Victoria ‘take-and-bake’ concept kitchen sees big expansion

David Holmes/Contributor

Victoria’s Refire Kitchen has turned the calamity that was COVID-19 into an expansion as its owners pivoted with the pre-packaged meal preparation service.

“If it wasn’t for COVID, we probably wouldn’t be in business,” said Rob Curtis, one of the firm’s four founding owners.

Refire Kitchen’s owners learned their craft working together in a major hotel, with one married to a nurse who was pulling long hours during the height of the global pandemic. A trained chef, he began preparing lasagnas and other meals for her and her colleagues, a culinary treat that was greatly appreciated.

The act of preparing and delivering ready-to-eat, high-quality meals sparked a “eureka” moment when the founders realized others might also desire and need a similar service. That was the catalyst that led to the launch of the business.

“We’re certainly not a restaurant,” said Curtis. “When you walk into a Refire Kitchen storefront, it’s all freezers and coolers. All the meals are fully prepared and ready for the customers – what we like to call ‘take-and-bake’ meals.”

The Refire Kitchen menu includes an array of classics, including lasagnas, shepherd’s pies, soups, chilies, stews, chicken pot pies, and a diverse and seasonable range of other comfort foods.

“We do adjust the menu depending on the season,” Curtis said.

“We run with a spring and summer menu that features lighter fare with some options that can be heated on the barbecue, when compared to the fall and winter menu which includes creamed soups and items that are hardier and more in the comfort food style.”

The original downtown Refire Kitchen (843 Fort St.) opened in August 2020, while its newest operation is the View Royal outlet at 100 Aldersmith Pl., which only opened Nov. 1.

What sets Refire Kitchen apart from other providers of prepared meals is customers have the option of purchasing their food either frozen for later use, or fresh for immediate consumption.

“You can get our food in either state,” said Curtis. “You can walk in and get a fresh lasagna that’s ready for dinner that night, or a frozen one you can pop in the freezer for another time.”

With the opening of the Aldersmith location, as well as a central production kitchen where the meals are prepared in quantity, Refire Kitchen has begun an expansion campaign that could see the firm open other outlets across the Capital Region and beyond in the coming years.

“Now that we have the production kitchen in place the goal mid to long term would be to grow into a small chain, with depots strategically placed across Vancouver Island. In the coming years I can see us in Duncan, Nanaimo and elsewhere, at least that’s the goal,” he said.

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