By: Jason Freeze
It might seem like an odd mix, but did you know that mortgages, accounting and burgers have something in common? Have you figured it out yet? Well, it’s Jenna Garbedian of course!
Loaded Lucy Burger – Submitted Photo
Jenna, along with her husband Charlie, owns The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro in downtown Brantford. But that’s not all that she does. Jenna is a ‘serial entrepreneur’ of sorts and also complements her husband’s real estate business by providing mortgages to clients she’s also a Chartered Accountant, she has a small e-commerce side gig, oh and did I mention, she’s also a mother of three!
Just thinking about it all can make you cringe or become overwhelmed. But Jenna enjoys it all, and even craves it. Her unique craving to push the envelope is one reason why she chose to work with The WORKS. About 7 years ago, Jenna and her husband were looking at different business opportunities that they could get involved with. Then, she was introduced to The WORKS by a co-worker in Waterloo, and after trying it out she sent in an application the next week.
Kid Having Fun at The WORKS – Submitted Photo
Jenna enjoyed the comfy, cool atmosphere and the wide range of items available. The WORKS also offers a unique business style and endeavours to be forward thinking with what they offer and how they do business. Jenna liked that they weren’t just another burger joint, so she jumped at the opportunity to run her own restaurant.
Although Jenna and her family lives in Kitchener, she still has roots within the community. Jenna grew up in Paris, and met her husband working at a Brantford restaurant 14 years ago. Plus, the downtown Brantford business community has been great to work with. She said, “It’s a great community of people and businesses that care about each other here.”
One of the big ways that The WORKS is so unique is the variety of items that they offer. They don’t stop with just beef patties and simple ingredients, they offer patties like Beyond and elk, creative house made sauces and outrageously delicious combinations of ingredients. Looking at their menu, there are over 40 different burgers ranging from the simpler “Ho Hum #1” to others like “Hunka Hunka” which includes peanut butter, banana slices and bacon.
Jenna and Her Recent Award – Photo by: Jason Freeze
Jenna says that people tend to be a bit opposite when it comes to the most popular items. They either stick with the more simple burgers or go with the crazier ones, like “Gettin’ Piggy With It” or “Tragically Maple” And yes, they have gotten some interesting requests over the years too. One was to include one of each cheese, which counts to having 12 cheese slices on their burger. And she has a regular Skip The Dishes customer who enjoys getting cartoon drawings done on his take out container as well.
Jenna and her team enjoy the creativity they see in the requests and like that they can offer these unique flavours. And if you’re not sure about what to get, the servers are always eager to help you find the best flavours for you.
Tower of Onion Rings – Submitted Photo
The WORKS certainly tries to appeal to a wide range of people and tastes. A good example of this is their new Vegan Bacon Cheeseburger. They also offer a number of gluten free and vegetarian items as well. On top of this, they keep pushing the envelope by providing biodegradable containers and straws too.
With everything that Jenna has on the go, you might think she doesn’t have a lot of time for the restaurant, but that’s clearly not the case. She strives to do the best she can and her recent award of Top Overall Shop out of 29 WORKS restaurants is a testament to her drive to offer the best.
Jenna doesn’t do it alone though. She’s thankful for her amazing staff and management team (some of which have been there since they opened) and all the guests for coming in and supporting them.
Whether you’re new to The WORKS orR have enjoyed it before, there’s always something interesting to try. So head on down to 80 Dalhousie Street in Brantford and give your taste buds a whirlwind of flavour.
For more information and to check out their menu, please visit: www.worksburger.com.
