Craft beer and smokin’ good food

Good food, good beer and empowered staff—that’s the basic recipe for success at the Lion’s Head pub in Castlegar

Carly Hadfield and Troy Pyett own and operate the Lion's Head Smoke & Brew pub in Castlegar, B.C. — Photo courtesy Troy Pyett

Since June 10, 2009, Troy Pyett and Carly Hadfield have dedicated themselves to developing a delicious food menu and a complementary selection of craft beers for the patrons of Lion’s Head Smoke & Brew, a pub in Castlegar, B.C.

The Lion’s Head received enthusiastic support in the 2014 Kootenay Business Best Places to Eat & Drink Awards, and we contacted the pub owners to find out what they’re doing right. Pyett chatted with us and answered our questions.

What’s the menu item that the Lion’s Head is best known for?

Smoked meats are the cornerstone of the menu, so I’d have to say our smoked meat platter. We also make an incredible veggie burger because we want to offer a vegetarian option.

What’s your policy on shopping locally for your ingredients?

We hope to get to the point where we source as much product as we can from our local area. Right now we get our bread from Country Time Bakery, a local baker, and we buy most of our beef products from Tarzwell Farms. Our meats are all hormone and steroid free. The suppliers follow the practices of organic farming, but they aren’t certified. It’s a great thing that our customers are really supporting the trend to buy local—support like that keeps communities vibrant.

Individually, what are your and Carly’s strengths?

Mine would be multi-tasking and managing, and maintaining the vision and direction for the business. Carly’s (strengths are) her calm nature—that’s so important for the staff—her desire to have a quality restaurant, and her passion for craft beer because of her background. Her family owns Spinnaker’s in Victoria (B.C.), and they just had their 30th anniversary.

What’s something you’d like our readers to know about the Lion's Head?

We’ve just finished some renovations here. We have a new floor and a new bar top that’s one continuous slab of wood from a tree in my yard. We’ve faced the front of the bar with East Kootenay rock that contains fossils.

The thing that makes the difference for us is quality service, quality food, craft beer and an atmosphere that people really enjoy. I believe in empowerment of the staff. I am not a micromanager. We’re basically a ma-and-pa restaurant, and everybody here is part of the team. Dawn Brebaart, our kitchen manager, has been with us since the beginning. When people feel empowered, they are more satisfied in their jobs, and it’s good for them and for the business.

When you go out for dinner, where do you like to go?

Cuisine of India has really good food, and we like the sushi at Chopsticks. The Element Bar & Grill has quality food, and I have to say Spinnaker’s—their hot pot is just so good, and their beer lineup is amazing.