The year Turtle Jack’s opened in Port Carling, Ben Devlin joined the team with much to learn, but what kept him there wasn’t the mechanics of service or even the pace of restaurant life, it was the atmosphere around him — and the people building it.
“The first year I worked with Turtle Jack’s was the same year the Port Carling location opened,” he says. “At the time, I certainly wasn’t the best server on the floor, but what stood out to me immediately was the culture.”
That culture would end up shaping nearly two decades of his professional life.
Building Turtle Jack’s Port Carling around culture and hospitality
Today Devlin is the Operating Partner of Turtle Jack’s Port Carling, overseeing one of the brand’s most distinctive locations in one of Canada’s most recognizable seasonal destinations. But his connection to the business began much earlier, rooted in mentorship, leadership, and an instinctive connection to what the restaurant represents.
“Looking back now, I think my connection to the brand came from the fact that it aligned with who I already was at my core,” he says. “Turtle Jack’s represented warmth, community, energy, and genuine hospitality.”
After graduating with an economics degree, Devlin briefly moved into banking. It didn’t last. The pull back to hospitality — and specifically back to Port Carling — was too strong.
“There’s an energy in a busy restaurant, surrounded by people you care about, that’s hard to replicate anywhere else,” he says. “I realized that hospitality wasn’t just something I did; it was something I genuinely loved.”
His progression through Turtle Jack’s followed a path built on development and trust, from Server, to Manager, General Manager, and eventually Operating Partner. He credits leadership for much of that growth.
“Turtle Jack’s is attractive because it offers something increasingly rare in hospitality: genuine emotional connection.”
“Instead of giving up on me, the management team coached me, challenged me, and helped me improve,” he says.
That experience now informs how he leads his own teams.
The restaurant runs with six staff houses and more than 70 seasonal employees living together through the season, so team culture has to extend beyond the restaurant floor. Devlin’s leadership style has been heavily shaped by his own experiences – particularly the friendships, camaraderie, and sense of belonging that came with it.
Those influences are visible in how the Turtle Jack’s team functions.
From scavenger hunts around Muskoka to team hikes, volleyball tournaments, boating days, concerts and water-skiing lessons, the restaurant invests deliberately in team building outside service hours.
“Those moments build trust, friendships, and emotional connection, and that directly impacts how people work together under pressure,” Devlin says.
Inside the restaurant, that culture is visible in performance.
“When a team genuinely cares about one another and feels connected to a shared purpose, guests can feel it immediately,” he says.
Guests may arrive for food or drinks, but what stays with them is the atmosphere, the energy, and how the experience made them feel.
“At our best, our team operates almost in sync,” he says. “The environment, the energy, the music, the lighting, the food, the pacing of service – everything works together to create an experience that feels effortless and immersive for the guest.”
That focus on culture is central to how he sees the Turtle Jack’s brand fitting within Muskoka.
“Northern hospitality was born in places like Muskoka,” he says.
“There’s something timeless about arriving at the cottage after working hard all year – being welcomed by friends, slowing down, sharing food and drinks, and reconnecting with the people around you.”
The brand’s relaxed energy, emphasis on connection, and sense of escape align naturally with what people are looking for when they head to Muskoka. But Devlin believes those principles can travel beyond cottage country.
“I don’t believe great hospitality is purely about geography,” he says.
While the Port Carling location benefits from its waterfront setting and unique environment, he sees the deeper differentiator as intentionality – the conscious decision to create memorable experiences rather than simply serve meals.
“At Turtle Jack’s, we operate with the mindset that we are not simply serving food — we are curating experiences and creating memories.”
That same philosophy influences everything from recruitment to training.
Why experience-led hospitality is driving Turtle Jack’s success
For prospective franchisees looking at Turtle Jack’s, Devlin sees the same opportunity he saw nearly 20 years ago, but with a clearer understanding of what makes the brand durable.
“Turtle Jack’s is attractive because it offers something increasingly rare in hospitality: genuine emotional connection.”
In a crowded restaurant landscape, he believes food and drinks alone are no longer enough.
“The restaurant industry is filled with concepts that can serve food and drinks,” he says, “but far fewer brands truly understand how to create belonging, energy, and memorable experiences at scale.”
The real success of Turtle Jack’s Port Carling isn’t simply the waterfront setting or the seasonal demand. It’s the feeling guests leave with, and the one staff return for.
Key Takeaways
- Ben Devlin joined Turtle Jack’s Port Carling for its culture, which shaped his career and leadership style.
- He emphasizes team building through activities outside work to foster trust and connection among staff.
- Devlin believes that genuine hospitality creates emotional ties, which are essential for guest experiences.
- Turtle Jack’s focuses on curating memorable experiences rather than simply serving food and drinks.
- The brand’s success stems from a commitment to a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and intentionality in creating connections.
