At the Inn we tend to get to know each other quite well as professionals, but it’s always exciting to get to know our colleagues “outside of the uniform,” too. Getting a glimpse of the fascinating pursuits team members are quietly working away on in their free time is incredibly inspiring—and pleasantly surprising! Tristan Raghunan, the Wickaninnish Inn’s Housekeeping Manager, is one such person.

Tristan has become a talented musician outside of his work, and has a unique aptitude for picking up an array of instruments for someone with very little professional training. “Crafting melodies is a little like excavating something you’ve found that you think may be treasure,” he says of making music, “I’ve always loved that part.” While he loves soul music, his favourite songwriter comes to a four-way tie between Sam Cooke, Ben Harper, Tracy Chapman and Kanye West, he says, and perhaps it’s that diverse range of interest that has him playing piano, guitar and drums.

Tristan has always been up for an adventure, a trait that eventually brought him out to Tofino three years ago. Leaving his position as Food Safety Auditor and Program Manager at Loblaws, Tristan became a member of the Wickaninnish Inn family. In the past nine months he expanded his responsibilities to include a concurrent role as Talent and Culture Manager, as well as worked to add grant writing to his skillset to support community causes in Tofino. Tristan says he’s looking to keep gaining all the knowledge he can from his experiences while settling his life on the west coast, though it’s quite the change from his hometown.

Hailing from Toronto, Tristan says the big city has “a vibrancy and vibration” with “such a concentrated mix of personalities, cultures, flavours—walking down Bathurst and Bloor is like travelling the world!” Tofino is no bustling metropolis, but living here gives Tristan ample time to pursue another passion of his: hiking. “Hiking is my forever pursuit, as long as these knees hold up,” he says. And on a sunny day, when the tides are right, you might find him walking his favourite route along the shoreline from Radar Beach to Schooner Cove.

While his hours of hiking may lessen as we come into winter, Tristan says he’s looking forward to fika, “Swedish for taking a moment to enjoy a warm coffee and good conversation with a friend, usually involving a little something sweet.” With cold weather on the horizon, this is some sound advice indeed!