Health-Conscious Caterer and Restaurant Finds Home in Victoriaville
By Melanie Larson
Nestled in the food court of Victoriaville Centre lies Wild Thyme, a new restaurant that refuses to put itself in a box. Through the vision of owner and chef Joe Fleury and his partners Christina Lane and Sami Roine, this health-conscious hideaway officially opened to the public on April 9. Since then, the trio has been dedicated to broadening their horizons.
“Every cook has a desire to get their best stuff out to where people can try it,” says Fleury, who describes their menus as a “hodgepodge” of his favourite foods. “[We] love to have fun with vegetarian and vegan recipes, and there is a lot of Mexican fusion.” Wild Thyme has featured menu items like ribeye and goat cheese salad for meat lovers alongside their extensive meatless options, such as a Beyond Meat beef burrito and tofu Baja quesadillas.
Don’t grow too attached to these specials, as the chef has a knack for keeping the menu items fresh and unexpected. “The one constant at Wild Thyme is change,” explains Fleury. “A daily special isn’t long enough. We have weekly and monthly specials…the moment that a new menu goes up…[I’m] already working on the next menu.”
Although Fleury’s experimental drive influences much of their menu, so does their commitment to not only leading a healthy lifestyle, but leaving a healthy planet. Wild Thyme boasts a primarily vegan and vegetarian menu due to the positive environmental impacts of reducing meat consumption. They also assure customers that their food is served on reusable dishware and biodegradable products.
And, while Wild Thyme is early into its debut as a restaurant, Fleury, Lane, and Roine are already eager to expand. “Our focus is really on catering,” shares Fleury, who goes on to explain that he “loves to meet people and design something that will both suit their needs while getting them to try something different.” The trio also recognizes meal planning services as a venture into which they’re ready and willing to sink their teeth.
Until then, interested customers can check out Wild Thyme between 10 am and 4:30 pm from Monday to Saturday to try out their ever-evolving menu.
Wild Thyme
125 South Syndicate Avenue
wildthymetbay.ca
