If you asked a downtown Pentictonite for a lunchtime recommendation, where do you think they would suggest? Our guess: They would tell you: ‘Taste BRODO’.
BRODO (Italian for broth) is the soup and salad stop in the downtown core created by Chef Paul Cecconi. Famous for fresh, locally sourced ingredients, delivered fast, BRODO addressed an issue shared by many in the community. “I always seek healthier options and I sometimes have a hard time when I’m out doing errands and I just want to jump in somewhere quick and get something fast.” Chef Paul shared.
While working for Four Seasons Hotels in Vancouver, Chef Paul’s career with the iconic hotel brand took him to Sydney, Australia where he began looking for his next move. “I actually had five interviews already done to move to a new Four Seasons Hotel in the Caribbean and [after] my last phone interview … I was just watching TV and that’s when 9/11 happened and all the transfers were all put on hold.” Paul explained.
Ready to move on, Chef Paul looked back home to Canada and set his sight on the Okanagan. After working at the Harvest Golf Club and helping open Local Lounge & Grille (Local on Lakeshore), Chef Paul was motivated to start a new endeavor.
“With a wife and two kids of my own, I was deciding what the next phase of my working career would be and I created BRODO for the reason that I could be at home with the kids in the evenings and just have that flexibility, so it has worked out really well for that good work/life balance.”
The work/life balance Paul desired was built in from day one. “We’ve always been closed Sundays, [and] a month over Christmas. So, those are dedicated family times and during the week, [and] because of our concept, it allows me to be home … for dinner and to hang out with my wife and the kids before they hit the bed. So, it’s worked out really well that way.” Paul said.
Community Futures is proud to have helped Chef Paul with the support needed to secure his current storefront when he presented his well-crafted his business plan, complete with tireless market research, and realistic financial expectations.
The entrepreneur saw more opportunity when the space behind BRODO became available around two years after opening the restaurant. Careful not to disrupt his work/life balance, Paul introduced catering to fill a need within the community and help with the seasonality of serving soup all year. Catering continues to grow and is as popular as lunch service.
BRODO’s existence adds to the richness of the downtown core. When asked what it takes to become a culinary destination, Chef Paul’s recipe was simple: “I think quality, service, and local… know where your product comes from.”
Customers navigating their way to healthier lunch alternatives can feel confident knowing the meals they’ve chosen at BRODO feature local ingredients like organic breads from True Grain and produce grown in-house and locally sourced from Unearthed Farms in Kelowna. So, next time you need a healthy choice for an event you’re hosting, or while running errands, remember BRODO for the best broths and simply fresh food.