Redefining Mom: Perienne Sadler of Cove Fine Foods

Perienne Sadler owns Cove Fine Foods in Deep Cove. It’s a gourmet deli, cafe and bakery, which she opened when her daughter was only 10 months old. So how does she balance her life as a business owner, foodie and mom? We caught up with her to find out how she does it, and how she’s redefining the word ‘mom’ for herself.

Inspired by Fashion

Perienne believes in preserving the integrity of food. She says, “I believe in what we call ‘real’ food – I want my chicken to taste like the best roast chicken you have ever had. Natural meat is pricier to purchase, but I refuse to feed my family and customers processed meat. Our health is the most important thing we have!”

Perienne draws inspiration from fashion and the seasons when making food. She says, “Something about wintertime always gives me the urge to get back into comfort food, and to do it in a way that is upscale and nostalgic. We can hardly keep our natural chicken pot pies on the shelf. Tossed in a tarragon veloute, they remind me of wrapping myself in a big cashmere scarf.” Cozy, comforting and sophisticated.

Facing Obstacles, Redefining Mom

Like any mom, Perienne faces her fair share of obstacles as she works at redefining life on her own terms. When asked what challenges her, she says, “I need a few extra hours in the day just like everyone else. For me it’s all about priorities – some days it is just more important to me to take my daughter to Maplewood Farm than it is to do be developing new recipes for the restaurant. It’s always a balance – some days I have to be with clients, and that means my daughter and husband have to have dinner without me.”

How does Perienne overcome the obstacles she faces? She says, “Good communication helps, but I am constantly learning how to balance it all and make it all work.” She also says that she has a tendency to take on a lot of things at once. “Sometimes this can make it a bit tricky to really enjoy and live in the moment and appreciate what is happening at that time. Looking back on how fast time flies by, I’m trying to take my own advice and really enjoy the present.” She adds, “I didn’t ever fully understand it until having my daughter – all of the sudden she’s a little girl, not a baby anymore, and I don’t want to miss a moment of it.”

Foodie and Mom

Life with a toddler is putting Perienne’s patience to the test, as she shares, “My toddler is a smart girl with a very active mind, and now she’s at the age where she doesn’t always understand her emotions. The amount of patience required to reassure her in those moments comes from the patience required to prepare a complex recipe. And if all else fails, laughter and a sense of humour will always get us through a rough patch or a recipe we mess up. Sometimes it’s the spur of the moment that makes for the best parenting and cooking!”

Perienne isn’t just redefining motherhood – motherhood is also redefining her. She says, “Motherhood saved my life – I really don’t mean that lightly. My beautiful mother passed away when my daughter was two and a half months old. Had it not been for my sweet baby Simone, I would have made very different decisions for my future. She was the reason I started my business – I needed to focus on building something positive that I could pour my heart and soul into. I was hurting so deeply, that I never believed I could get through it. At the time I wanted to do something that my daughter could be proud of. Looking back on it now, I made a conscious decision to take the road to heal and become a better mother and woman. It’s funny how things work – I gave my daughter life, and two months later, she saved mine.”

Following and Reaching Dreams

Perienne is working hard to set a good example for her children. She says, “I want my children to know that they can do anything they want to do, that they should always follow their dreams, and that I will love them no matter what. If they can learn this, and be the best version of themselves through watching me, then I will have done the best job imaginable.” The work she’s doing in redefining motherhood on her own terms is aimed at setting an example for her daughter, and any other children she has.

When asked about her proudest accomplishment, Perienne says, “It’s a toss up for me. The day my daughter was born was the best accomplishment imaginable, to have brought a beautiful, healthy, baby girl into this world was incredible. But putting her in my beautiful mother’s arms was almost better. My mom was so excited for our daughter to be born – she was by my side for every moment of my pregnancy.” There have been other proud moments, too. Perienne shares, “I was at a rock concert – my favourite band was playing live. I looked over at my gorgeous husband, my restaurant was open for one of our first dinner services, and my baby was sleeping away at home with grandma, and I was so proud that I had managed to build a beautiful life in the midst of facing the hardest time imaginable. I have built a meaningful life out of extreme tragedy.”

Life After Loss

Perienne wants other people who are facing tragedy to take heart. “There is life after loss, and I am most proud to be an example of the fact that there can be beauty through all of the pain, and proof that you can build the life you have always wanted out of the ruins. My Mom was my best friend; my sister, my role model, my everything, and losing her to such a vicious disease affected all of us so deeply. If I can inspire just one person to make the same choice I did, and to chase their dreams in their darkest moments, then that will be an even bigger accomplishment.”

Thank you so much, Perienne, for sharing how you are redefining “mom”, and offering us some inspiration.