LAFLECHE – Imagine being able to travel the world without leaving the comfort of small-town Saskatchewan.
That’s exactly what one restaurant in Lafleche has been offering for a couple years - and the results keep diners coming back for more.
In 2021, Adam Henwood decided to change the course of Trigo Food + Drink - offering tastes from around the world. Every few months, a different tasting menu is featured. In the first year of the shift, Trigo offered Italian, Mexican, and Thai cuisine. In 2022, the focus was on French, Spanish and Lebanese flavours, and this year began with a bold Argentine menu.
As of Aug. 18, the team at Trigo began the Nordic menu, which will run for the rest of this year.
It’s not uncommon for people to travel an hour or two just to sample these menus, in fact, the majority of Trigo patrons seem to be from at least an hour’s drive away - something bound to stimulate the local economy.
This hidden gem for foodies also attracted one of Saskatchewan’s penultimate food experts - Jenn Sharp, who hosts the Flat Out Food TV series. The show recently filmed an episode for the upcoming fourth season at Trigo Food + Drink.
“I first knew about it [Trigo] because in 2018, I was researching a book I wrote,” Sharp - who is also co-producer and co-writer with the series - explained. In fact, Trigo actually made it to the pages of Flat Out Delicious: Your Definitive Guide to Saskatchewan’s Food Artisans. During that trip to meet with Henwood, the restaurant was only open about six months, but already the idea for Trigo’s current form was simmering. Sharp and Henwood shared a meal, and he told her about his grand idea.
“This is a hidden gem in Saskatchewan, and I had big hopes for what he would do,” Sharp said. “Watching his journey the last few years and seeing how he’s evolved the menu - it’s been quite something to see!”
Henwood and Trigo staff knew about the filming day about three months before it happened - a big secret to keep quiet in a small town.
“We had all sworn a pact that we wouldn’t say anything to anybody until it aired next year,” Henwood told SASKTODAY.ca. Once the crew began posting a few social media updates, Trigo Food + Drink followed suit with a few posts of their own. Henwood said after Sharp’s initial posts, there was a noticeable spike in interest, translating into people making reservations.
“It was very professional,” he said of the filming. “It was exciting, but a lot of hard work as well.”
Flat Out Food tends to shine the spotlight on people across Saskatchewan - not just confined to the major centres.
“We do pay special attention that we’re not just focussed on Saskatoon and Regina; that we are getting to rural Saskatchewan, and also all parts of Saskatchewan,” said Adrain Halter, director, co-producer, and co-writer with the series. “The most important factor to us when we're looking for places to feature in the show, is ensuring that they’re passionate.”
The show not only has a local provincial fanbase, but in six countries (and counting) around the world.
“These stories are really powerful for people living in Saskatchewan,” Sharp said. “These are our stories reflected back to us. You look at that on an international scale - they probably never even heard of Saskatchewan - but they see this show that has been filmed so beautifully and these stories that are relevant for anyone no matter where they are living.”
When asked if she ever envisioned the currently popularity of Flat Out Food back in those early days when the book first hit the shelves, Sharp’s reaction was definite.
“Not at all! I had zero aspirations of doing a documentary, or anything like that,” she said, noting an ever-present feeling that the book itself might not satiate the appetite for the ultimate vision.
“This wave of energy hit me, I could feel this message - the book isn’t going to be enough,” Sharp recalled.
The current Nordic menu features 10 courses plus that famous Trigo experience that turns first-time diners into new friends.
“This is a very ambitious menu for us,” Henwood said, adding that the first weekend had a very good response. “It’s the most involved menu we’ve ever had!”
The fourth season of Flat Out Food is anticipated to air in February, 2024.
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