We Are Clean & Green

Did you know that restaurants are the retail world’s largest energy users? Here at Emelle’s we care about our team, our commitment to service, our clients and just as importantly, our environment. Our team is dedicated to continuously discovering new ways of reducing our carbon footprint, while still providing our customers and clients with extraordinary food and service.

Emelle’s Catering is currently implementing the following initiatives to become an overall greener company:

1.       Using Eco-Friendly Products

·         All of our food containers and plastic serving wear are made from corn, which biodegrades in a fraction of the time of Styrofoam.

·         All of our napkins and paper towels are 100% recyclable.

·         Provide water dispensers and mugs for the customers to eliminate use of plastic water bottles and disposable cups.

·         We currently use environmentally-safe cleaning products supplied by AvmorGreen which “consistently meet the highest international and domestic standards for health and safety.” For more information please visit www.avmorgreen.com

2.      Purchasing In Season Produce and Food

·         Fresh produce and food products are purchased through Allied Food Services.

·         Allied Food Services purchases their fresh food products from BC, the United States and offshore areas such as Holland, Spain and Mexico. It buys BC produce during the growing season in the province, for the most part from local growers, producers and cooperatives. Allied also processes fresh products including slicing, shredding, dicing and mixing of various vegetables and greens to meet its customers uncooked product requirements. Currently they do not buy or distribute organically grown or natural food products, but plan on doing so in the future.

3.      Reusing and Recycling

·         All paper and plastic used with in our kitchen and restaurant are properly separated and recycled, then taken to the appropriate recycling facilities for sustainability.

·         We have an active battery recycling program and even accept batteries from others/events to ensure that they are returned to the appropriate battery disposal centers and not end up in landfills.

·         We re-use and refill all our toners & ink cartridges (not buy new ones!)

·         We try to do as much of our business with clients over the phone or online in order to cut down on paper wastage.

·         In our café we serve our customers with china and reusable cups.

4.      Reducing Energy and Electricity Usage

·         Ensure that new equipment like fax machines, telephones, and even the fridge have Energy Star ratings. An Energy Star rating means it has energy efficiency or 75% less power than standard incandescent lamps, cost efficiency or that it saves up to 30% in electricity costs in lamp life, and environment friendly or reduces emissions of pollutants including mercury.

·         Open windows or shades when it is still light out to let the light in instead of turning on the lights

·         Turn off restaurant equipment/electricity when not in use. Make it a habit to turn off air conditioner, the lights, and other electric gadgets when not in use or before going out.

5.      Eco-Fee Charge

·         All of Emelle’s deliveries are subject to a $5.00 Ego-fee which is put towards our green initiatives such as purchasing eco-friendly cleaning products and disposable plastic products, as well as gas and surcharges for our delivery vehicles.

6.      Greentable Membership

·         Emelle’s is proud to a member of the Green Table Network.

·         The Green Table Network is a Canadian non-profit that is working to promote and encourage those working in the food service industry to make the shift to more eco-friendly business practices including energy conservation, pollution prevention and water conservation. They work hand in hand with their members to find new and greener solutions that can benefit both their businesses and the earth. For more information please visit http://www.greentable.net/.

We are continuously searching for new business practices which will protect and benefit our environment. If you have any new and unique ways in which you are making your business greener or even your own daily life, we would love to hear from you.

join us for "good thursday" - a day for a donating to disaster relief in japan

rainshowers bring a rejuvenated spring

Spring is in the air…

Anyone else tired of the rainy days? I don’t know about you but I am antsy with anticipation for my favourite season of all – spring. Take off the mittens, put away the parkas and show us some sunshine Vancouver!

We are definitely ready to retire our rain jackets and see the long-awaited beautiful blossoms that are the result of the months of what seems like eternal showers. But what sometimes drives me mad about this city is in part what makes it such gem. After all those months of precipitation, when the sun does (rarely, it seems at this point!) peek out behind the clouds, there is a certain freshness and vivid life that materializes. The type of fresh and vividness that only arises from the constant nourishment of water from the skies.

We let this inspire us. And once we got the brainstorm going, was it ever a wild brainstorm. With ideas flying all over the place, it was difficult to whittle down all the amazing thoughts so we could stay in line with our minimalist goal.

And it culminated on St. Patrick’s Day as we celebrated at the Vancouver Rowing Club and premiered numerous new dishes showcased by our contemporary set-up and presentation. Some of the afternoon’s big hits included:

-          Seared scallop on a jade rice patty, speared with a miniature fork

-          our very own sundried tomatoes with pesto & rich goat cheese on a light puff pastry

-          chicken caesar salad on a parmesan crostini

-          light pistachio macaroons

-          mint nanaimo bars

-          kiwi cheesecake

Green was the theme of the day. A new beautiful and sprightly season is upon us and with that we’re approaching cuisine and events with rejuvenation!

we're cooking up the foods you want!

