08/18/2026
Last week we said goodbye to a friend, a mentor, and a partner, the one and only Brad Smoliak.
For the last three years we had the privilege of working alongside Brad (aka “The Sausage Peddler” as he liked to call himself), and it truly was a privilege. Like countless others that knew Brad, and got to spend time with him, we feel extremely fortunate for the time we had together. Brad brought humour and heart to everything he did. He was deeply dedicated to the Edmonton food scene, and he cared passionately about quality ingredients and doing things the right way. His passion wasn’t simply about food, it was about people, the community, and the experiences that were created and shared.
Born with a congenital heart defect his life was the epitome of determination and resilience; he defied the odds time and again for almost 60 years. Brad never took anything for granted, and to anyone around him his presence was a constant reminder to make the most of the time you have.
Brad loved his family fiercely and was incredibly proud of them. Lucky for us, he treated his friends much the same. He had a remarkable way of embracing life, always ready to say “yes” to the next adventure, the next experience, and the next opportunity to make a memory. He believed in experiencing life in a big way, and he certainly did.
While his presence will be missed by all that knew him, his legacy will be felt by immeasurably more for years to come. It’s safe to say he accomplished his goal of “sucking every morsel out of life” that he possibly could. We’ll be thinking of him for a long, long time…while we keep geting “older, balder, and fatter”.