Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island.

This weeks featured local people profile is: Shawn Walton

Here's a bit about Shawn;

I was born and raised in a rural farming community in southwestern Ontario before moving to Salt Spring Island where I've resided since 2001. My first jobs on Salt Spring Island were tending bar at the Legion and waiting tables at Calvin's Bistro. I met my wife Elisabeth on Salt Spring, we were married in November of 2002. In 2004 we started Auntie Pesto's Café in the location formerly known as Bouzouki Greek Café, in Grace Point Square on the waterfront. I am a proud father to my boy, Nolan James, who was born in 2005. I believe strongly in community, Salt Spring is a wonderful place to call home. I serve as a volunteer on the Board of Directors at SSICS and have done so since 2007. In 2010 I successfully challenged the professional cook level 3 program and attained my red seal trade certification. In 2012 I had the good fortune to cook for the Clarke/Bjorn sailing team representing Canada at the Summer Olympics in U.K. I am proud of my accomplishments on Salt Spring as well as my contributions.

What brought you to Salt Spring Island?

I vacationed on Salt Spring Island the third week of September in 2000, I liked it so much I moved here in January 2001. I had been living and working in Toronto for six years prior to moving here and felt that change was as good as the rest. Having grown up in a small community similar in some ways to Salt Spring, I really felt like I was home the moment I moved here, even though I had no contacts and no immediate source of employment. I pedaled my mountain bike off the long harbor ferry on a snowy day in January, took a room at the Tides Inn ( now the Salt Spring Inn ) picked up one of the two local rags at the time, The Barnacle, where I searched the "rent" column and called the ad for the first cabin I came across. I looked at it that afternoon and moved in the next day! Soon there after I began bartending at the Legion where I had the great honor of meeting many, many great locals who had served their country at it's time of need.

What one thing about Salt Spring would you tell someone who has never visited the island?

I would tell people who have never visited Salt Spring that they are in for a treat and that they should be prepared to savor Salt Spring. Whether the craving is art, music, food or nature, this Island has it all. Salt Spring residents I know, work hard at their craft and are proud producers and purveyors of world class goods and services.

If you had a magic Salt Spring wand, what island thing would you change?

I would like Salt Spring to acknowledge and build on it's success' and to be a role model as a standard of good community. Salt Spring and the food security of this treasured island is in a unique position to demonstrate and innovate how society cares for it's most vulnerable citizens while creating employment for people in need of work.

Which well known person, living or dead, do you think would be a good addition to the island?

Lee Iacocca, I read his biography when I was a younger man and one line has stuck with me my entire life. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Is there a special project, business or initiative you are working on that islanders should know about?

In our business, we are working on packaging some of the great products we make in the café for customers to enjoy at home. We are aiming to extend our brand beyond our bricks and mortar location with the hopes of reaching a wider customer base. Alternately, I am also very excited ( as always ) to be a part of the many great projects initiated by SSICS and I am also proud of the many great programs managed by SSICS. I am glad to live in a community where so many people are committed to the well being of others.

Is there a question we should have asked?

Yes, you should have asked about my passion, about what drives me.

What would you have answered?

I would say it's about food, good food, delicious food. I would say my passion was developed, to some degree, on Salt Spring; because of the incredible foods available to us here. I would say my passion is to feed people, to have them savour food. To watch them enjoy a new flavour combination or a new ingredient. To engage with farmers and to hold their hard work in my hands and then to feed it to people who are excited to eat it. My passion is to share as much of this incredible luxury of food, and my knowledge of it, with as many people as I can.