Jorge’s love of surfing has taken him across the world, from his origins in Peru to here in Tofino; a place he first fell in love with on childhood vacations. His passion for surfing is matched only by his enthusiasm for wine; a love affair that was sparked by visits to his French step-family’s wine cellars and a taste of a 1982 Chateau Lynch-Bages.
As one of the co-founders of Wolf in the Fog, Jorge has been here since the beginning and has seen Wolf grow since we opened in 2014.
“I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and I think we’ve really come a long way in different aspects,” says Jorge. “ The real challenge, as we’ve been growing all the time, is being able to maintain the quality of the product while expanding the business. It’s been super rewarding and every year we are busier and busier. My favourite thing is that we have a good crew of staff that come back here every year.”
It’s hard work being our GM but when Jorge is not at Wolf enjoying a sour tequila-based TEARS OF TIJUANA cocktail or fresh fish (“I could eat salmon every day”) he likes to get a drink at our neighbours Kuma or the Ice House.
His real love, though, is the beach. Jorge’s secret spot is in the Pacific Rim Park: “My favourite place to go in Tofino is Florencia Bay. It’s a beach down at the end of the park, and it’s a tranquil place that’s sheltered from the wind, so it’s always a bit hotter down there. It’s a really nice place to get away from the crowds in the summer.”
Whether in business or life, Jorge relishes a challenge and last summer he took up spearfishing as a new hobby. “You walk in off the rocks and spear different types of rock fish – it’s really hard and I think that’s why I like it,” he says. “When you’re BOAT fishing you don’t have the same connection that you have when you’re under the water. Spear fishing is more like hunting. You have to hold your breath for about 40 seconds or so. You go down about 30 feet to the bottom and wait – you’ll typically see the fish and they will go away then come back. If you don’t see any fish you cruise around on the bottom.”
Ask Jorge for his spearfishing tips and beach suggestions next time you’re visiting us at Wolf!