The owner of a little-known Highlands dining establishment is quietly working to serve up great food and perhaps change the way we see fine dining.
Parked at the Kennisis Lake Marina in Haliburton is a hot pink food truck, home to the Saucey Pig. From there Wade Stamp – self-styled “owner, operator, CEO and head chef” – prepares primarily pork-based takeout meals with a secret barbeque sauce and a side of humour.
Diners can dive into dishes ranging from smoked pulled pork sandwiches, chicken Caesar wraps and the Saucey Caesar salad to a full roast pork dinner. Poutine lovers can enjoy the aptly renamed “Pigtine” and “Bacontine,” the latter topped with a perky ‘pig snout’ garnish.
Stamp’s sense of fun is also evident in his approach to marketing: “Nosing around, looking for the best meal …?”, “Feeling a bit pigheaded this week …?” and “Dig the Pig.”
But while Stamp may play with quirky quips and piggy puns, when it comes to cooking, he’s completely serious. In fact, he refers to the Saucey Pig experience as fine dining.
“I’ve had a passion for cooking all my life and I take great pride in providing delicious food experiences for my friends, family, and customers,” said Stamp.
He pointed out that Saucey Pig dishes are made in-house with the “freshest and finest” ingredients and prepared only when ordered. The root-beer-basted, fennelseasoned, spice-encrusted pulled pork, smoked with Stamp’s own mix of wood pellets, and the special barbeque sauce, cheese buns, baked beans and more are all based on Stamp’s unique recipes developed through years of experience.
“This distinguishes the Saucey Pig from other food trucks, and the only difference between this fine dining experience and an expensive fine dining restaurant is the delivery method,” said Stamp.
”Not everyone can afford to go to an expensive restaurant, but the Saucey Pig has excellent food that is reasonably priced and accessible to everyone.”
A former Highlands resident, Stamp started the Saucey Pig in Wasaga Beach in 2010 and had the opportunity to relocate to Kennisis Lake last year.
“I have had a lifelong friendship with one of the owners of the marina,” said Stamp. “[Moving here] meant being a business owner in my home town and sharing my food with great friends, which has always been my dream … I am very pleased and thankful to bring my business home and begin a new and exciting chapter.”
The Saucey Pig is located at Kennisis Lake Marina, 1076 Wilkinson Rd., Haliburton. It’s open through the summer season on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from noon to 7:00 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
More information is available at facebook. com/the-Saucey-Pig and on Instagram @ sauceypig.
