You could say Mel Routhier is a chip off the old block. For years, her father ran a chip stand in Azilda before retiring, and now she’s smashing home-grown beef burgers and making fresh-by-the-day fries in the north end of the city.
Routhier owns Mel’s Chip Stand on the Triple Star Acre Farms property in Blezard Valley, which opened three years ago this spring.
“With my dad owning a seasonal chip stand for 10-plus years, you’d think I learned everything from him, but the reality is I never really worked for him because at the time I was running a pet grooming business,” she said.
Routhier admitted she’s always loved cooking and convinced her husband opening a chip stand would be adventurous.
First, it was a leased chip stand called the Northern Burger Girls, which then morphed into something insulated and permanent with Mel’s Chip Stand.
Being on cattle farm property, the chip stand deals with fresh meat.
“I render bacon fat to give these smash burgers a super juicy taste day in and day out,” Routhier said.
It’s why the Mel’s Burger, a double cheeseburger with bacon, onion rings, and smoky barbecue sauce, is her husband’s favourite.
It was also featured in Burger Wars, a local charity competition last year.
This year Routhier’s contribution to the local fundraiser for L’Arche Sudbury will feature a waffle burger surprise.
Customers also look forward to her weekend pickerel dinners with the fillets coming from a commercial fisherman in the Jocko Point area.
“The fisherman tells me he has a hard time keeping up with my weekly orders and yet we always sell out by Sunday!” Routhier said.
The dinners feature fresh cut fries, coleslaw, tartar sauce and a lemon wedge.
It doesn’t matter what the day brings, Routhier starts it with a visit to the Don Poulin farm daily from Tuesday to Sunday to get her daily dose of potatoes.
“I get to the chip stand and blanch the potatoes and cut them into fries. I finish them with my own seasoning and follow my dad’s cooking temperature trick for fries,” she said.
Other interesting items include the homemade Dorito-rolled pogo and her deep-fried pickle poutine with a house dip drizzled on top.
“People always ask me to bottle that house dip,” Routhier said.
She admitted her favourite take-home treat after a long day is a dozen wings, a menu item that also has quite the following.
While business is steady, patrons might notice a “for sale” sign on Routhier’s shack before too long. She plans to open a 1950s/1960s-style eatery in the Val Caron area.
So while the chip stand is up for sale, customers are still welcome to enjoy the country feel with picnic tables, the greenspace, the farm and the music.
“I think I am a ’50’s or ’60’s lady reincarnated,” Routhier said. “I love to sing. I love the era. I’m all about the old diners, low counters, round stools, white and black tiles, neon lights and jukeboxes. That’s what I want to bring to this community next.”
Summer hours are now underway at Mel’s: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday.
To learn more, visit Mel’s on Instagram and Facebook.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.