
Kamloops’ first completely gluten free bakery and restaurant is opening on the North Shore this week.
Cutting Board Bistro and Bakery, located at 750 Fortune Drive, plans to open its doors to the public on Thursday.
Ashley and Marcus Kharboutli, the couple behind the new business, moved to Kamloops about two and a half years ago.
“It was really hard to find gluten free stuff because I'm celiac,” Ashley Kharboutli told Castanet Kamloops.
“My husband is a chef by trade, and he mastered the gluten free baking and breads and stuff at home just for us. And then we developed this, we stumbled across this place and couldn't say no.”
Kharboutli believes Cutting Board is exactly what many in Kamloops are looking for.
“There's so many people that are being diagnosed with celiac or just want to eat healthy,” she explained. “So I think it's going to be good.”
Kharboutli said the bistro will have a staple menu offering breakfast and lunch as well as pastries, muffins, breads and more.
“We'll have a menu that's every day. But he's going to do a special every day whether it's breakfast or lunch and also with the pastries and desserts,” Kharboutli said, adding that everything is 100 per cent gluten free.
“We're excited to share our passion with everybody, because we like to eat healthy and obviously I'm gluten free, but people don't have to come here only for celiac, right? There's so many options.”
The owner said down the road, they plan to expand their offerings to other diets as well.
“We're going to venture into the Keto option and vegan option and vegetarian option— just healthy,” Kharboutli said.
On Tuesday, Kharboutli said they will be holding a private grand opening event for friends and family, where the North Shore Business Improvement Association will do a ribbon cutting.
“We're doing the big ribbon cutting, big scissors, the whole nine yards. And then Sept. 8, we'll open to the public at 8 a.m. and then we're off and running,” she said.
The Cutting Board Bistro and Bakery will be open Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 a.m. till 4 p.m.