Tyler Road Harness

County Road 6 on the north side of Elkhart, the business was relocated to its current spot on Plaza Court in 2016. This time around, the goal was to create a seafood niche, an environment that customers could enjoy locally without having to travel to the South Bend area.

As has become something of a Snyder trademark, the way he christens each business is chosen through crowd suggestions and a desire to find a name that blends “fun and funny,” as Snyder puts it. With the Chubby Trout, there is a nod to the founding of Elkhart as well. Snyder, an avowed follower of area history, notes that one of the earliest settlement maps he has seen includes a notation about the types of fish that were plentiful in earlier days. Most prominently featured in the writings was the proliferation of large trout, hence the quirky name for the new restaurant.

Launched in the spirit of an old-time fish fry, diners took an immediate liking to the locally harvested bluegill and lake perch, along with selections including sushi, house-designed margaritas, pastas, handheld sandwiches and wraps, and freshly prepared salads with homemade dressings.

Snyder’s third restaurant endeavor was perhaps the riskiest opportunity, but an opportunity nonetheless. When a former Applebee’s location closed abruptly in 2018, Snyder snapped up the structure and spent time working to transform the interior, giving it a fresh and funky vibe.

That included hand-painted murals of rock legends, done by local artist Gabriel Moskolis. Once again, Snyder tapped into the public’s interests in what the north side of Elkhart needed by way of dining, and folks were clamoring for smoked meats and Mexican cuisine. When the pandemic closed in and curtailed dine-in meals, the new business found a way to entice customers by offering to-go meals and meats. The name eventually picked seemed like a perfect fit - Smokin’ Fatty’s BBQ. For those unaware, a “fatty” is a term for a blend of ground meats and fillings, smoked in a wrap fashioned with bacon.

With only the briefest of introductions, having merely scratched the surface of what Snyder’s trio of restaurants has to offer, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to Cam and Company Catering and Events. Snyder and Wilson have formed the ideal collaboration to work with whatever parameters their prospective customers can imagine.

To learn more about how to plan an event featuring the imagination and innovation of this pair of entrepreneurs, contact Flippin’ Cow, located at 51330 State Road 19 in Elkhart. Also call 574-266-0606, and visit flippincow.com.

To reach Smokin’ Fatty’s BBQ, head over to 3241 Interchange Drive in Elkhart. To view their website, visit smokinfattysbbq. com, and call 574-333-3600 for dining options.

The Chubby Trout can be reached via phone at 574-264-5700, or online at chubbytrout.com. The restaurant is located at 3421 Plaza Court in Elkhart.

Koontz Lake/ Walkerton/ Grovertown

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