The Chef Takes The Cake.

Chef Jay with David Adjey

Sammy J's Grill & Bar  Executive Chef Jay Baker doesn’t just pop food in the microwave and press a button. He creates inspiring dishes that leave you wanting more.Jay is an award-winning Chef that brings 17 years experience to the table.
He has an unsurpassed passion for creating great food.

How does he make his food so amazing? Well, only he has that information, and a Chef never tells!

We encourage you to come in and try some of Jay’s signature items. Make a night out of it!  We think of food as an enjoyment, and a movement.Food has been bringing cultures and family together for years.

Striploin and Clam vinaigrette by Chef Jay Baker
Photo Credit: Robyn Hanson

We would like to take the time to thank Jay for his talent, exquisite food, and keeping Sammy J's customers happy and satisfied for many years. We strive to keep our menu interesting and fresh, so please share your dish ideas with us and Chef Jay.  Comment on our blog with any questions or ideas you may have!

West Coast Cooking

Living on the West Coast, we are extremely fortunate to have great access to fantastic ingredients and amazing seafood that is native to our region. Wonderfully fresh meals are a luxury that many of us enjoy.

While we love the atmosphere at Sammy J's, its nice to enjoy local flavours and even do some outdoor cooking of our own. Explore the "Bounty of the Pacific" with this West Coast Cooking video.

Visit us Sammy J's on Twitter and connect with us: @sammyjgrill

Does your restroom say a lot about your business?

At Sammy J's, we're hot in the process of our second restaurant renovation in the last 6 months. Our Coquitlam location is currently closed, but is looking to re-open this coming Saturday in time for the Super Bowl. One of the exciting aspects of the revamp is a new look to the restrooms. Many guests, especially women, make at least one trip to this room during a visit to the restaurant, so it's important that they be kept nice. We found some stats online that shed light on just how much a restroom experience can impact the customer experience. What do you think?

* * * * *

As the economy has been in a slump these past few years, businesses have tried just about everything they can think of to keep bringing customers and clients in their doors. With 2012 being considered the year for a rise in sustainability and customer service efforts, the same type of push is causing businesses to look at their buildings, inside and out, to see where they can make their business more appealing, more green. Perhaps the most often overlooked area that coincidentally also happens to be a key area to customers is the restroom. And the rumours are true: your restroom says a lot about your business.

If you’re as curious as we were, you would probably be interested to know the top 10 restroom factors that prevented those customers mentioned above from returning. Here they are:

• Overflowing toilets – 58%
• Unpleasant odours – 57%
• Slippery/dirty floors w/ buildup, gum, other residue – 49%
• Dirty partitions, doors, doorknobs, walls, fixtures – 38%
• Dirty and wet sinks and counter tops – 38%
• Insufficient toilet paper – 33%
• Overflowing trashcans – 31%
• Insufficient liquid soap – 28%
• Non-working toilet paper dispenser – 22%
• Mgmt/employees unavailable for reporting problems – 19%

Read the rest of the article here on the Green in Hygiene Blog.

Dancing with OUR Stars

Event Poster

On Saturday, October 8th, the Red Robinson Show Theatre hosted a benefit show for the Crossroads Hospice Society. Local business people, city councillors and community activists joined a talented team of local dancers to put on "Dancing with Our Stars".

Sammy J's Grill & Bar was proud to support the event, donating fabulous servers and delicious appetizers for the charity event. All proceeds from the event went to providing palliative and comfort care to individuals living with a terminal illness. 

The event was a great success and lots of fun was had by all who attended. We have yet to hear back from the organizing committee about the final dollar total, but we do know that last year's event raised over $16,000.

Here is a pic with local news champion Steve Darling from Global TV news, our co-owner Steve Gardner, and our Corporate Service Manager, Nita. We were getting ready to serve a great selection of appetizers during the intermission of the show. We had our Spinach Dip on pita chips, miniature versions of our House-Made Meatballs and a great selection of our Artisan Cheeses, included in many of our recipes.

Steve, Steve and Nita

Did you know all of our cheese are cut right from the block in house?

You won't find any processed cheese in our kitchens, baby!

Below is a photo taken of our Executive Chef Jay Bake, Steve Darling and Steve Gardner
at the after-party inside Sammy J's Coquitlam.

Jay, Steve & Steve
(So many Steves...)

 Thanks to everyone who came out!

Hello BC Place!

Poking around the BC Place website, found this great snippet that romances the new guest experience available in their Club Seats! What a beautiful building.

Up on Level 3, a brand new section with over 1,300 premium Club Seats.

The Club Seats come with a whole lot of perks. Like great sightlines. Full food and beverage service. A dedicated entrance so you can skip the lines. And wider, cushier seating so that you'll have more room to wave, cheer, or even do a little dance.

You'll also find two exclusive Club Lounges, which offer a cozy bar and grill atmosphere with less wait and more room to enjoy a meal and a glass of wine.

We've also completely refurbished 50 private suites for more of everything you expect-more comfort, more style and more amenities. With modern fittings, furniture and electronics, each suite is an event unto itself. And you won't have to wait to enjoy it thanks to the private suite entrance and concierge service.

Of course, the great views, full menu, and bar service all go without saying.


Source URL: http://www.bcplacestadium.com/index.php/suites-and-club-seats.html

Guinness going after bigger piece of $101B U.S. beer market

DAN GELSTON, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: August 23, 2011 2:05 p.m.

Last modified: August 23, 2011 4:44 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Guinness is about to dip its dark-hued brew into the cold end of the booze pool.

In fact, listening to the brew master for Dublin's most famous export (sorry, Bono) describe how to best taste the company's latest line goes down as smooth as shooting a pint of whiskey.

Guinness Black Lager must best be enjoyed cold.


Guinness is making an attempt for a wider appeal in the crowded American beer market with the introduction of a lager. Guinness, long known for its distinctive colour and creamy head, wants to compete pint-to-pint with a clean, crisp beverage that only needs bikini-clad girls or a talking pooch as pitchman to truly scream, "We're an American beer!"


"Is it a Guinness or is it not a Guinness?" Murray asked. "It is a Guinness lager and it's going to be positioned against other lagers in the marketplace."

That could be tough to swallow for the devotees of the iconic stout, who make the pilgrimage to the brewery in St. James's Gate in Ireland to bow their heads in reverence — before they're slumped in a stupor — to a beer that dates back to the 1700s.


Source URL: http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/life/article/950081--guinness-counts-on-chilled-reception-for-new-lager--page1

Photos from Langley post-renovation

Some recent pics from Sammy J's in Langley.

How do you like the renos?