- 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含羞草研究社檛 cooking by their parents含羞草研究社� sides while growing up, they were helping out at their family含羞草研究社檚 Greek restaurant. Time and again, customers and friends would ask them, 含羞草研究社淲hat is it that makes Greek lemon potatoes so good?含羞草研究社� If you含羞草研究社檝e ever been to Greece or dined at a taverna, you含羞草研究社檝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含羞草研究社檙e cooked. They含羞草研究社檙e not especially hard to make, but home cooks often simply don含羞草研究社檛 have the time or the know-how. But Nora and Jenny are making it easier for people to whip up the dish that含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 foolproof.
And the seasoning salt essentially saved the company from falling prey to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
含羞草研究社淭he pandemic was our silver lining,含羞草研究社� Nora says.
Here含羞草研究社檚 the back story. The women含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 Seasonings Inc., which was founded by Jim Voulides, their late Uncle Jimmy. A former master chef with more than three decades含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 the company含羞草研究社檚 bestseller.
The pandemic, however, upended everything. Prior to the spring of 2020, Grandpa J含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚, they needed more than a single item. That含羞草研究社檚 when the women含羞草研究社攂oth working moms含羞草研究社攖urned to the dish they know so well and love.
含羞草研究社淎ll of a sudden it hit me,含羞草研究社� Jenny says. 含羞草研究社淚 said, 含羞草研究社榃e need to do Greek lemon potatoes.含羞草研究社� But because the flavour comes from soaking up the juice, I thought, 含羞草研究社業t can含羞草研究社檛 just be a seasoning you shake on. It含羞草研究社檚 got to dissolve in water and olive oil to make the juice, then you pour it over and bake.含羞草研究社� I still have the piece of paper that I wrote my notes down on that say, 含羞草研究社業t has to have tang含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社業t has to be the perfect colour.含羞草研究社� That was the aha moment. I told my sister: 含羞草研究社楾his is a winner.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 turned into so much more than a seasoning for potatoes,含羞草研究社� she adds. 含羞草研究社淵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含羞草研究社檝e used it to fill samosas. I含羞草研究社檝e mashed the potatoes with it; I含羞草研究社檝e done savoury pie tarts. My mom adds it to hummus. You can do rice含羞草研究社� You name it.含羞草研究社�
The product is also a boon to people who follow plant-based diets because含羞草研究社攚hile conventional Greek lemon potatoes are made with chicken stock含羞草研究社擥randpa J含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 expectations, initially being stocked in 30 stores.
含羞草研究社淭he momentum didn含羞草研究社檛 stop until 90,含羞草研究社� Nora says.
Now, the blends are in more than 125 stores in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan, without any distributor on board含羞草研究社攁nd that含羞草研究社檚 just through the two women含羞草研究社檚 efforts. Next up is Vancouver Island, and then: who knows? Grandpa J含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淥ur seasonings are always in season,含羞草研究社� Jenny says.
Grandpa J含羞草研究社檚 Greko Lemon Roast Potatoes Seasoning was a top-10 finalist for BC Food and Beverage含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淩yan Reynolds posted our Vancity Grind to his Instagram,含羞草研究社� Jenny says. 含羞草研究社淗e posted a picture of the Vancity Grind with a little caption that said, 含羞草研究社業f this wasn含羞草研究社檛 so good, I含羞草研究社檇 be upset about the name.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可绂.I felt like I had won the lottery. It was insane. Stores sold out immediately.含羞草研究社�
Adds Nora: 含羞草研究社淩yan Reynolds sent people into 125 small businesses, because that含羞草研究社檚 where we含羞草研究社檙e mostly stocked. That含羞草研究社檚 what matters most.含羞草研究社�
Then there are so many everyday cooks who have fallen in love with the products.
含羞草研究社淲e get a lot of potato pictures sent to us,含羞草研究社� Jenny says. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 such a compliment to us. We love it. We含羞草研究社檙e honoured when people share what they含羞草研究社檝e made with us.含羞草研究社�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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