Watershed Magazine: Love the name, Quaich & Banter! Now, Banter is straightforward enough for non-Scots, but how does one pronounce the first part of your name: Quaich? And what the heck does it mean?
Sara McClatchey: Quaich – pronounced quake, as in earthquake – is a traditional Scottish whisky drinking vessel. They are largely ceremonial now – given to people as wedding or christening gifts – and look like a shallow dish with two ornate handles. They are rooted in clan history, the idea being that you pass the cup around during meetings or celebrations, and as you have to have a hand on each handle, you cannot have a hand on your sword to sneakily stab anyone or defend yourself. Hence, it symbolizes trust and friendship. Our name describes the underpinning principles of friendship, connection and community.
And what about the phrase on your website: slainte mhath?
That’s the Scottish equivalent to “Cheers.” It literally translates to “Good Health!”
Your intention wasn’t just to simply create another watering hole, was it?
In Scotland, pubs are more than just a place to get a drink. They are the heart-centre of communities, where people go to engage with their friends and community. A lot of social events take place in the pub. We wanted to create a space that feels like a second home for folks and creates a screen-free place where you can interact with friends and loved ones. This is why we are putting a lot of emphasis on weekly community events. We currently have a dart league, a monthly whisky tasting club and a book club.
When did you open, and who’s behind Q & B?
My husband Ian and I opened our doors in November of 2023. I’m from Toronto, and have a background in food sustainability, and Ian was born in the coastal town of Lossiemouth, Scotland and has been a chef for over 25 years. He’s travelled the world cooking. We met in Australia in 2007, married in 2018, moved to the County in 2021, and now have our first child, a little boy. Ian brings his passion for food and his lifetime of experience in the hospitality industry to Q & B.
Is sustainability important to you as a business?
As we grow, we look to include initiatives that address the issues in the hospitality industry, mainly food waste and reliance on the industrial food system. We have reduced our food waste by about 30 percent by starting a compost initiative, converting food waste into soil, and we are workshopping growing produce and microgreens through hydroponic systems on our premises. Instead of throwing out cardboard, we are experimenting with using it as a substrate to grow mushrooms.
And when you’re not growing your own, is supporting local producers important to you?
Wherever possible we try to buy local. As our business gets older and grows, we are forming a lot of new relationships with local farmers. For example, we have been working with Walt’s Sugar Shack and purchase the majority of our beef, burger patties and maple syrup from there.
And is it just as important to do everything in-house, from smoking bacon to baking bread and real Scottish scones?
Making everything in-house is very important to Ian. As a one-man operation in the kitchen, he tries to create signature flavour profiles that are unique to us. Ian’s a classically trained chef and a wizard behind the line! His passion for his work and dedication to his craft are evident in his ability to make everything from scratch – Scotch eggs, bread, hot sauce and HP sauce, pickles and sticky toffee pudding.
Your cocktail menu is fantastic, and there’s a real focus on whisky and gin.
Yes, we carry 22 whiskies and 8 gins. Our oldest whisky is a 16-year-old Lagavulin. But whisky isn’t the only good liquor coming out of Scotland! Lately, Scottish distilleries have been creating beautiful gins with complex and unique botanical flavour profiles.
Slainte mhath, indeed!
Story by:
Signe Langford
