We are thrilled to introduce you to Dave Palarajah and his partner in life, Deepa Palarajah, owners of The Tent Kitchen and Bar located on 6273 Simcoe County Road 169.  Dave and Deepa recently moved from Stouffville with their three children and have made Washago their new home which makes it a much shorter commute as owners of a local restaurant.

Dave Palarajah is an Industrial Design Engineer turned Chef/Owner Operator and Deepa Palarajah is a Clinical Research Coordinator turned Front-of-the-House Manager/Owner Operator of The Tent Kitchen and Bar.  Both came to Canada at a young age from Sri Lanka and purchased The Tent Kitchen and Bar at the start of the pandemic.  “We are doing what we love to do which is connecting with people through food and Tent will focus on seasonal menus and further collaboration with the farmers within our surroundings.”  Situated on 4 acres right off of Simcoe County Road 169, The Tent Kitchen and Bar is a must visit!  Serving all-day breakfast, Friday Fish Nights and Prime Rib Sundays, this restaurant has it all and continues to add and experiment with new dishes as they change their menu every three months.

We are so pleased to include Dave and Deepa Palarajah in our Community Spotlight.

What made you decide to move to this area to open up a restaurant and how long have you lived in the area?

When we first saw the place, we knew right then and there that it was the place we had been looking for.  We moved here in June and are now full-time residents of Ramara.

Tent Kitchen and Bar is a unique name. Does it have meaning to you?

We want to make our restaurant a place to meet with friends and enjoy some good food for local residents as well as for everyone that passes by.

Is this your first time owning a restaurant and if so, was this always a dream of yours?

Yes, this is our first time.  I wouldn’t say that it’s a dream, I would say that this is what I was born to do and it took me few years to figure it out.

You seem to have an overwhelming passion for culinary arts. Where does this stem from?

I really don’t know if it’s passion or a desire for cooking. I have always been in the kitchen ever since I could remember and didn’t know I could make this a career until a few years back.

What are your long terms goals for the Tent Kitchen and Bar?

We want to make this into a destination spot for all the travellers in terms of food, pizzeria, wine bar, gelato bar, butcher shop, bakery, and cabins.  This is our 15 year plan.

What is your favourite part of owning a local restaurant?

It is definitely the people.  You feel like you are amongst family and we enjoy the collaboration with the farmers, etc.

Are you a certified chef and if so, where did you learn how to cook?

I learned to cook with my dad and my grandma.  I also took the Chef Training Course at George Brown College from 2015-2016.

What do you hope customers take away with them from dining at your restaurant?

We hope that we, as a team, have delivered high expectation in terms of food and service.

If you had any words of encouragement or advice for someone thinking of opening up their own business to follow their dreams, what would they be?

Just go for it!  Don’t live in the idea of opening up a business because ideas and plans have no value.  Just start, trust yourself and your feelings toward what you are passionate about.  Make work part of your life style so it won’t seem like work.  If it ever comes to your mind that this work is hard, then you should change your passion.

At this time, The Tent Kitchen and Bar encourages you to call ahead at (705) 326-8368 to make reservations.  We are excited to see what The Tent Kitchen and Bar will continue to offer our community in the future.

For more information on The Tent Kitchen and Bar, please visit:  tentkitchen.com and we also encourage you to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.