We stumbled upon a list of top ten foods of the decade. As we went through the list, we could name numerous items we offered relating to each top food. That’s just another way “we cater to you”. We follow the trends and are listening to what clients want. We take note of what people are craving and make sure we’re creating and catering to your tastes.

Have a look for yourself and maybe build up a bit of an appetite to come down and visit us for a bite:

1. Sushi

Vegetarian or seafood. Order our maki sushi bites for your grazing station or to be passed as an hors d’oeuvre. Guaranteed to be gobbled up by happy guests.

2. Bacon

In the restaurant order one of our burgers with crispy bacon. My personal recommendation is our jd burger – a juicy beef patty with house made bbq sauce featuring jack daniel’s whiskey, topped with crispy strips of sizzling bacon and melted slices of real cheddar & sautéed mushrooms.

3. Cupcakes

We do the pretty and fancy sweet cupcakes. Flavours galore and topped with lots of sugary icing. But if you’re looking for savoury cupcakes with a twist try one of our mouth-watering creations:        

bacon & cheddar potato cupcake with sour cream icing

turkey & cranberry mashed potato cupcake

pork loin & apple chip cupcake

4. Sliders

These mini bite-sized burgers are a definite hit at summer bbqs. The best part is that they’re small enough that you can try all of the unique pairings we’ve concocted.

beef & blue cheese

vegetable patty with sprouts & feta

turkey & mango chutney

5. Gourmet Burgers

Our creative cooks are cooking up a storm and love getting creative with out-of-this-world burgers. These are only a few of the many amazing burgers they’ve got grilling:

crunchy Cajun beer battered chicken breast, sizzling bacon & melted cheese with a smoky garlic aioli

hawaiian chicken burger, marinated in a savoury teriyaki sauce with slices of fresh pineapple

bc sockeye salmon garnished with matchstick carrots & celery and a dollop of sweet chilli aioli

6. Superfruits such as blueberry, pomegranate and acai

Staying healthy is a juggling act. Make is simple by getting your healthy dose of antioxidants and nutrients without sacrificing taste. We’ve incorporate superfruits into some of our most popular menu items:

chèvre & pomegranate en croute

balsamic glazed carrots, cipollini onions & pomegranate

venison & blueberry sausage roll

blueberry mint tea jus

“unbelievably divine” lemon and blueberry tarts

7. Olive Oil

As olive oil offers more nutrition and flavour than vegetable and seed oil, there’s no questions why it’s rising so quickly in popularity. We use olive oil in many of our dishes including some of the following greek inspired creations:

artichoke, capers, & olives with extra virgin olive oil & lemon topped with shredded parmesan

baby red potatoes grilled with olive oil & herbs

rolled greek salad with micro greens seasoned feta herb olive oil drizzle

8. Whole Grains

Emelle’s recognizes the importance whole grains play in a healthy diet, so we offer whole grain options. Our incredibly popular microbites (muffins, scones, bagels) can be made with whole grains, for a heartier breakfast. All of our pasta meals can be ordered with whole wheat pasta. Our bread always includes a good variety of multi-grain and whole wheat buns and rolls.

9. Artisan foods, particularly in breads, cheeses and dark chocolates

Our kitchen offers a fine selection of artisan rolls and buns. Emelle’s also has a wide variety of artisan rolls, such as marble, rye, cheese & onion and sour dough.

All of our cheese platters are made with an array of fine domestic as well as imported artisan cheeses, garnished with your choice of fresh fruit or nuts & dried fruit.

Our bakery is always coming up with luscious dark chocolate confections!

10. Coffees, teas

We brew organic and fair-trade certified coffee made from the finest green arabica beans from the richest coffee growing regions around the globe. Whatever your taste, we can provide the perfect blend for you – from light and delicate to bold and intense.

Tea is never in shortage at emelle’s. Providing the perfect cup of tea - a classic “red rose”,  a soft herbal or revitalizing green tea, we have the perfect cup of tea for you.

Mini Vegetable Garden in Wheat Grass

Anny made a spectacular mini fresh vegetable garden in a wheat grass meadow for an event tasting. Always a hit at grazing stations, this veggie garden features a trio of delicious dips. Talk about edible art!

Our First Post!!!!

It's been quite the journey for Emelle's over the last 11 years in business. We've grown so much and the story of the company and our team is still being written. And we'd like nothing more than to share the stories, with all of you, as we continue making memories. So keep posted and stay tuned for updates as we write and snap pics of events that we’re excited about, delicious dishes that are being created in our kitchen, and all that encompasses our culinary world.