Cook n' Pan's new owner Michal Tkaczyk chats with a customer. Photo © VibrantVictoria.ca.

Ten years after one of Victoria’s most iconic delicatessens opened its doors in Victoria’s North Park neighbourhood, Cook n’ Pan Polish Delicatessen is under new ownership. And if the man at the helm has his way, which is likely considering his amiable persona and enthusiastic plans for building on the eatery’s success, Cook n’ Pan will become more than just a Polish food fix.

“I want Victorians to know that the deli is not only a place to pick up Polish meats and cheeses or grab a meal, it’s a meeting place.  It’s a place to chat, to philosophize,” says Michal Tkaczyk (pronounced Me-how Tik-a-chick) when discussing plans for attracting a broader range of clientele to Cook n’ Pan.  “I look all around me, and I see so many people coming and going through this neighbourhood, frequenting its bakeries, restaurants and services.  Everything seems to be coming together around here and I want to ensure that I do my part to keep building on the area’s positive momentum,” he said.

Tkaczyk is well aware of the social issues affecting the North Park neighbourhood.  With the deli’s proximity to downtown and the area’s more pronounced urban context, dealing with the occasional loiterer or undesirable character comes with the territory, but Tkaczyk isn’t fazed.  In fact, he believes that the North Park neighbourhood’s main drag along Cook Street is ripe for joining the ranks of Cook Street Village or Oak Bay Village, helped in part with Cook n’ Pan’s involvement, of course.

While small changes to the deli and its operation have already been implemented, Tkaczyk will soon complement the deli’s menu offerings with non-alcoholic beers and wines, something he feels will enhance the meal experience.  And building on his desire to attract a greater variety of clientele, Tkaczyk plans to win over coffee connoisseurs with a unique offering.  “We’ll be introducing a brew with a sentimental Polish taste,” he says of a brand of coffee dubbed Mala Czarna, brewed exclusively for Cook ‘n Pan by the Fernwood Coffee Company.

As for how he wound up operating a deli in Victoria, Tkaczyk said that the opportunity to purchase Cook n’ Pan tied into everything else in his life.  “My wife and I always dreamed of living on the Island, and when the opportunity to purchase a Polish deli in Victoria came along, I felt it was the right opportunity to bring my professional skills together with my love for my homeland, for it’s food and its culture,” he said as he described the decision to make a transition from his career as a therapist in Edmonton, where he lived for over two decades, to a deli owner.

With degrees in nutrition, physical education and a variety of therapeutics, Tkaczyk is committed to the belief that eating well and living a healthy life is the key to vitality, and his personal eating choices are a part of every meal cooked from scratch by the deli’s team of seasoned Polish cooks.  He says that “the deli’s cooking is wholesome, healthy and prepared by ladies who have been putting perogies, traditional stews and cabbage rolls on plates for many, many years.”

"She loves perogies," says dad Deric Soohochoff as daughter Liddy enjoys one of Cook n' Pan's most popular dishes. Photo © VibrantVictoria.ca.

And when asked about plans for expansion, Tkaczyk  confirms that the idea is definitely on his mind.  “I’d like to open a second location in another part of town at some point, but for now I want to put all of my effort into this location,” he said.

Cook n’ Pan stocks a large variety of Polish meets, cheeses, traditionally prepared vegetables, spices, sauces, cakes and imported packaged sweets.  Frozen offerings include Polish staples like perogies and cabbage rolls, and freshly prepared breakfasts, lunches and dinners are offered all day and feature traditional foods with select dishes combining Polish recipes with Canadian influences.

Cook ‘n Pan is located at 1725 Cook Street and is open Monday through Saturday.

The deli’s official website can be accessed here and discussed on VibrantVictoria.ca’s discussion forum here.

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