Stephen Cipes inducted into B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame
Congratulations to Stephen Cipes for his upcoming induction into the B.C. Restaurant Association's 2019 Hall of Fame! An organic pioneering powerhouse, Kelowna’s Stephen Cipes, owner of Summerhill Pyramid Winery, is being inducted as a Local Champion for providing holistic hospitality in his winery and his restaurant.
Cipes and his family fully support and live the organic and biodynamic lifestyle. The Cipes family are truly authentic in their organic leadership in the Okanagan and continue to advocate for the industry to follow suit.
Originally a New Yorker with a successful real estate development company, Stephen Cipes followed his dream to create a healthier lifestyle for his young boys back in 1986. The family embarked on their grand adventure, moved to the Okanagan and began to build Summerhill.
The Cipes’ organic revolution has manifested itself in several forms. There is an organic bistro at the winery, organic vegetable gardens including beehives, and the magical pyramid.
Summerhill produces 100% organic wine. They received Demeter Biodynamic certification in 2012, Certified organic status for their wine cellar in 2007, allowing them to display the Canadian certified organic logo and this spring, Stephen’s son Ezra Cipes, CEO of Summerhill, made another announcement.
“On May 15, after a two-year accreditation process, Summerhill has become a Certified B Corporation, which provides the same kind of transparency for the way we run our business," he said. "Our overall impact on our Earth and community is looked at; everything from the way we hire and treat our team members to every aspect of our supply chain. The B Corp certification is a mark that means we prioritize people and planet alongside profit and are using business as a force for good. Our greatest goal is an ongoing one of service to humanity, engendering a culture of gratitude for people and planet with every heavenly sip of our organic wine.”
“Ever since Stephen Cipes first came to the Okanagan in 1986, when it was still very early in the development of the British Columbia wine industry, his determination to champion sustainability and organic agriculture, has helped him forge a unique path to success. We are recognizing him for his leadership as an advocate of the land and for bringing sustainable wines and flavours to the restaurant table," says a release from the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, which operates the Hall of Fame.
Bravo!
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