Chef Archives - West Coast Food

Latin American January 22, 2024

Alejandro Diaz Shares El Santo’s Recipe for Building a Community

Alejandro Diaz’s contemporary Mexican restaurant, El Santo, opened in 2015 and has remained a New Westminster favourite year after year. The El Santo team are good, honest, and charitable people. Diaz is passionate about giving back to organizations like Canucks Autism Network, and nearby shelters in New West. It’s the kind of place you can feel good about giving your business to, with the bonus of the food and drink being second to none. *All photos care of Andrea Iñurria I had the pleasure of chatting with Diaz about the food he loves, the restaurant industry, and the importance of giving back to the community. Owning a restaurant is a huge job. What made you step into the industry? Diaz: I opened El Santo a little over six years ago. I’ve been working in the hospitality business for 25 years. I come from Mexico City, and when I came to…

Chef Stories November 3, 2022

Food Network Canada: Project Bakeover Features Lyra Lou Cakes

Food Network Canada’s Project Bakeover Features Surrey’s Lyra Lou Cakes By Catherine Dunwoody In Project Bakeover renowned pastry chef, master chocolatier and entrepreneur Steve Hodge saves struggling bakeries on the brink of losing it all. His expert advice, combined with interior designer Tiffany Pratt’s talents turning ho-hum spaces into stunning showcases really are the recipe for success. North Shore’s Steve Hodge of Temper Chocolate and Pastry and design guru Tiffany Pratt sprinkled their magic all over a Filipino bakery with a much-deserved makeover. West Coast Food’s regular contributor Catherine Dunwoody chatted with the Surrey-based husband and wife team, Lyra and Abe, about their epic experience on the show. Lyra Lou Cakes owners Abe and Lyra appeared in Project Bakeover Season 2, Episode 5 “Cake it to the Limit”. Lyra and Abe! How did you get involved in the show? Did you apply or did Food Network invite you? Somebody from…

Chef Stories October 27, 2022

Sustainable Cuisine With Two Of Vancouver’s Top Chefs

Sustainable Cuisine with Burdock & Co’s Andrea Carlson and Ono Vancouver’s TJ Conwi By Avneet Takhar We were lucky enough to sit down with two of Vancouver’s heavy hitters and well-known chefs! Andrea Carlon of Burdock & Co – named Vancouver Magazine’s Chef of the Year (2020) and whose vegetable-focused, creative cuisine has earned her recognition as a food artisan. And TJ Conwi, Founder of community-driven collective, Ono Vancouver who supports non-profits for meal programs and provides private dining experiences. They gave their insider advice from vast experience and growth, on how to maintain a sustainable structure in the food industry. For both customers and suppliers, they gave their expertise- an eye-opener to shutting down food myths and identifying opportunities where a few small changes can go a long way. Burdock & Co’s menu seems to focus on plant-based options. What led you to this decision? Andrea Carlson: We try…

Thai January 13, 2020

Eat (and Learn to Cook) Thai Food with Passion at Ban Chok Dee

By Kristi Alexandra If Ali Wong’s character in Always Be My Maybe had been inspired by a real-life restaurateur, it would be Langley’s Parinya Loptson. Known as “Chef Parinya” to those who watched her on Get Cooking With The Stars, Lopston is the owner, executive chef and manager of Ban Chok Dee, an award-winning Thai restaurant known for its authentic Thai flavours and its just-as-appetizing artistic presentation. The restaurateur, who’s been at the helm of Ban Chok Dee since 2009, is part-chef, part artist, part business owner and part master teacher. With two locations—one in Langley, and another in Maple Ridge—Parinya’s meals are served seven days a week in the Lower Mainland. If you find yourself inside one of the 120-seat fine dining eateries, you won’t want to miss out on the restaurant’s specialties. Try the Crying Tiger Salad, made with BBQ steak, sliced in Thai spicy sauce with a…

Chef Stories April 16, 2019

Family Inspiration Guided Chef Janet Wait of Jan’s on the Beach in White Rock

By Brittany Tiplady If there’s one thing you can expect from Jan’s on the Beach it truly is great food, made from scratch. Janet Wait, owner and operator of her namesake restaurant, may be a bustling chef and business woman but her story is as heartwarming as it gets and she’s never too busy to sit and have a chat. In 2006, Wait said goodbye to her 20-year career as a real estate agent in the Delta and went after her longtime dream of becoming a chef. “I was a realtor for 20 years. Our son was doing career planning in grade nine, and he asked me what I wanted to be growing up. I told him that I always wanted to be a chef but life happens. I got married and put my [husband] through university and then started as a realtor after we bought our first house. And…

