The story of how a misdelivered letter sparked a top Toronto food business

If you're a Toronto foodie, you'll likely already be familiar with Olive & Fig. But what you might not know is the heartwarming and inspiring story behind the local food business.

It all started with a piece of misdirected mail.

Back in 2015, George Stanchev was working in a downtown Toronto office when a mailman accidentally dropped his letter off at Olivia Petrou's desk in the same heritage building. Olivia did what any friendly new neighbour might do and walked it over to him.

Neither knew it at the time, but it was serendipity. That little mix-up would eventually lead to a marriage, two corporate careers left behind, and the birth of Olive & Fig. 

Olive & Fig is now quite well-known in the city for creating everything from elaborate grazing boards to corporate lunches and catered events. It's not just putting together fruit, meats, and cheese either, it's creating art with food. I even got to try some of their offerings for myself and — spoiler alert — I was impressed. (But more on that later.)

Here's what you should know.

How it all began

Around 2018, both George and Olivia were beginning to think about leaving their corporate careers and doing something of their own. But, they weren't sure how.

Olivia had been watching the rise of elaborate grazing boards on Instagram, particularly the ones coming out of Australia. So, for her niece's birthday, she decided to DIY one.

She posted a photo of it online, not expecting much to come from it. But, one of her followers was so impressed, they asked her to make a grazing table for a baby shower.

George was also harbouring an interest in the food world. Despite having no culinary background, he'd started getting into cooking, restaurants, and the techniques behind Michelin-style food.

"I had no idea I was going to pick up a pan and start cooking," he tells blogTO. "No one in my family believed it either. But I did, and I loved it."

Olivia started taking on more grazing table orders, and George became her unofficial sous-chef, prepping and cutting ingredients while she focused on arranging everything into beautiful spreads.

It was the start of something new. Then, the pandemic hit.

Overcoming a big hurdle

The pandemic meant people were staying home and spending less and less time socializing together. So, grazing tables were suddenly off the table, quite literally. 

Olivia wanted to help connect people during this complex time when loved ones were kept apart. She'd grown up in a large Greek family where food and gathering around the table were a special part of life. So, she decided she could pivot in order to bring people together through food — grazing boxes delivered as gifts directly to people's doors.

This delivery model concept was an extraordinary success. The couple soon realized they might actually be on to something big. So in September 2020, they both left their corporate careers in executive recruitment and wealth management and went all in on Olive & Fig. This was, of course, a risk. Neither Olivia nor George knew whether this would work out, but they took a leap of faith, going against the advice of their friends and family.

“Once it started, it seemed to evolve very quickly,” remembers Olivia.

“We've just never looked back from there,” George adds.

More than charcuterie

Fast-forward to today and what started as a side project has grown massively.

Olive & Fig now creates everything from individual charcuterie boxes to four-foot grazing boards that can feed up to 60 people, with its largest boards stretching six feet.

The menu has grown too. Alongside the boards, you'll find sandwiches, salads, sweets, fruit and vegetable platters, and corporate lunches. The company even makes its own focaccia, based on George's original recipe, which is used for its sandwiches.

And the culinary operation isn't just George and Olivia these days. Olive & Fig's kitchen is now helmed by a head chef and sous-chef bringing serious Toronto restaurant cred to the table, with experience at spots including Bisha, Cluny, and Sofia Yorkville.

Olive & Fig is also a go-to for some major corporate clients — including Google, Pinterest, Mejuri, and Canadian Tire, as well as thousands of individual customers. Plus, the company recently opened its headquarters in Etobicoke, too.

Not bad for something that started with a birthday grazing board, eh?!

So, how does it taste?

Now you know the grass-roots story behind Olive & Fig and the different offerings available. So, let's talk about how the food actually tastes!

I got to try it out, and let me just say, it left me speechless. First and foremost, the presentation was absolutely stunning — not just a grazing board but a true work of art. I was blown away by how beautiful the food looked (and tasted!).

The board was whimsical, bountiful, and delicious. Fresh fruits, homemade focaccia, cheeses, and meats covered the board in swirls and twirls, revealing more and more treats as we filled our faces with delight.

I have to praise the attention to quality. There was not a single mushy grape, misshapen piece of cheese, or stale piece of bread. 

The sandwich board was another delight that equally pleased the eyes and palate. Arranged in an almost checkerboard design, each sandwich was the perfect size and very tasty. My favourite was the Olive & Fig with salami, double-cream brie, pear and pea shoots, Calabrian chilli, and fig spread between house-made olive focaccia.

Curious to try it all out for yourself? Check out the superb menu and new breakfast collection on the Olive & Fig website, and be sure to follow @oliveandfigco on Instagram.