Someone in Toronto just quit their job to make waffles full time
Ever dreamed of quitting your job to just make delicious waffles all day, every day?
Well, that's exactly what one guy in Toronto did.
Gord Poon was a partner at a video production company and a part-time pastor up until about a year ago. Just last month he officially started turning down new videography work to focus on his project Sunnyside Waffles.
Like many local small businesses, it was born out of the height of lockdowns as yet another wave of them rolled through the city in March 2021.
On paternity leave, Poon started whipping up different waffle sandwiches and getting friends to try them, to a great response. He launched on the day his toddler started daycare: July 3, 2021.
"I started selling these sandwiches in my backyard, creating space and community for people," Poon tells blogTO. "My driveway and backyard became a space for gathering that summer. It was delightful."
For his waffle sandwiches, Poon makes crispy and chewy bubble waffles, primarily stuffing them with fried chicken for $15, though he's recently done breakfast sandwiches with egg and bacon for $13.50.
The chicken sandwiches are made with a karaage-style double-fried chicken thigh slathered in gochujang hot sauce and topped with a kale and cabbage slaw. You can actually also choose between buttermilk or gluten- and dairy-free sweet potato mochi waffles.
They can typically be found at pop-ups across the city, usually at breweries like Muddy York and Henderson or cafes like East Toronto Coffee Co.
"This project has entirely been word of mouth and community based. It's really cool to see how tight knit the craft brewery community is when we get referred [for] a project for more opportunity," says Poon.
"We have consistently sold out in most of the places we've popped up. We've even had a line up before we opened for service, which was pretty crazy to experience during the month of February."
Poon hopes to eventually open a full-on breakfast and lunch restaurant.
"It's good for people to meet in-person more than ever," says Poon. "I think it's good for our souls."
Sunnyside Waffles
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