Alastair Jenkins has joined the Loaf Bakery and Restaurant as the new restaurant manager. Arriving in Fernie from mid south Wales on October 10, there was no time for jet lag as he started work the very next morning.
Restaurant owner Phil Gadd brought in Jenkins to enhance customer service and to expand the Loaf brand. To start, Jenkins is inviting guests to fill out their new comment card to provide feedback and also a chance to win dinner.
Jenkins started working as a waiter after he was Silver Service trained at the age of 16. Jenkins has used his waiter training to live all over Europe for the last 16 years.
“I have been fortunate to have been taught a lot of cool things by a lot of good people. I trained with Jacque Cantergrel who was the floor manager at the Moulin Rouge.”
Jenkins is able to work here on a two-year visa sponsored by Loaf owner Phil Gadd. It was a fast process from Jenkins’ point of view at it took seven weeks from the time he first saw the job advertisement to arriving in Fernie.
“I feel really comfortable here and I’ve only been here for a week,” said Jenkins. “I don’t know what it is.”
“After my final interview, I told my Grandmother, Dorothy, that I was moving to Canada for a new job. She asked me where in Canada; she nearly fell off her chair when I told her Fernie. That’s when she explained that my great grandfather James Uphill, whom I called “Pop” was the brother of Thomas Uphill, the former long serving Fernie mayor. I had no idea.”
Alastair would be very interested to make contact with the Fernie side of his family.
“Calling all Uphills, if any of the family would like to drop in and introduce yourself, please do,” said Jenkins.
Call it fate, call it karma, but I feel I’m meant to be here.”