Who is the guy behind Dine in 519?

Jesse Walker (left) is the man behind Dine in 519. His reviews of small, one-off restaurants and eateries have resulted in tens of thousands of followers on his social media accounts and long lineups like the one on the right at the Kai Café in Scotland, Ontario. (Dine in 519 Photos).

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Jesse Walker has taken the Southwestern Ontario culinary scene by storm, and he’s done it one burger and butter tart at a time.

The 36-year-old’s Dine in 519 social media channels are exploding as he travels across the area, thanks to Walker’s charismatic and heartfelt restaurant reviews.

He started the endeavour in 2020 while working as a marketing director for a large company, something he has done for most of his working life. During the pandemic, restaurants were closing down and Walker was working from home.

“I have this spare time. How can I use my skillset to support the food industry? I was doing photoshoots for restaurants, these ma and pa shops that don’t have a budget for marketing. It grew quickly and I think it resonated because it not only served as a resource for the restaurants but also for the public. I think that’s what hit with people.”

Walker decided to step it up a notch by adding video to his hole-in-the-wall visits by doing food reviews on video in his car. The numbers are staggering.

“Just in the last year I switched to the on-camera aspect, so being in my car, doing the reviews, showing a bit of personality, and I think it struck a chord with people and maybe it’s more organic, I don’t know. It went from 10,000 followers to over 70,000 just on Instagram alone. Facebook has grown by 20,000 in the last couple weeks.”

Walker also utilizes TikTok and has well over 30,000 followers there and has branched out into the event scene.

“All this has brought me to today and I am now doing large-scale events. I recently did Brunchfest, which was at the Kellogg Lane in London, in the courtyard. I did that as a way to earn revenue, and I sold over 2,000 advance tickets and I think over 600 more at the door throughout the day.”

This journalist went to the event and was wowed by not only the incredible selection of food vendors but also the overall vibe and the downright fun had by everyone in attendance. The prosecco stand didn’t hurt either.

“Events are going to be a big part of my strategy moving forward because people are loving them and it's something I enjoy doing,” he added. He also vows to keep away from chain restaurants.

“I get hundreds of emails a week from chains or those sub-chains with 10 or so locations, but I just don’t feel right doing it. Even though I could make a lot of money doing that, I think what people resonate with is that I highlight what I think is truly great, and I won’t just post a place because they are reaching out and offering money.”

Walker said he has launched his own line of merchandise and recently held an all-woman dinner event featuring a seven-course curated meal, which sold out. I first became interested in doing a story on Walker when I watched a heartfelt video on his Facebook page in support of small restaurants.

“90 per cent of comments I get are positive, but there’s always that 10 per cent. I posted Taylor’s Deli in Stratford, and they do this beef dip sandwich, which is a three-day process. They’re baking their own bread, doing everything in-house, and it’s $19 and delicious.”

Walker explained the deli has less expensive options on its menu, and he was getting some negative comments about the cost.

“What people don’t realize is chain sub shops have $19 sandwiches. It’s not just the cost of food. People don’t look beyond that. I’ve owned a restaurant myself, so I know how many things they are paying for before they get any type of profit.”

As far as his future plans, Walker is open to taking his show to the next level, including television and he is also open to teaming up with local Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and townships to promote downtowns across the region.

“I’ve done Windsor and I went up to Bayfield. They put me up in a cottage there, they built me an itinerary, so I don’t have to charge the restaurants that don’t have a budget.”

Walker is adamant that he is not an influencer but instead a supporter of independent restaurants.

“I think there’s a negative connotation that comes with that. I am an advocate for local, independent food joints and this has exploded. My main focus is online and making videos for these restaurants. I still have the same passion for it five years later.”

You can learn more about Walker on the Uncapped Network podcast at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7btns8lQiRQ.