Making sandwiches has long been a dream of James Beard semifinalist chef Bernie Kantak.
Thanks to a collaboration with Queen Creek Olive Mill founder/owner Perry Rea, Kantak and his In Good Spirits Hospitality will make that happen. Later this year, the duo will open The Olive Farmer, a restaurant, market and bar, in the former Santo Arcadia space at 44th Street and Osborn.
“I’ve always wanted to open a sandwich shop,” Kantak said with a laugh. “I’m very excited with what we’re doing. Agostino [Trentacoste, a Palermo-born pizzaiolo and certified flour technician] has perfected the amazing bread for it. The high-quality flour doesn’t disrupt people with sensitive digestive issues.”
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The Olive Farmer will certainly not be limited to sandwiches. Mornings begin with locally roasted coffee, housemade pastries, and quick breakfast options. Next come Italian-style sandwiches layered with imported meats and cheeses, along with artisanal pizzas and grab-and-go options.
In the evening, the menu expands to include house-made pasta and twists on Italian classics. An affogato and gelato program rounds out the day.
The beverage program comes to life in ISSIMA, the concept’s back bar, where Italian-inspired cocktails lead the way. Expect reimagined classics built with fine oils, vinegars, citrus, and a focused selection of vermouths, aperitivos, and amaros.
A dedicated “flour lab” will produce bronze-extruded pasta, slow-fermented dough, bread, focaccia, and pastries, guided by The Mill’s Trentacoste.
“Agostino is a flour savant — seeing what he does and how he does it,” Kantak said. “I was blown away by the integrity he takes in every pizza that goes out.”
Rea is looking forward to Kantak’s sandwich creations.
“A good sandwich starts with good bread,” Rea explained. “That’s really important. Then you dream of what you want to put inside.
“We sell a ton of sandwiches at the mill. We smoke all of the proteins — the turkey, the roast beef, the pork — with olive wood. It gives it a cool twist. We will have a lot of cool Italian sandwiches.”
The Olive Farmer features a curated market from Queen Creek Olive Mill, showcasing its full line of olive oils and balsamics, as well as its all-natural skincare line, Olivespa. Take-and-make meals will be sold and can be paired with a wine from the bottle shop.
“I had never been out to the mill before Perry invited me,” Kantak said. “I’m trying not to swear, but the place is amazing. It’s such an amazing place to visit, with so many different things going on, so many products.”
Specifically, he cited pastries, gelato and the Queen Creek Olive Mill’s retail shop.
A first-generation Italian, Rea was born in Detroit and raised in London, Ontario, Canada, which he described as having a “huge Italian population.”
“The Italian food in London is really good,” Rea added. “It has great Italian delis. It is where I get my inspiration for the olive mill.”
Kantak, however, didn’t grow up in an Italian family — but certainly in an inspirational Italian neighborhood in Syracuse, New York. The area boasts bakeries, “neat shops,” and restaurants on every corner.
Collaborating with In Good Spirits Hospitality helps Rea, who said the Queen Creek Olive Mill’s restaurant came out of necessity.
“The restaurant becomes part of the whole experience when you come to the mill,” Rea said. “The marketplace is what drives the agrotourism experience. The food part is very important to me — our pastry game, our pizza, and focaccia bread for buns.”
Those products show marked differences in the results. Seed-free oil is another of Rea’s olive mill trademarks, which he’s bringing to The Olive Farmer. Kantak said The Olive Farmer will not have a signature dish.
“I think our signature is being there for the neighborhood for a plethora of things, instead,” Kantak said. “We’re going to have a pretty robust to-go program and take-and-make program. They’re partially made meals. If you’re running out of time, you can grab lasagna, throw it in the oven for 45 minutes, and they’re set to go.”
Andrew Fritz, co-owner and operator of In Good Spirits Hospitality, said The Olive Farmer will give them “endless room to explore.”
“I’m excited to partner with a hospitality group that shares our passion for ingredient quality,” Rea concurred. “Together, we’re creating a concept that is seed oil-free and driven by local ingredients.”
