What a spread
PicSnic, the new picnic catering service, brings the blanket and basket to you
PicSnic was a dream that I thought for the longest time was unreachable, so seeing it alive and being so supported and loved makes me truly happy.
EILEEN TAYLOR
It had been a long, hard winter. The pandemic was dragging on, taking with it so many adventures. In the depths of January, married couple Eileen Taylor and Giuseppe Langella set up a tent in their living room to try and snatch back a little fun. It was then that the pair vowed to start up a business that would help their fellow Torontonians recapture that sense of delight. And what better way than with a picnic? Taylor had been pondering for a few years the idea of going pro with her world-class picnics and hand-delivering them to hungry people at parks across the city. At last, the time was ripe for PicSnic, a picnic catering and delivery service. “Together, we realized that it wasn’t only perfect for us,” Taylor says, “but for all Torontanians who were tired of being inside and deserved to finally enjoy the outdoors and have the feeling of going out for dinner brought back without compromising on safety.”
Each PicSnic basket comes with food and drinks, along with a blanket and Kate Austin Designs tableware; everything that isn’t returned to PicSnic is recyclable or compostable, and five per cent of profits are donated to the Wildlife Conservation Society. The main parks they visit span many neighbourhoods, including Cherry Beach, Christie Pits, Evergreen Brickworks, High Park, Riverdale Park and Trinity Bellwoods (but they’ll bring a picnic to any park with enough notice).
What’s contained in these delicious deliveries? Taylor and Langella hail from Italy, so all the treats packed into each picnic basket are made with love. “All the recipes that I use for PicSnic are family recipes, mostly from my nonna,” Taylor says. “But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my mother’s recipes and my (caterer) mother-in-law’s tips helped me perfect them to sustain a PicSnic on a hot day.” Langella’s parents ran a restaurant back in Tuscany before they moved to Toronto, and now his mother owns a catering company here, which allowed Langella to learn his way around a kitchen. “I hope to expand in the future and collaborate with other chefs to offer a wider variety of menus from different countries around the world.” Taylor says. “Toronto is so multicultural, I would love to make PicSnic the same.” In the meantime, PicSnic fans can enjoy meat, vegetarian or vegan options.
Just a few short months out from that night in the living room tent, the duo have big plans for their picnics, including bouquet add-ons from the Secret Garden Florist; to expanding into canoe picnics; stand-up paddleboarding followed by Toronto Island picnics; and hot-air balloon picnics. Even the winter cannot stop a good picnic; they’d like to keep going year-round, with offerings like a warm meal and drinks for post-sledding or post-skating, and want to open a storefront and maybe even franchise. “PicSnic was a dream that I thought for the longest time was unreachable, so seeing it alive and being so supported and loved makes me truly happy.” Taylor says. “Plus we are so grateful we are able to provide something fun and safe for our community to experience during a hard time that allows them to keep enjoying the outdoors and summer.”