Tom Ferris

Tom was born in Toronto on January 23, 1956. He graduated from William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute in 1975 and attended the University of Toronto to pursue a degree in History. He put himself through university by working at Lake Louise Chateau and Jasper Park Lodge, rising from pot washer to Captain Waiter. After a brief stop in Montreal, his money ran out and Tom decided to try his luck in sunny Victoria.

Twist on Wharf Street was his first venture into the restaurant world. Ever vigilant, he bounced back and was hired as manager of Burgundy's Restaurant. It was there he met Sandy, who used to come in after work with her friends.

In 1989, Tom came home and announced: "I bought a café!" Café Giovannini on Fort Street was operated by Sandy and Paula, while Tom drove the island selling espresso by day and tended bar at night. Then in November 1990, he came home again: "I bought a restaurant."

On February 4th, 1991, the doors opened to Ferris' Oyster & Burger Bar. With a simple menu of oysters, burgers, and sweet potato fries, the restaurant gained a steady stream of coffee kids and regulars. In 1992, Tom returned home yet again: "I bought another restaurant" — and Zombie's Pizza was born on Wharf Street, serving late-night pizza by the slice to Victoria's hungry bar scene.

Tom had a tremendous amount of help through the years from hundreds of fabulous staff who helped shape and create the essence of what Ferris' is today. In 1998, over several glasses of wine, Tom made a partnership proposal to his friend Dave Craggs — a partnership and friendship that led to even bigger and better things.

Tom loved his work, his staff, his customers, and his family — whistling every morning on his drive to Ferris' and whistling when he arrived back home, no matter how long the day.

"While success can easily be judged by the prosperity of the businesses Tom created, a better judgement of Tom's success is the thousands of staff and customers alike, upon whose lives Tom has created a lasting impact."

In the fall of 2005, Ferris' Upstairs Seafood & Oyster Bar was born, and the downstairs was redubbed Ferris' Grill & Garden Patio. In 2013, Catalano Restaurant & Cicchetti Bar in the Magnolia Hotel was conceived — with great effort it became profitable and garnered a strong local following. In 2014, the upstairs Oyster Bar got a well-deserved renovation, and across from it, Perro Negro Tapas & Wine was brought to life.

Sadly, after a brief battle with cancer, Tom passed away in August of 2019. His legacy lives on — not just in the restaurants that bear his name, but in the thousands of people whose lives he touched with his warmth, generosity, and unwavering love for hospitality.