Breakfast Moms – Irene
Have you met Irene?
Irene is the vibrant, full-of-life co-owner of our Steeles & Kennedy, Brampton Sunset Grill. If you had a chance to read our Breakfast Dads stories from last year, you may remember Andy. Well, Irene is Andy’s better half, so to speak.
They recently celebrated their two-year anniversary at the restaurant, and Irene just celebrated a milestone birthday at the end of April (happy belated birthday, Irene!). Before that, they helped run the Stockyards Sunset Grill.
Irene is the type of person who would go the extra mile to make you happy. She makes it a point to treat guests and her staff like family. “I honestly have to say…I have the best staff,” says Irene. “I have to give them a thumbs up, because they are amazing. We would not be as successful as we are if it wasn’t for [them].”
Sunset Grill truly is a family affair for Irene. Her adult children, Christine and Peter, both work at the restaurant, as well as her nephew. “They work hard; they’re smart,” she says with pride. “Christine basically runs this place when we’re not here and Peter is great too.”
Even more so, one of her best friends, Jennifer, as well as Jennifer’s daughter, both work at the restaurant as servers. “I have my whole world here,” says Irene. “We all socialize after hours; we are a family.”
It’s not without its challenges. They don’t often get to go away as a family. Her sister is getting married next month, and only a couple of them can attend the ceremony. It’s unfortunate, however, Irene knows it’s part of the trade-off.
“I do love the hours. I get to have a life after 3 o’clock,” she says. “I don’t have to be at the restaurant all day, I can have a social life.”
Mother’s Day is always a busy day for Irene and her family, as they’ll be working at the restaurant. “We serve almost 1,000 people that day,” she explains. And while they don’t celebrate Mother’s Day in the same way they used to, Irene is still glad she gets to spend the day with her kids.
When Irene’s not busy working the front of the restaurant, serving and cashing out guests, she likes to unwind by the pool with a good book in hand.
“I love to read,” she expresses. “I like to read about people and how they got to be where they were/are, that kind of stuff.”
She particularly enjoys biographies, fiction, and motivational-type books. She’s read the biographies of titans such as Oprah, Barbara Walters, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, and beyond. A couple of her favourite books include Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code.
Beyond books, Irene is an avid gardener and takes great pride in her brimming lawn and garden at home. She also loves to entertain and have friends and family over for barbecues in the summer. To say she lives a full life is an understatement.
Irene and Andy are embarking on a trip to Greece this summer, to celebrate their milestone birthdays, and she couldn’t be more excited. “I can’t wait,” she says enthusiastically. Their 16-day journey starts on the island of Mykonos, where Andy’s father lives, and ends in Santorini.
The next time you stop by for breakfast or lunch at our Steeles & Kennedy, Brampton Sunset Grill, be sure to say hi to Irene!
STORE INFORMATION
Steeles Ave. E. & Kennedy Rd. S.
60 Resolution Dr.,
Brampton, ON, L6W 0A7
Monday to Friday 6:30 AM to 3 PM
Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 3 PM
