An Orillia business has found a new way to stay afloat — literally — during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Krew Kitchen and Catering is now bringing its dining experience to the water with dockside catering, delivering meals to boaters at marinas and to waterfront residents.
When chef and owner Kalvin Sherry opened his business last summer, he only offered catering. The pandemic all but eliminated that type of business, so he opened a restaurant in the plaza at 317 Atherley Rd. and provided takeout.
“Takeout was what kept me going,” he said. “That allowed me to produce more and hire more.”
The province recently allowed outdoor dining, but Sherry can’t open a patio at his location. Even with patios open, there are capacity limits, so he started his dockside service, where he delivers the food by boat on Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe.
“A lot of boaters get stuck cooking on their boats or pre-packing food,” he said.
He didn’t come up with the idea on the fly. It’s been germinating for years.
Sherry recalled his time staying at his cousin’s cottage in Bala when he was a kid, and someone would drive a boat to the shore and sell ice cream.
“That stuck with me. I’ve always wanted to do something related to the water,” Sherry said. “The pandemic allowed me to put my plans to paper for dockside catering. COVID has given me that time.”
He has a slip at the Port of Orillia and expects to have another one soon at a different marina.
He will also be placing a banner on the seawall at the port to draw attention to his new venture.
Sherry has been offering dockside catering for a couple of weeks, and it’s been well received so far.
“There was a large following to begin with, so a lot of people are happy with it,” he said.
He is giving back to the community at the same time.
Sherry was taking part in the Rotary Club of Orillia’s Takeout Tuesday program, which saw participating restaurants create a weekly meal and donate $5 from each order to the club.
That program is over, but Sherry has decided to donate $2 from every dockside delivery fee to the club. He is also donating a portion of dinner proceeds to the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce.
His dockside catering won’t end when the pandemic is over.
“It’s a seasonal thing, but it’s going to be every single year going forward, COVID or not,” he said.
He plans to provide a similar option to snowmobilers and ice fishers, with the goal of starting that this winter.
Dockside orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance for those wanting delivery on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. There might be options for same-day delivery on other days of the week, but those interested are encouraged to contact Krew Kitchen and Catering in advance.
For more information about dockside catering, call 705-259-5739 or check out the restaurant’s website.
