Back in 1995, Aaron Creurer was a chef at a Calgary restaurant. It was a busy time as the restaurant had opened a second location, expanded and added a bakery. Aaron was putting in long hours. “My talent was being used in all these different places and I thought, 'If I’m going to work so hard for someone else, I should really do something for myself'." He gave his notice and began operating Red Tree out of the kitchen of his apartment.
It was a leap of faith to go it alone, but it paid off immediately for Aaron. “I gave my employers a month's notice. During that time it leaked out I was leaving and clients started asking to book me for functions,” he says. “In the first quarter of business, I made my full year’s salary.” Now, all these years later, Red Tree is still Aaron's passion and he doesn’t think of doing anything else.
“It’s my creation. It’s my baby. To watch it grow and evolve has been very rewarding. Now we have an amazing group of talented chefs, my own small bakery, a vibrant storefront, event coordinators and managers. They are my team and I could not be here without their energy and enthusiasm.”
