Joel has been working in the restaurant industry since he was 15. Having grown up splitting his time between Grey County and Lunenburg Nova Scotia, his east coast roots and inspirations run deep. For many years working in kitchens was simply just a job, a placeholder before finding what he wanted to “do” with his life. It was when he moved back to Halifax and worked at The Wooden Monkey his mind was opened to local producers, being able to chat with the farmers and having ties to the local community, the spark was lit. Joel moved back to Grey County and worked at a locally minded restaurant called Bruce Wine Bar, which is where he met his now fiance Hannah. In 2019 Joel and Hannah created a locally focused food project showcasing the seasons and bounty of Grey County. Throughout the years Joel has developed deep roots to the local community through relationships with farmers, potters, artists etc. In 2022 they opened their on farm restaurant called Down Home, which is a nod to his Grandmother's place out east. He has passions for foraging, gardening and open fire cooking continue to grow. He is proud to be apart of such an amazing community and honoured to have been recognized in the MICHELIN’s Guide recommended restaurants in 2024.