Big City Dining, Rural Hospitality
- OUR STORY -
In July 2013, Harvest Eatery opened it's doors in the heart of Shaunavon, Sk.
Harvest Eatery is the creative collaboration of husband and wife duo, Chef Garrett 'Rusty' and Kristy Thienes.
With inspired and experiential dining in mind, the Thienes developed a warm welcoming atmosphere paired with a seasonal menu featuring gourmet comfort food to create a cultural hotspot that brings the community together.
The 45-seat restaurant boasts an open kitchen, which allows you, our guest, to be a part of the cooking experience. Coined ‘The Theatre Kitchen’, not only do you get to enjoy the company of your friends, but you have the opportunity to watch the Chefs prepare your meal from start to finish too!
Harvest Eatery's team are firm believers that there is a difference between eating and dining. Dining combines all the efforts not only of our passionate and educated team, but of the local artists who’s work decorates our walls, the reclaimed building materials that tell our story, the ranchers who raise our beef, the neighbours who bring us produce from their gardens... there is a reason we brought our table to the farm and we want you to come experience it.
- ABOUT US -
Chef Garrett ‘Rusty’ Thienes, is the Chef and owner of Harvest Eatery in Shaunavon, SK – a 45 seat restaurant nestled between Grasslands National Park and Cypress Hills.
Inspired by the feeling of community at his parents’ dinner parties at a young age, ‘Rusty’ (as he is known by his close friends) didn’t realize that by chasing those feelings he would be led to a life in the culinary world. His journey started on the other side of the restaurant in the Front of House operations. His first taste of the restaurant industry was as a busboy and, he eventually worked his way up the ladder from bar-back to expediter and finally a server. It was then that he succumbed to the lure of fire, knives and relentless pressure that is a commercial kitchen.
He has never looked back.
With over 20 years experience in various award-winning kitchens throughout BC, Alberta, and now his own in Saskatchewan, Chef Thienes has a clear vision of what he wants to bring to your dining experience. An evening at Harvest Eatery evokes those same memories of warmth, laughter and conversation-filled evenings with close friends, family and colleagues. His dishes are familiar yet inspired, with balanced flavours that endure long after the meal is over.
Chef continues to push boundaries. And it doesn’t go unnoticed, even in a town of 1700 people. In 2014 they were awarded ‘Tourism Saskatchewan’s Rookie of The Year”, 2015 runner up for ‘Tourism Saskatchewan’s Service Excellence”, 2015 CBC Saskatchewan Future 40 Recipient and most recently, Chef took home Gold at Regina & Area’s 2016 Gold Medal Plates Competition.
Always eager to challenge the notion of what a meal can and should be, Chef constantly teaches himself new techniques and finds inspiration through travelling and discovering ever-expanding tastes, smells, textures, trends to bring you his interpretation of ‘gourmet comfort food’.
You probably haven't seen much of Kristy lately, as she handles the marketing behind the scenes and now runs her own boutique design & marketing firm, Bubbalili Creative - - but trust us, her heart lives between those four walls.
Born in Vancouver, and raised in White Rock (a small beach town on the west coast) I grew up in a tight knit family where creativity, gardening, and eating are heavily encouraged and enjoyed. I’ve always recognized the importance of family, and how food can bring people together.
Although my education lies in English Literature, Journalism Arts and Marketing, my underlying desires have always been in entertainment. And what’s more entertaining than running a restaurant and ensuring that each night is an experience our guests will remember.
I started my education in English Literature at UBC, and after two years, moved to Calgary to pursue Journalism Arts – all the while working in a variety of restaurants – from family owned and operated pubs, to national restaurant chains, to world acclaimed nightclubs. Upon the completion of my education, I moved back to Vancouver to continue a graphic design position with a national rock and roll magazine, while beginning my marketing and journalism career at a health and fitness publication. Over the next five years, I worked my way from office manager, to managing editor, to executive assistant to the head of the marketing department for the global Sports Nutrition brand.
After a dedicated five years in the health and fitness industry, and garnering a wealth of knowledge and experience, I opted to resign from my position and, on a whim, elope in Las Vegas with Garrett, move to small town Saskatchewan. The notion of opening a restaurant in Shaunavon, SK is something that satisfies both our passions within a tight knit community that we have both been raised to appreciate.
Kristy was named a CBC Future 40 Under 40 in 2018 for her work to "raise the visibility of both her business and the community it operates in."