Edible Notables: The Hobbyist
When I asked Tamara Neale—or, Tam, as she likes to be called—of The Hobbyist to tell me a little about herself as the owner the business, the first thing she told me was that the Hobbyist is a family business—her husband is her local delivery man, and her daughter, Jade, “makes up the core of the team” with her. “Yes, she’s seven, but she’s full of creativity and inspiration!” says Tam.
It would appear that Jade’s penchant for creativity is directly inspired by her lineage, coming from a long line of creative women. “My nana and mother always loved crafting—I grew up with it,” says Tam. And now Tam’s built an entire business around her own creative leanings. Her primary products are Vancouver Island beeswax candles and soy and coconut wax candles (scented with ethically sources fragrances and unique essential oil blends) and cold-pressed soaps. “My soaps come directly from Mother Nature and are full of clays, seeds, herbs, root powders, and all kinds of locally foraged flowers,” she explains.
But before Tam was the owner of The Hobbyist, she worked around the world in the hospitality industry. Eventually, she found herself in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she worked as a bartender at an Italian restaurant. Then a guy named David Neale was hired to work in the kitchen—a guy who would end up being her husband. “Sparks were pretty immediate!” Tam recalls fondly. Then eleven years ago, they moved to Tofino and worked together at the Wickaninnish Inn, SoBo Restaurant, and Wolf in the Fog.
These days, David still works at Wolf in the Fog as a sous chef, and it’s also where The Hobbyist started. “I began to make organic, Vancouver Island beeswax candles for all the tables,” Tam explains. “From candles, I quickly took on soap-making. To my surprise, I began getting a ton of requests just through word of mouth.” It wasn’t long before she realized that her products could become a successful business.
Left photo of beeswax beehives by Sarah Spectrum; middle photo of soap by Jordie Hennigar; right photo of candle by Chelsea Gray.
The Hobbyist has now expanded beyond candles and soap to a variety of homegoods, like seasonally inspired jams, botanical bath bombs, salt soaks and plant-powered cleaning ingredients. “I make everything in small batches, all eco-friendly and locally sourced.” She finds inspiration in the region surrounding her—like the changing seasons, the salty air and the old-growth coastal rainforests. “Being so close to nature has really made me want to be as eco-friendly as possible, sourcing most of my ingredients from Vancouver Island or B.C.” She adapts her products to the seasons, using ingredients that are growing around her, from spruce tips to Nootka roses. And she ensures that her packaging is recyclable and reusable.
She’s also found inspiration through the many small business owners in Tofino who have paved the way for her business to flourish. She’s learned the value of getting involved in the community and not being afraid of putting yourself out there. But the biggest thing she’s learned as she’s grown The Hobbyist is to “lead with your heart; it’s what guides my creative process and has helped me stay the course.”
For someone who’s travelled the world, Tam says there’s nowhere quite like Vancouver Island to live and work. “Tofino’s magic is undeniable, and it’s hard not to create magic when you’re surrounded by it,” she says. She grew up in Campbell River, so the Island is an integral part of who she is—even if it took her awhile to realize it. “When I was younger, I couldn’t wait to get away and travel,” Tam admits. “But my dad always used to say that we lived in paradise. I just had to leave for a while to fully understand what he was talking about. His paradise is now mine.”
As for Jade, it’s clear that Tam intends to continue to foster her daughter's creative pursuits as she grows up. "I joke that I'm building an empire to hand over to her one day," Tam says. “I’m grateful every day that I can show little Jade what is possible in this world when you work hard and follow your dreams.”
Cover photo and above photo by Jodie Hennigar
The Edible Notables Series is proudly sponsored by Beacon Law Centre.
