August/september 2010 issue no. 24 www.eatdrink.ca 11 spotliGht

Being Bradshaws

Stratford's Fresh Inspiration, for 115 Years

By David Hicks Before Ramsay, before Jamie, before Martha, even way before Julia, there was Bradshaws - a cook's oasis in Stratford that's still on its game after 115 years and six generations of owners. If anything, the allure and relevance for inhouse foodies is stronger than ever. If you haven't been there in a while, it's time to be good to yourself and drop in. At the front door, you'll see the store's new manifesto gently announcing Bradshaws' quality commitment to their customers, an up-front statement pretty well summed up with their catchphrase: "Buy it once and buy it well." In our throwaway culture, this approach is in counterstep, along with the slow/ local/100-mile insurgency where a satisfied soul trumps expediency. Changes inside the store reflect this too. "Carrie and I changed the store's emphasis when we took over in 2006," says Jeremy, the third generation of Wrefords, who bought the store in 1975 from the Bradshaw dynasty. "Traditional, gifty items and collectibles aren't going away, but with celebrity chefs and cooking channels, people's interests have changed, so the store has changed. They want practicality, durability, selection, and especially good design - it's got to look good out on the counter." Hot Cookware So in addition to the obvious, like this year's hot colour for Le Creuset cookware (Cassis), you'll find high-quality alternatives like Staub and Emile Henry. Same with their decision to carry several lines of German knives alongside Japanese names like Shun and MAC. "Our staff has real depth of experience and product knowledge," says Carrie Wreford. "Some of them have over twenty years' experience here, and you can tell they genuinely enjoy helping our customers make decisions." But not everything in the store is for the cognoscenti. There are gadgets and gizmos for as little as a dollar, left-handed wooden utensils that just feel right, and guidance for choosing a pepper mill that will actually Carrie and Jeremy Wreford put Bradshaws' commitment to their customers out front, quite literally.

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