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Lacombe’s Cilantro and Chive wins Restaurant/Bar of the Year at Beer Awards

Owner says they have every intention to open again once it is safe to do so
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Cilantro and Chive Owner Rieley Kay and Restaurant Manager Jason Burns were pleased to accept the 2018 Alberta Beer Award for Best Pub/Restaurant. The establishment has won the award again in 2020 (Todd Colin Vaughan/Red Deer Express)

Another year, another Restaurant/Bar of the Year award for Cilantro and Chive at the Alberta Beer Awards.

“It is crazy and it is pretty surreal to be spoken of so highly by people we look up to,” Owner Rieley Kay said. “I wish we could be open and slinging those beers or celebrating with everyone at Bo’s. Unfortunately, with the way the world is, we have to make adjustments and we plan to celebrate with everyone as soon as we can.”

Kay said the award is not what they set out to do and they are humbled by being awarded for their daily efforts.

“Also, for Blindman to be put up on a pedestal — it speaks incredibly highly of the community we have that supports us. We couldn’t do what we do everyday without the support of Blindman, our community and the craft beer industry,” he said.

Kay credits much of their success to the community that supports Cilantro and Chive through think and thin.

“They are people who are supporting us right now by buying gift cards online and doing what they can to help us see through this. Our community is essential and integral to everything we have done. Anything we can do to give back to the people and businesses that support us, is huge for us,” he said.

Kay said they are doing their part to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic and hope to be open in Lacombe again soon.

“We are making some changes on the back end. We are going to do some online ordering and touchless ordering and payment processing. We have been working hard on getting our systems streamlined while we are closed,” he said.

Kay said they have every intent to open again when the pandemic is flattened.

“We don’t plan on going anywhere. We do plan on opening soon. We just have to make sure it is the right move for our team, our guests and the community involved as well. We are doing what we can to slow the spread,” he said.

He said, “We also want to get back open and see those smiling faces coming through our doors. It is so surreal, we would love to be celebrating but it is a tough time for everybody. We will be cheersing everyone at the end of this.”



todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com

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