Around the winding curves of Hockley Road, surrounded by the stunning vistas of the Hockley Valley, Black Birch Restaurant sits nestled, welcoming diners with its simple charm and outstanding food, just as it has done every day for the last 18 years.
Owner, Mark Mogensen, knew from the beginning that he wanted Black Birch Restaurant to be an inviting space, the sort of restaurant that you feel comfortable stopping in at on your way home from work, as a pause on your latest adventure, or just because you need a reason to get out of the house for a warm meal just like home – except better because someone else does the dishes.
The sizable amount of Black Birch regulars, some of whom come at least twice a week, every week, can attest that not only has Mark created what he hoped for, but also managed to turn Black Birch Restaurant into so much more.
One of the privileges of running the same restaurant for 18 years is that you get to watch your community grow. Couples have become engaged or celebrated weddings in Black Birch’s cozy dining room, and then continued to return year after year for anniversaries. From birthdays to family gatherings, Mark and his team enjoy being able to play a role in the important moments of people’s lives. Even celebrations of life, tragic as they can be, come with the honour of being trusted with that moment for you and your family.
Though it’s not just the guests that have grown over the years. In 18 years, Mark has been able to offer a lot of local teens their first jobs, introducing them to the industry that he loves so much, and watching them grow. When I came to Black Birch to sit down with Mark, a member of his staff was managing the kitchen. Mark first hired that staff member as a dishwasher at 15 – and that was roughly 15 years ago. Being a part of these journeys is just one of the many things that make Black Birch special for Mark.
18 years is a long time for any small business. When I asked Mark what he’d learned in that time, he reflected on something that he’d once read that went something like this: a good cook needs to know how to cook a good meal for a moderate-sized group of people. A good chef should also be able to do that, but more importantly, they need to know how to manage a small group of cooks to make a good meal for a larger group of people. A good restaurateur needs to be able to cook and manage other people, but they also need to know how to run a business, and all the things involved with that, including government regulations and, of course, customers.
Although cooking has always been Mark’s passion, and one of the reasons that he continues to enjoy his role, even 18 years in, he learned how to run his business as well, and to Mark, what that often comes down to is value. His guests come to Black Birch expecting value out of their time, and, of course, money. They find this value in the form of food, yes, but also in the experience, the atmosphere of the restaurant, and the quality of the service.
Since Mark, in turn, values his guests, he works hard to provide them with an experience that is worth their time, as well as his. He does all of his own shopping for the restaurant, going to a variety of different stores to get the best possible deal, making it that much easier to offer his meals at a reasonable price that reflects their value as well.
Another thing that Mark highly regards is keeping things Canadian as much as possible. When Heinz moved their processing plant south over ten years ago, Black Birch found a new 100% Canadian ketchup brand. As for all of the other ingredients that he needs to make a restaurant, Mark tries to buy Canadian as much as possible. He buys locally grown produce and Canadian beef whenever they are available, and even his French fries come from potatoes grown only a couple of counties over.
Over the years, Mark has played around with the Black Birch menu. However, he quickly found that when something worked, it worked. While he still tinkers a little, trying new things every once in a while, the bones of the menu have stayed the same, ensuring that his regulars can always find their favourite meal.
In 18 years, Mark has come to understand his diners well. He’s honoured when they celebrate milestones with Black Birch Restaurant, and he does his best to bring them what they’re looking for in return. Time really has flown, and here’s hoping for many more years to come.
WRITTEN BY: JILLIAN KENT | PHOTOGRAPHY: CORY BRUYEA
RESOURCES/PHOTOS: BLACK BIRCH RESTAURANT
