Saturday Farmers’ Market Vendor Feature: One Arrow

Entering its first year at our market, this week we are featuring One Arrow! Owner and former Olympic chef, Heat Laliberte, has combined 15 years of experience along with love for his community to create an artisanal, naturally smoked, and local ingredient driven bacon. Recently we had the opportunity to chat with Heat and find out more.

How long has One Arrow been around? How did you get started?

One Arrow’s journey started at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre in the winter of 2017 when I took the Aboriginal BEST Program. The program gives each participant the tools to build a solid business idea. It’s where I was able to envision a side hustle making artisan bacon and selling at Vancouver Farmers Markets. I was still working full-time as a chef and building a customer base and brand. The goal was to make One Arrow my full-time job. Three years later and One Arrow is now my full-time job.

How do you incorporate your experience in the Aboriginal Business & Entrepreneurship Skills Training Program (BEST) into One Arrow?

I don’t think I would be in this stage of my business if it wasn’t for the Aboriginal BEST program to be honest. The course was a very empowering and safe environment. All the classmates were very supportive of each other as well. What I gained from the program the most was the attainable goal setting aspect. I remember doing my final presentation/pitch and the judging panel asked me where I wanted to sell my bacon a year from that day. I looked past the judges to outside across the street (that’s where SPUD is located) and I pointed and said “There, across the street at SPUD”. A year later almost to the exact day I was listed officially on the SPUD platform. Lesson is: always be setting goals!

What are the three most important things you think people should know about One Arrow?

One Arrow is 100% Indigenous Owned & Operated by Chef Heat Laliberte of Cree & Metis heritage.
Every batch is hand cured and smoked fresh to order for each Farmers Market.
One Arrow gives back to initiatives within the DTES, DTES Indigenous youth & LGBTQIA2S+ community through guest Chef fundraisers, speaking engagements, fundraiser donations and monetary donations. If there is an event that you would like One Arrow to be involved in please contact: heat@onearrowmeats.com

Why did you choose to come to the UBC Saturday Market specifically?

It’s a beautiful location and vibe! Also, the Market Manager was very persistent and persistence always pays off!

How did you decide on your four flavours of bacon?

Hickory Smoked Maple is such a classic flavour so this was a given! I use the best Maple Syrup in BC. It’s from Maples Sugar Shack and they are based out of Squamish, BC. They are a vendor at VFM across the city so I highly recommend buying their amber or extra dark maple syrup.

Salt & Smoke flavor was inspired by my customer that is an athlete and on a strict diet. He wanted my bacon but without any sugar added. So I made him a special batch with no sugar. Then his friends caught on and so on and I kept getting more and more requests. I had to add Salt & Smoke to the regular menu. It’s actually my #2 selling flavour believe it or not! For 4 ingredients that’s not bad! I also use Vancouver Island Sea Salt, it’s hand harvested, full of minerals and it compliments my bacon perfectly!

Chinese Five Spice was my wife’s idea. She said I needed a flavor that was “out of the box”. It’s our option for people that are a bit more adventurous and bacon aficionado. I toast fennel seed, clove, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. Then I blend the spices with cinnamon and add spice mix to a pot of simmering ginger, garlic, honey, brown sugar and soy. Chinese Five Spice goes well wrapped around scallops or chicken or tossed in a stir fry.

Black Pepper & Honey I used to make this at a hotel I used to work for when I was the charcuterie guy! I love it so much because I’m a huge black pepper fan and the sweetness from the honey really rounds out the flavor profile. This flavour is the ultimate BLT bacon.

You have cooked for Olympians in both the Rio and Pyeongchang, have you transferred any aspects of this experience into One Arrow?

Yes, when I got back from Pyeongchang, South Korea I made a special batch of thick cut, sweet & extra spicy gochugang glazed bacon. It’s a special order so if you want it order through my website! Onearrowmeats.com

If you could only have one of your bacons for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Salt & Smoke!

Where else can customers find you? And is there anything else you want them to know for this season?

SPUD, Fresh St. Markets, Forklift Bar & Grill, Les Amis du Fromage, The Little Butcher, Pete’s Meat Butcher Shop, Lux Foods Ladner, 6 Degrees Eatery, Mr. Bannock Indigenous Food Truck. And we are very excited to take part in the UBC Farmers Market and can’t wait to connect with you.