ABOUT

My love for food started early - back when I was 12 years old, helping my mom with her catering business in my hometown of Mayo, Yukon. That same year, one of my proudest moments in the kitchen was making homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch, including the noodles! Something about creating something warm, comforting, and delicious sparked a passion that never left me.

Fast forward to June 2020, when my partner, Daniel, and I moved to Salmon Arm, BC. In a new town, making it our home, I found myself wondering - what’s next? I knew it had to involve food. I wanted to cook it right, serve it hot, create something delicious. And I wanted to make it mobile, just in case an opportunity for Daniel’s writing and directing career took us to another city - or another province.

With the incredible support of my partner and my family back home, I started my very own business - a smash burger food truck. It took applying for loans, filing endless paperwork, and searching high and low for the right truck or trailer to cook out of. In the end, the perfect setup was waiting for me back home in the Yukon. With the help of my close cousin, the Smash Trailer made its way to the Shuswap, ready for its new adventure.

At first, I thought this would be just enough to keep me busy - something where I could make a decent living while enjoying the kitchen on my own terms. But it became so much more. I wanted to make a burger that was simple, old-school, and damn good. A thin patty, seared to perfection on a hot griddle, placed into a toasted bun. Nothing fancy - just local, quality ingredients. and a deep red crust that only a smash burger can get. And crispy, lace-like edges form when the burger patty is smashed into the hot griddle. This method makes a beautifully crispy burger while staying juicy in the center, cooking in just minutes.

Summer of 2022, I officially opened my smash trailer at DeMille's Farm Market with much help from my partner, friends and the DeMille's Farm Market crew.

From the beginning, word spread like wildfire that there was a new restaurant/food trailer on the scene in little ol' Salmon Arm and that I made a mean burger. So different. So old school. We were getting so busy that Daniel didn’t renew his contract as head writer/producer for a History Channel show. This was right around the time that COVID-19 restrictions were ending, and we were still unsure of how to navigate working in close quarters with others. He had already been helping me at the trailer after his long days, and to both our surprise, he loved being in the kitchen, especially learning new skills and wanting to be the best at what made our business so successful. I taught him everything needed to make a great burger ; and because Daniel loves to learn and perfect an art, has mastered the smashing technique. By now, he may have out-smashed me in the burger department!

Year after year, we’ve been fortunate to build a team that showed what true dedication looks like. Through early mornings, tear-inducing onions, scorching heat, pouring rain, powerful winds, and even thick wildfire smoke, they give their all, all the while knowing this is seasonal work. Come the colder months, they’ll be laid off. Daniel and I have been lucky to enjoy our winters off after whirlwind summers - but that’s about to change!

In January 2025, we officially incorporated our business and made the exciting decision to expand the Smash empire! Building a new kitchen from scratch has been an exhilarating experience & full of learning curves. I'm incredibly excited for the future with my business partners and the opportunities this next step will bring in the years ahead!