowns and isolation meant the team had to pivot, quickly, to retail to survive. While stores were keen to carry Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚, they needed more than a single item. That害羞草研究所檚 when the women害羞草研究所攂oth working moms害羞草研究所攖urned to the dish they know so well and love.
害羞草研究所淎ll of a sudden it hit me,害羞草研究所� Jenny says. 害羞草研究所淚 said, 害羞草研究所榃e need to do Greek lemon potatoes.害羞草研究所� But because the flavour comes from soaking up the juice, I thought, 害羞草研究所業t can害羞草研究所檛 just be a seasoning you shake on. It害羞草研究所檚 got to dissolve in water and olive oil to make the juice, then you pour it over and bake.害羞草研究所� I still have the piece of paper that I wrote my notes down on that say, 害羞草研究所業t has to have tang害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所業t has to be the perfect colour.害羞草研究所� That was the aha moment. I told my sister: 害羞草研究所楾his is a winner.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 turned into so much more than a seasoning for potatoes,害羞草研究所� she adds. 害羞草研究所淵ou can cook your proteins with it; you can add it to prawns. You can add it to one-pan meals. You can use it for chicken breasts or lamb or tofu. I害羞草研究所檝e used it to fill samosas. I害羞草研究所檝e mashed the potatoes with it; I害羞草研究所檝e done savoury pie tarts. My mom adds it to hummus. You can do rice害羞草研究所� You name it.害羞草研究所�
The product is also a boon to people who follow plant-based diets because害羞草研究所攚hile conventional Greek lemon potatoes are made with chicken stock害羞草研究所擥randpa J害羞草研究所檚 seasoning is suitable for vegans.
The also team created Vancity Grind, a coarse rub perfect for steak and other grilled foods, as well as an excellent rim for Caesar cocktails.
The launch of the product line exceeded the women害羞草研究所檚 expectations, initially being stocked in 30 stores.
害羞草研究所淭he momentum didn害羞草研究所檛 stop until 90,害羞草研究所� Nora says.
Now, the blends are in more than 125 stores in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan, without any distributor on board害羞草研究所攁nd that害羞草研究所檚 just through the two women害羞草研究所檚 efforts. Next up is Vancouver Island, and then: who knows? Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚 may make its way all across Canada. The 100 per cent female owned- and -operated business is also reinvigorating its wholesale division, with many restaurants adding it to their pantries.
害羞草研究所淥ur seasonings are always in season,害羞草研究所� Jenny says.
Grandpa J害羞草研究所檚 Greko Lemon Roast Potatoes Seasoning was a top-10 finalist for BC Food and Beverage害羞草研究所檚 2022 Product of the Year. Another fan of the blend is Michael Varga, Chopped Canada winner and MasterChef Canada finalist.
The company has received other high praise.
害羞草研究所淩yan Reynolds posted our Vancity Grind to his Instagram,害羞草研究所� Jenny says. 害羞草研究所淗e posted a picture of the Vancity Grind with a little caption that said, 害羞草研究所業f this wasn害羞草研究所檛 so good, I害羞草研究所檇 be upset about the name.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克.I felt like I had won the lottery. It was insane. Stores sold out immediately.害羞草研究所�
Adds Nora: 害羞草研究所淩yan Reynolds sent people into 125 small businesses, because that害羞草研究所檚 where we害羞草研究所檙e mostly stocked. That害羞草研究所檚 what matters most.害羞草研究所�
Then there are so many everyday cooks who have fallen in love with the products.
害羞草研究所淲e get a lot of potato pictures sent to us,害羞草研究所� Jenny says. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 such a compliment to us. We love it. We害羞草研究所檙e honoured when people share what they害羞草研究所檝e made with us.害羞草研究所�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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