Nicolette Novak — Proprietor and Host
A self-described "facilitator of fun", Nicolette goes out of her way to make certain that your visit to The Good Earth is truly exceptional. No detail is too small nor request too outrageous to be given due consideration. Nicolette will be your first contact and will put all the pieces in place to help create your event.

A lifelong native of Niagara, Nicolette is one of the area’s best resources. She always has one ear to the grapevine to uncover what's new and exciting in the community. Her enthusiasm and passion for what she does has earned her many well deserved accolades as well as many fans among her vast clientele.

As many people have observed, Nicolette is The Good Earth! Her wit, sense of fun and genuine caring are just some of the ingredients that have made The Good Earth such a success.

Patrick Engel — Executive Chef
Patrick grew up in the Hamilton area. He trundled off to University and started off studying psychology. Not knowing what quite to do with his degree when he graduated, he decided to explore the world of cooking, building on a hobby that he enjoyed at home.

A few years at George Brown College gave Patrick the inspiration he was looking for. He started his cooking career in Niagara at On the Twenty Restaurant & Wine Bar under the direction of founding Executive Chef, Michael Olson. These were the early days of fine dining in Niagara which served as a real inspiration to Patrick. He knew that he wanted to return to the area one day to put down roots.

With chef knives in hand, Patrick set off for Toronto working as Executive Chef at Rodney’s Oyster House, a Toronto landmark for serious seafood lovers. He also worked at Whitehouse Meats at the St. Lawrence market as well as the much acclaimed Bymark Restaurant.

Patrick returned to Inn on the Twenty Restaurant as Sous Chef. He went on to assume the position of Executive of Twelve Waterfront Grill in Port Dalhousie where his creative range was given greater freedom than ever before.

Patrick brings a great deal of food and wine knowledge to our team. His gregarious nature and inventive food curiosity ensure that menus are fresh, interesting and unique. Most importantly, it means that every class and event is peppered with laughter, great stories and pure, unadulterated fun!

Isa DiIorio — Resident Chef
A native of Niagara, some of Isa’s earliest memories are from the farm where The Good Earth is located. As a little girl she would sometimes accompany her mother to work on the farm. As a teenager, she worked at the farm market once part of the farming operations, helping out in the bakery, preparing fruit pies for sale at the market.

After a few false starts, Isa finally settled on what has become her passion. Starting as a very “green” prep cook with Chef Antonio de Luca when the restaurant at Hillebrand Estates Winery first opened many years ago, she knew she had found her calling.

Isa’s talent, work ethic and sense of outrageous fun served her well as she won the hearts and the respect of her fellow chefs. She has worked at Vineland Estates Winery Restaurant, Inn on the Twenty and Hillebrand Estates Winery where she was Sous Chef to Executive Chefs Antonio de Luca and Frank Dodd.

The past few seasons has been a “time out” from the kitchen scene as Isa explored the wine side of Niagara’s wine country. As retail manager of Flat Rock Cellars, Isa has experienced all aspects of wine production, from vineyard to glass.

Isa joins The Good Earth team with a renewed enthusiasm for her first love – the kitchen! Her strong commitment to local and seasonal menu creation and her impressive work experience make Isa an important addition to our team!

Mike McColl – Pit Boss
Where there is smoke, fire and the sound of something sizzling, you’ll find our resident Pit Boss, Mike stoking the flames!

Mike has spent the past few years focusing on the world of BBQ as the Chef for “The King of the Q” Ted Reader. Working behind the scenes and appearing in “The King of the Q: Grilling Adventures” an outdoor grilling television show filmed on the beaches of the Dominican Republic.

Chef Mike has cooked on and tested over 100 different types of grills and smokers and is the Pit Boss for Ted Reader’s “Team BBQ: Global Gluttony - We don’t compete, we just eat!”

As the Sous Chef at Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto, Mike worked daily with the freshest and most sought after marine life. He also enjoyed a full cycle of seasons preparing vegetables at On the Twenty under Niagara’s Michael Olson. As an apprentice in Germany and Spain, Chef Mike learned a simple, rustic approach to cooking and has a solid foundation in old world comfort food and butchery.

Mike brings his fearless food fanaticism to our team. We are thrilled to have him turning up the heat at The Good Earth!

Amanda Bertrand — Resident Chef
Amanda is also from the Niagara area and a recent graduate of the culinary arts program at Niagara College. Her focus of study has been in pastry which is an important asset for the culinary team at The Good Earth.

Together with her fiancé, Amanda also owns and operates a number of specialty confectionary stores in Port Dalhousie and Niagara on the Lake.

Amanda brings a great deal of experience in the “front of the house” services. She is a “Jill of all trades” moving seamlessly from the kitchen to the kitchen garden to service at catering events. Her pleasant demeanour and natural charm has made her a popular favourite with our clientele.

Lori Elstone – Special Projects Manager
Lori grew upin Harrow, Ontario where her love of the land and food was born. She spentsome time working as a prep cook in the kitchen at Inn on the Twenty, exploring the culinary arts as a possible career. She toyed with the idea of a career in the wine industry, worked with Cave Spring Cellars and earned a BSc. from Brock University.

Lori’s love of food and wine are married in her eclectic career path. She has worked in the wine industry, in fine dining, catering as well as food retail. Lori has a keen interest in horticulture and is a steward of our kitchen “potager”. She has a broad knowledge of all things “foodie” making her a natural fit for the team at The Good Earth.

As our “Special Projects Manager” Lori is charged with making our many “ideas” become a reality!