Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
It’s the final chapter for an iconic restaurant in Invermere, but like they say, when one door closes, another opens.
Veteran chef Peter Panneton is preparing to put away the menus for good at the Bistro on 7th Avenue after 26 years in the kitchen.
The building has been sold, and customers have until the end of January to enjoy their favourite meals in the dining room.
Panneton told the Pioneer that he’s sad to close the family restaurant since it has been a part of him for so long. The ‘red seal’ chef with 38 years of experience said he’ll definitely miss cooking for the fine folks of Invermere.
The man said he fell in love with cooking years ago and has always had “fun” serving people.
“I’m not perfect; I’ve made mistakes,” he admitted, saying you can’t please everyone’s tastes (but he tries).
As for the business, he noted his passion for creating different recipes. “Some people treat their business as just money, but my heart was in it,” he said.
Panneton recalled seeing a lot of changes over the past quarter century, such as the ban on smoking and giving up his liquor licence.
He expressed his desire that the building remain as a restaurant, but said he understands it will soon house Airbnb offices.
“It (the restaurant) has been a staple in town for a long time . . . I’ll miss it . . . it was always a good breakfast and lunch place.”
The chef said the district has been gracious in its support of the Bistro all these years.
As for his future, Panneton said he is going to “take it easy” for a while and look for other work.
“The sky is the limit . . . (and) I’m not dead.”
Local realtor Gerry Taft told the Pioneer that he had purchased the Bistro building and was hoping to renovate it, but the funding wasn’t there. He subsequently listed the building for sale and the founders of Aisling Baile Property Management and Rentals bought it.
Taft said his understanding is they are planning to do a much-needed renovation to the building and convert the back space into commercial laundry and create an office and separate retail space facing main street.
“From my perspective having local business owners willing to invest in the downtown core on buying and renovating a building is positive,” the realtor said.
“There is not very much available commercial space right now and I know the new retail space on the main street will have a strong demand and will be easy for them to fill.”
