Inuvik - After taking over the airport restaurant, the Mackenzie Boys are expanding into the hockey rink.

Larry Allum and his crew have been working hard to keep the airport restaurant running smoothly since they were awarded the contract two years ago.

Larry Allum and Hung Khuu of the Mackenzie Boys catering company have been hard at work for the past month to get the arena concession running. The eatery can cater in-house events ranging from small gatherings to full-blown conferences. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

He said their first task was to turn around the menu and add some new items.

"We wanted to expand the menu," he said.

"The amount of time it takes to get the food out has also been better."

Earlier this year, Allum was awarded another contract, this one was in the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex.

"We got the place in mid- September and opened up in October," he said.

Arranging the equipment and finding staff were some of the early challenges for Allum when opening up the arena concession. The hours have been changed since they opened on Oct. 9.

"We used to open at 9 a.m., but there is no real business until noon, when skating starts," said Allum.

The new hours at the arena eatery are from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Over the last few months, the growing pains have slowed and the crews are hard at work.

Now, Allum has a steady crew of three people working at the airport, with five people at the rec complex concession.

Now that he is all settled in the arena, he wants to enter into the catering business.

"With the new kitchen we have, we are available to in-house catering," said Allum.

He said no event is too large or too small for their services.

"If you have 10 people, or 300, we can work with you from coffee breaks to Christmas parties," he said.

Making the menus and organizing the events is a task that is done with the client, on a person-to-person basis.

"We take into account the number of people and what they would want for their event, when making the pricing with the catering," said Allum.

He has been in the profession since 1982 and was awarded his red seal certificate in 1991.

"I haven't looked back since," he said, with a smile.

He said working in the restaurant business in Inuvik is a challenge at times.

He said the price of supplies skyrockets twice a year when the roads close.

Allum said the biggest seller at both locations is the trusty combination of fries, gravy and a bit of cheese.

"The poutine is our best seller," he said.

"Poutine just took off, with burgers in close second."