Julie Aldis :: Owner

Julie Aldis started Zest in 2004. A food designer, stylist, food writer, recipe creator, and caterer in Toronto, Julie decided to use her years of expertise to open Zest Food to Go in Northumberland, where she owns a beautiful farm and has spent over 35 years weekending with family.

Zest began as a take-out and prepared foods shop that also carried specialty imported and Canadian boutique cheeses, olive oils, and fine foods. Under the helm of executive chef Camilo Costales, whose previous restaurants included the highly popular Youki, Café Asia, Pine and Bamboo, and the Berkeley Café, Zest brought flavours to Northumberland never before tasted in a food establishment beyond Toronto's borders.

With tremendous initial success, it became clear that Zest could be developed further. Completely renovating Port Hope's original Canadian Tire store next door, Zest Bar + Bistro was opened in February 2006.