Whether it’s main meals or special treats, ‘Sweet Potato Johnny’ has it all

John Chabot has been a longtime fixture at local farmers markets, and can now be found at the Grimsby Farmers Market with his menu full of items using sweet potatoes. ~ Luke Edwards photo

By Luke Edwards

John Chabot owes his nickname, and in a way perhaps his business, to his friends at the Itty Bitty Pie Company.

Before he became Sweet Potato Johnny, Chabot was a bagel maker and regular at the St. Catharines Farmers Market. Around the time veggie burgers were gaining popularity he began offering other items, such as a sweet potato veggie burger. It caught the attention of one of the former owners of the Itty Bitty Pie Company.

“The next week she came and said ‘you’re Sweet Potato Johnny,’” Chabot recalled.

“The rest of the story is delicious.”

Nowadays he slings all sorts of treats and meals at the Grimsby Farmers Market, as well as another market in Burlington. And, as his new name implies, everything includes sweet potato.

Need a meal? Try the sweet potato lasagna, burrito, or chili.

Looking for a sweet treat instead? No problem, Chabot has brownies, sweet potato chocolate chip loaves and more.

The burgers remain one of his most popular items. The brownies are also popular and his own favourite is the brownie with cream cheese icing.

There was a time when Chabot was at eight different markets, but now he’s scaled back. He said he still loves the vibe though.

And since he’s been around so long, he now sells to people who were children when they first started enjoying his sweet potato treats.

“They were kids who grew up on my waffles,” he said.

For more information visit sweetpotatojohnny.com. 