EIGHTEEN91 IS NOW OPEN - Phone 403-790-0306
As you all know, the food and beverage program has seen some changes over the last few months. We know everyone has been curious about what the 2024 season is bringing, and how greatly anticipated this announcement is, and with that in mind we are pleased to introduce you to the Meraki Restaurant Group who will be taking over the food and beverage program at the Ponoka Golf Club.
A word from the Meraki Team:
We are the Meraki Group - we are so excited to be a part of this amazing location! The meaning of this word “meraki” is to do something with soul, creativity, love, and passion. It means to put a part of yourself into whatever you are doing. The four Managing Partners of Meraki embody this daily in how we make decisions and how we run our businesses. Shawn and Stephanie will no doubt quickly become familiar faces as they will be overseeing the daily operations out at the Ponoka Golf Club.
Shawn Hnidy is a Red Seal Certified Chef who has been following his passion for cooking for 22 years. He has been a golf club member since he was 6 years old, giving him 35 years of valuable experience from the unique point of view of the Member.
Stephanie Bouchard has been in the restaurant and bar industry for over 20 years. She has managed a wide range of businesses from local watering holes to wine bars to high end fine dining and is very excited that this location will give her an opportunity to work on her swing.
Kari and Birgit are also incredibly hands-on and will be spending as much time here as their very busy schedules allow. Kari Paget is a Chartered Professional Accountant who has been a Financial Controller in restaurants for 10 years. Prior to this Kari spent 11 years as a Manager in an accounting firm, which gave her taxation and audit experience in many different industries, including golf courses.
Birgit Ancion has been in the hospitality industry for over 10 years. Her educational background is that of Business Administration and Social Media Management. Birgit has strong familial ties in Ponoka and is excited to get back to creating after her maternity leave.
The Meraki Group currently owns three State & Main locations and two Original Joe’s locations. We feel that our unique set of skills along with our knowledge of running successful businesses will allow us to create the amazing food and beverage program that the Ponoka Golf Club deserves.
With that goal in mind, we would like to encourage the members to come to us with any and all feedback and we will do our best to accommodate or find solutions that make everyone happy. Feel free to speak with any of the partners directly, or you are welcome to call us at: 403-790-0306 (starting in April) or email us at: eighteen91@merakiteam.ca. We can’t wait to get the season rolling and to get to know all of you!
Our first step to get this off the ground is to launch the restaurant. Named after the year Ponoka was settled, eighteen91 is an all-ages restaurant that will feature a menu designed to appeal to a broad audience. From classic pub-style offerings to healthier, lighter fare, to date-night worthy dinners - there will be something to please everyone. We are planning a Grand Opening on April 13th that we would love to invite the members to.
There will be more details to follow! In the meantime, eighteen91 is looking for individuals to join our team. We are hiring for all positions at this point so feel free to share our email address to anyone you think would be a great fit or send them our way with a resume in person.
The sun is shining, spring is in the air, and the team over at eighteen91 can’t wait to make this season a memorable one!
The Meraki Team
eighteen91@merakiteam.ca