Meet the team.
MAURICE BOUDREAU is the Chef and Chef Instructor at the Hungry Heart Café. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of Canada, Maurice spent twenty years cooking around the world – quite literally. Newfoundland, Vancouver, New Zealand, Nantucket and more in between. For the past 10 years, Maurice has been the Chef Instructor at the Hungry Heart, and it’s working with Stella’s Circle participants that he enjoys most. He describes himself as fortunate to have a job in his field that has such obvious positive outcomes on people’s lives. “Being part of the whole operation and seeing how we really do transform people’s lives is an inspiration.” Sure, the love of cooking is big part of his work, but it’s the difference it makes in the lives of others that drives him to do it.
Maurice also loves cooking with local ingredients, especially moose and seafood. He designs every menu so that they’re packed with fresh, local, seasonal products. He enjoys rolling fresh pasta and making risotto, and in the late summer you’ll often find both topped with chanterelles that he foraged himself. Fresh from the heart is our slogan for good reason with Maurice at the helm.
ISOLDE NEIS-EVANS is our Catering Coordinator, also known as Hospitality Hero. She’s worked in the food service industry for a very long time and brings a wealth of experience managing, cooking, and serving at restaurants across Atlantic Canada. Isolde can multi task both the café and the catering sides of the business, and you’ll find her wherever customers need her most – on the floor, behind an email, or out on delivery. She loves to have a chat with the regulars.
Isolde feels fortunate to be a part of the organization for the past 1.5 years. “The longer I’m here, the more I learn about our positive impact within the community.” Isolde’s favourite menu items come as no surprise: anything made by Lucy, especially our signature scones.
PAUL FUREY is face, heart, and soul of the Hungry Heart Café. If you’ve called in or dropped by for a visit, you’ll know Paul for his friendly demeanor and impeccable customer service. There’s good reason we coined the hashtag #BetterCallPaul! Paul has been with the Hungry Heart Café since Day 1 and has worked here for 14 years and counting. He enjoys working at the Café because he says “here we’re people, not numbers.” The social impact of Hungry Heart is never lost on Paul. After 9 years on the streets, Stella’s Circle provided him with housing and a job here at the Hungry Heart.
Paul's favourite task as our Head Waiter is opening for business every day. If you’re ever stuck on the menu, your best bet is to ask Paul. He knows just what to recommend! His favourite menu item: the Breakfast on a Bun with bacon AND veg!
GREG HYSLOP takes a lot of pride in keeping things moving behind the scenes here at the Hungry Heart. As Dishwasher, he’s responsible for cleaning and always has an eye out for safety. He’s determined to help make Hungry Heart the best it can be.
With 6 years of experience here, Greg also appreciates the workplace skills and independence he’s been learning. Working at the Hungry Heart helps keep him connected to the Employment Services team at Stella’s Circle. He's also a longtime member of the Stella's Circle Inclusion Choir. Greg’s favourite items on the menu are stir fry and burritos!
DAPHNEY LOVELESS has been a Catering Assistant for 9 years. She enjoys working at the Hungry Heart because of the awesome team and she’s always able to learn new things. In addition to food prep and packaging, she's now starting to try her hand at cooking, too!
Daphney's favourite thing to do is simple: help out wherever she can to make someone else’s job easier. Plus, she enjoys supporting the students who come to train. Daphney is proud of how the Hungry Heart helps people in need in the community. “I love coming to work and doing the best I can do.”
LUCILLE MCKENZIE has been our Baker and Pastry Chef for 3 years. All of the those fresh-baked buns, breads, scones and treats on the menu – they’re thanks to Lucy! After graduating from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, she’s been baking up a storm in professional kitchens and bakeries for the past decade. She can make anything, including fancy decorated cakes and pastries (we take custom orders!), but her favourite thing to create will always be salted caramel sauce and candies.
Lucy likes the wholesome menu at the Hungry Heart. (It is pretty nutritious, seasonal, and sustainable!) Her favourite item on it is found wrapped around our burgers – her house made potato bun. But beyond the menu, she loves working somewhere that is well loved and important to the community. “Every time someone finds out where I work, they light right up. That’s a very special feeling.”
ZACHARY PORTER is our Chef Apprentice, and has been cooking in our kitchen for 4 years. He describes the Hungry Heart team as his second family. Zach graduated with Honours in Culinary Arts from Academy Canada and from the Advanced Commercial Cooking program at the College of the North Atlantic. With all of those skills, it’s no wonder he’s our jack of all trades!
Zach’s favourite thing to cook is a toss up between our epic burgers and our Meals Squared meals that help vulnerable people facing food insecurity. Zach loves our mission, and how we help teach and train both students and Stella’s Circle participants skills in food preparation and kitchen safety. He’s pretty fond of every item on the menu. It could be because he says “we put our hearts and lots of love into every dish.” But what Zach wants to share most about the Hungry Heart is that it’s here to help. “Whether it’s a meal or a job placement, you can always count on the Hungry Heart!”