Chef Stories February 19, 2019

No Need for a Menu When You Trust the Chef at Barrique Kitchen in White Rock

By Brittany Tiplady Barrique Kitchen and Wine Bar is only one year old, and yet, it’s impression on Metro Vancouver is already long-lasting. Owner, operator, and chef, Josiah Tam, has created a generous, warm, and delicious environment at Barrique that lends to an unforgettable meal and a truly memorable experience. Tam, (previously the sous chef at UBC’s the Nest), trained Le Cordon Bleu and tucked nearly a decade of industry experience under his belt before taking the plunge and opening Barrique last winter. After dining out frequently in Vancouver while living in the suburbs, Tam realized it was time to open something more his style right at home in White Rock. Thus began the journey of Barrique, an upscale casual modern French bistro and Tam’s first foray as a chef/owner. The food menu pays homage to Tam’s training in classic French cuisine with a contemporary flare. The wine menu is…

Chef Stories November 21, 2018

Chef David Pan of Richmond’s Origo Club Keeps his French Cuisine Simple

By Catherine Dunwoody Modern and fresh French cuisine, in Richmond–you better believe it. We sat down with Origo Club’s David Pan to learn about his journey from Taiwan to Coquitlam to Burnaby, and a career in culinary. Where were you born? David Pan: Born in Taiwan and raised in Coquitlam since 8 years old. What was food like in your growing up household? DP: Classic Chinese cuisine from north and south regions. Comfort food, healthy and light in seasoning and oil. Quality ingredients. Did you cook at home during your childhood? DP: Yes, assisting my mother for simple preps like washing, cutting and tasting. Where did you study culinary and when? DP: 2002 at Malaspina University College in Nanaimo, now known as Vancouver Island University. Then I finished my apprenticeship and Red Seal at Vancouver Community College. Most rewarding experience in your earlier days? Any mentors? DP: Washing dishes together…

Recipes November 19, 2018

Recipe: Potato and Sunchoke Soup

By Ian Lai, Executive Director of the Richmond Food Security Society INGREDIENTS Onion, diced (1 large) Leek, whites only (1/2) Garlic, minced (1 clove) Flour (2 Tbsp) Potatoes, diced (2 cups) Sunchokes, diced (1 cup) Sprig of thyme Butter (4 Tbsp) Homogenized milk (1 litre) Salt and pepper INSTRUCTIONS Sweat onions, leek and garlic in butter on medium heat until translucent Add potatoes, sunchokes and thyme Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally Add flour to coat everything Add milk Bring to a simmer stirring occasionally Cook until vegetables are soft Blend using a food processor or an immersion blender until smooth Season and taste Enjoy with a slice of crusty baguette Richmond Chef and Educator Aims to Make Healthy Food Accessible By Tourism Richmond It’s a sunlit autumn morning, and Ian Lai has just returned from Tomsett Elementary School in Richmond, helping to set up growing towers…

Chef Stories November 13, 2018

From Russia to Paris to Vancouver: Pastry Chef Elena Krasnova

Russian-born, Paris-trained pastry chef Elena Krasnova opened Mon Paris Pâtisserie in Burnaby in January 2017; creating classic French pastries, divine desserts and chocolates that are a work of art.

Chef Stories June 19, 2018

Anna Wallner of The Shopping Bags and now Savoury Chef Shares her Picnic Tips

By Catherine Dunwoody Remember W Network’s The Shopping Bags? Co-host and co-producer Anna Wallner may have closed that chapter of her career some time ago, but she’s moved on to an exciting new project. Wallner has recently purchased Vancouver catering and event-planning company, Savoury Chef Foods. After wrapping her last series, Anna and Kristina’s Grocery Bag, she studied at Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver. Since Anna is a culinary enthusiast, we asked her to share her favourite picnic spots in the lower mainland, and what she likes to eat. Here’s what she had to say: “I love a picnic. And eating al fresco is my favourite way to enjoy a meal with friends. A gorgeous summer’s eve, cold drinks, delicious food and a relaxed atmosphere is pretty much perfection in my mind. When you picnic with me you’ll be getting a gourmet offering. I’m in favour of grazing. A little…

Chef Stories April 19, 2018

Chef Alistair Veen Uses French Inspiration for Laid Back Home Grown Tastes in Surrey, BC

