French Favourites

Have we ever told you the story of how we got our start?

• Gather round and let us tell you how the 1909 journey began.
• Bernia’s 1909 journey began in the early months of 2018 when through her work she curated a series of preserving and canning classes for residents of Oxford County. With eighteen different themes and a source for local produce, 37 classes were offered in Woodstock and Wellesley. Hundreds of locals attended classes, learning tips and techniques for preserving local food.
• Branded under the name ‘Preserving…it’s in our Roots’, Bernia acquired funding support to organize, brand, host, and develop curriculum for this unique local food program with a goal to see them replicated by other communities. It was through this initial program that Bernia met Murray Zehr and contracted him to teach these classes with her.
• The notion of  year round culinary training began to take shape.
• Throughout the Preserving classes, Murray became fascinated with the support and enthusiasm for local food that he found in Woodstock and Oxford County. A move to the region became his focus. “Find me a shed in the countryside,” he said. 
• Bernia made it happen.
• Through her economic development contacts, Bernia had been aware of a failed attempt to turn the townline schoolhouse on Trussler Road into a residential property. The building couldn’t be converted to residential…it had to remain as an institutional use. It occurred to her one spring day, that the old schoolhouse just might be the ‘shed in the countryside’ that Murray was asking for.
• Having sat vacant for years, the former one-room schoolhouse was in dire need of attention and significant upgrades. Bernia crafted a business plan and financial plan to acquire the property, undertake monumentous renovations and open for business within the year. The business was incorporated with Bernia and Murray in a 50:50 partnership.
• Engineers, Contractors, Building Inspectors, and Labourers spent months bringing the vision to life. It took longer than expected, but by February of 2020, renovations were complete. Bernia curated a series of culinary classes for kids and adults for Murray to teach. With news the schoolhouse was opening, tickets sold quickly, with many events selling out weeks in advance. And then…Covid hit.
• Murray became the focus of the 1909 Kitchen as he reverted back to his restaurant experience, transitioning the schoolhouse into a destination for seasonal take-out meals to be enjoyed on the one-acre property. A patio was added in 2021 to enhance the outdoor experience.
• By late summer of 2021, it became evident that the seasonal model for dining was not sustainable and Murray shifted his focus to writing a cookbook. No longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the schoolhouse or the kitchen, Murray is now focused on promoting his personal series of cookbooks, with plans to continue writing and publishing.
• In September, Bernia stepped back in to revitalize community classes and focus on branding and marketing the 1909 as a destination for culinary events and experiences.