MEET THE TEAM

our Executive Chef

After spending the first 10 years of his life in Cape Breton, Jan’s family returned to Holland where he started his culinary journey at age 15. Working in various restaurants, most of which where Italian, he earned his culinary degree in the Netherlands.

He returned to Cape Breton in 2017, joining the Clove Hitch as a line cook. He took a little break working as a baker before returning back to the Hitch as Sous Chef under previous head chef Kyle MacLeod. For our 14th season, Jan is proudly taking the position of head chef and is looking forward to sharing his passion for supporting local farms and using fresh ingredients.

Jan Rooyakkers

  • With her many years of experience in the business, she is unmatched in her ability to manage a busy room or bar. She has served countless customers and often folks returning to the Bistro will ask, “is Toodie here?”, likely looking forward to a story or joke. She is a loyal, hard-working person who never shies away from lending a hand when needed.

    Toodie is mom to Brock, Grant and Danielle and Nana to Izzy. They are her pride and joy. A close second would be her love of antique cars. In the summer you can find her cruising around in her antique Malibu Convertible.

Patricia vanZutphen

Owner-Operator

With a passion for community development and a desire to become an entrepreneur, The Clove Hitch Bistro and Four Mermaids Gifts was born. Patricia worked as an RN prior to becoming a business owner and gradually moved to the business on a full time basis to concentrate her efforts on growth and development.

  • Having no formal training in food and beverage, knowledge is a result of a ‘hands on’ approach. She has done every job in the business, learning as she goes.

    Patricia is always looking to change things up, maybe a menu change or freshening up the decor. The space underwent a full interior renovation prior to opening in June of 2011. In 2018 the exterior was updated through the Facade Program.

    There is no greater reward than to have the room buzzing with activity as guests enjoy a locally inspired meal paired with a craft brew or local wine with family or friends. We change the menu seasonally, keeping the favourites and drawing on local producers to inspire us along the way.

    Patricia loves trying new food, travelling, cooking and spending time with her growing family. She is mother to four daughters Danielle, Maria, Hanna and Ava and she has been fortunate to have them all work with her. During peak season they often need to come to the Hitch to find her and share a meal to catch up.

Toodie

Front of House Manager- Server

There are probably still folks out there who don’t know her name is Patricia. Patricia MacPhee, aka Toodie, is original to The Hitch. Born and raised in Port Hood, Cape Breton, she has worked as a server in the food and beverage industry for over 40 years.