When Erin Auld arrived in Port Perry as a nine-year-old girl from Scarborough, she could not have imagined that one day she would become the owner of one of the town’s best-known restaurants.

Her family moved north in the early 1990s, seeking the quieter pace of small-town life. Erin attended local schools, including Port Perry High School, where science and mathematics quickly became her favourite subjects. “Science was my jam,” she recalls with a laugh. Her ambition was not hospitality, but a career as a scientist.

After graduation, she enrolled at Wilfrid Laurier University, to study biochemistry. Like many first-year students, however, she discovered that university life brought a level of independence she was not entirely prepared for. After a year, she returned home, and reassessed her plans.

Still drawn to science, she entered Durham College’s pharmaceutical and food science program. The goal remained clear: work in the pharmaceutical industry. She completed placements in laboratory quality control, and expected to build a career in that field.

Then Jester's entered the picture.

At the time, Erin was working reception part-time at a local salon and spa. A co-worker happened to be the sister of Jester’s owner Deena Vallieres, and suggested that Erin could earn far more money at the restaurant. With no serving experience whatsoever, she applied and was hired as a hostess. Her hospitality education began almost immediately.

During one particularly busy shift, Deena simply told her, “I need you to serve.” There was no formal training, no handbook, and no lengthy orientation. Erin learned by watching veteran servers and by listening carefully to how they interacted with customers. It was a sink-or-swim moment, and she swam.

For a time, Erin balanced school, laboratory work, and evening shifts at Jesters. The contrast could not have been greater. In the pharmaceutical lab, she found herself counting the hours until her shift ended. At Jesters, she looked forward to the conversations, the energy, and the human connection.

“I thought working in a lab by myself would be perfect,” she said. “Instead, I realized I missed interacting with people.” That realization changed everything.

By her early twenties, she had chosen Jesters over pharmaceuticals, though she still did not see herself as a future restaurateur. Deena, however, recognized her potential. Erin’s attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and willingness to learn, led to increasing responsibility. Over time, she moved into management, and became deeply involved in the day-to-day operation of the restaurant.

The relationship between the two women evolved beyond employer and employee. Deena Vallieres developed a long-term succession plan, gradually giving Erin more responsibility, while remaining available as a mentor and safety net.

Life brought other important changes. Erin met her future husband, Devon Powell, at Jesters, where he was a customer. The couple married in 2016, and Erin’s commitment to the restaurant continued to grow.

The original plan was for her to assume ownership before 2022, but the arrival of COVID forced a pause. Like many restaurant owners, Deena chose to delay major changes until the future became clearer. The transfer finally took place in January 2022, as the industry began emerging from pandemic restrictions.

The timing proved challenging. Erin was now the owner of a business as well as expecting a baby. “The staff are great, and everyone pitched in to make sure the business stayed a success.”

When her son Nash was born, she returned to the restaurant within weeks, balancing motherhood with ownership. Support from her family, particularly her mother, made that possible.

Today, Erin’s focus is not on expansion or building a restaurant empire. Instead, she is concentrating on improving what already exists. She has upgraded equipment, streamlined operations, and strengthened customer service standards. Her goal is for guests to feel at home when they walk through the door.

Equally important is staff continuity. “I want people to see familiar faces,” she said. “That sense of community is part of what makes Jesters Court special.”

After more than two decades with the restaurant, Erin understands that success in the restaurant business is rarely measured by becoming wealthy. It is measured by relationships, loyal customers, and the satisfaction of creating a welcoming place where people gather.

For someone who once expected to spend her career in a laboratory, it is an unexpected destination. Yet in many ways, the path from biochemistry to Jester’s Court, Pub and Eatery, at 279 Queen Street in Port Perry, seems perfectly suited to the town’s spirit: practical, resilient, and built on genuine connections with people.

And that, perhaps, is the formula that has kept Jesters thriving for so many years.