The man behind a new handmade sausage shop has ambitions to turn it into a destination for barbecue in Edmonton, but for now he's making sure he doesn't bite off more than he can chew.
"We weren't sure how it would catch on," said Jarrett Gauthier, the chef at Okie Dokie Smokies, which opened at 7345 104 Street NW in December. "We definitely wanted to start smaller."
Okie Dokie operates from Thursday to Sunday, offering hot foods and prepared goods, including handmade sausage, pulled pork, burger patties, and more. The shop marks Gauthier's first time running a restaurant or retail concept.
"The space became available, I knew the right people, and so I'm using Okie Dokie as a stepping stone to be able to work for myself one day," he told Taproot. "It's currently a one-man show."
Okie Dokie supplies restaurants such as Sugarbowl, the neighbouring High Dough, and Little Wolf. The latter's Shaun Hicks is an owner of Okie Dokie alongside a silent partner that both Hicks and Gauthier declined to name. Hicks told Taproot he hopes Gauthier will buy a stake in the business as he transitions from employee to operator.
Having multiple revenue streams — serving both restaurants and walk-up customers — allows for measured growth and stability, Gauthier said.
"Part of the thing that makes us unique and special in Edmonton is that we're able to do all these different things," he said. "Right now, especially with the weather, we're focusing a lot on sausage-making and supplying to restaurants."
The shop is at the Strathcona Junction location where Modest Meats operated from 2023 to early 2025. Gauthier said Okie Dokie's business model is different from that of its fellow meat purveyor.
"Modest Meats focused on ultra-local, whole-animal butchery," Gauthier said. "With Okie Dokie, right now we're focusing more on sausage … so we definitely don't have the high labour cost of breaking down whole animals for a premium."
Jarrett Gauthier, the chef of Okie Dokie Smokies at 7345 104 Street NW. (Supplied)
Gauthier is a meat specialist, having learned what he calls the "lost art" of sausage-making in Vancouver. He went on to make meaty goods for Eleanor & Laurent and La Petite Iza.
For the next chapter of Okie Dokie, Gauthier said he plans to emphasize broader barbecue offerings. Okie Dokie already has a smoker handmade by Lewis BBQ Manufacturing of Leduc County.
"Edmonton has some good barbecue, but it's definitely missing some aspects," he said. "Once the weather gets nicer, we're going to be focusing on (customers who) can order a pound of brisket, a pound of pulled pork, some sides, and a bunch of other stuff. They can come pick it up and take it home on a nice summer day."
In the shorter term, Gauthier is working on a pop-up to coincide with a Blind Enthusiasm beer release at The Monolith.