By Catherine Dunwoody Locally born and raised, Chef Alistair Veen worked his way up from dishwasher to Red Seal chef. To get to where he is now at Tap Restaurant in Surrey, BC, his message is simple and humble: It’s about hard work. Where were you born? Alistair Veen: I was born in Langley, BC, many, many moons ago. The rest of my family still lives there. What was food like in your growing up household? Veen: Both my parents worked, so dinner was a lot more function than form. They shared cooking responsibilities, which was pretty unique among my friends. My dad was a make-up-your-own-pasta kind of chef where my mum was more of a cookbook test kitchen. She had recipe cards that were tried tested and true, and she never deviated from them. Once she found a recipe she liked, she stuck with it, and there’s something to…

Chef Stories March 1, 2018

For the Love of Food: Burnaby Mountain & Riverway’s Executive Chef Jason Mok

By Sheliza Mitha When asked what inspires Executive Chef Jason Mok upon creating his seasonal dinner menus for the Burnaby Mountain and Riverway restaurants, his answer is nothing short of precise: “I love feeding people and seeing a happy, bustling restaurant.” Indeed, on this cold February evening at the spectacular Riverway Restaurant, the place is hopping. I’ve been told the restaurant is booked solid – a testament to the popularity of his evolving and seasonal menus, both here and at the cozy Burnaby Mountain Restaurant in North Burnaby. While the dinner menu reflects Chef Mok’s creative flair, it’s his unique three-course menu that often steals the spotlight for his guests. It’s easy to see why with its generous selection of appetizers and entrees (yes, count ’em… five!): New York steak, seafood linguine (with prawns, mussels, lobster and salmon), the vegetarian butternut squash ravioli, a twist on the regular with the…

Chef Stories November 16, 2017

Chef Joel Green on Vancouver’s North Shore Feeds a Passion for Community

By Brittany Tiplady How do we identify true members of our community? The term community albeit, chalk full of good intentions, has been tossed around so much that we often forget the true meaning of the word. North Vancouver’s Chef Joel Green certainly has not forgotten the meaning of community-in fact, he embodies it. I met with Green at Lonsdale’s Pinnacle Hotel on the Pier on a sunny Saturday afternoon, opening our interview with light conversation about the early Vancouver snowfall and the beginnings of winter that’s upon us West Coast wimps. He is simply giddy about an early snowfall- “I love it!” he beams. “Last winter was great, I spent 30 days on the mountain.” We start to chat about Green’s impressive career, his deep and passionate involvement with the North Shore, and the contents of his last meal. It’s evident that Green loves where he lives, loves what…

Chef Stories November 2, 2017

Mexican Cuisine Inspires Chef Sam Fabbro of El Santo

By Catherine Dunwoody El Santo, Spanish for “the saint”, was a masked legend of Mexican sports, a famous luchador (wrestler) and it is the two-year-old restaurant founder Alejandro Diaz’s childhood hero. For Diaz, choosing Vancouver-born Chef Sam Fabbro to helm his New Westminster restaurant’s kitchen made good sense. When it came to creating a menu that focused on the freshest seasonal West Coast ingredients available with a traditional, Mexican slant – Fabbro gets it. While still in high school, Sam hopped on a work experience opportunity at Cobre in Vancouver’s Gastown, then known for its real-deal Latino cuisine. After landing stints at Raincity in English Bay and Cin Cin; El Santo is where you’ll find him now. Always inspired by Mexican cooking, Fabbro spent time in Jalisco, Mexico to immerse myself in the food and culture, and brought some authentic ideas back to El Santo. “My dishes are always changing and that…

Chef Stories October 16, 2015

Farm to Table with Andrea Carlson

By Nikki Bayley Cited as one of the key players of the city’s culinary scene, chef Andrea Carlson has been quietly shaping the way that Vancouverites eat for more than a decade. From the (now closed) C Restaurant and the Rain City Grill, to Sooke Harbour House and Bishop’s, Andrea has worked at some of the province’s most important restaurants, whose locavore seasonal menus helped to lay down the foundations of a more sustainable way of eating in B.C. and beyond. Now chef/co-owner at Burdock & Co. on Main Street, and the celebrated local community store/delicious noodle soup bar, Harvest Union, we spoke to Andrea to find out more. “The driving force behind Burdock & Co is to present farm to table food in a casual environment and bring what used to be a bit elitist to families and the neighbourhood at a more accessible price point. I wanted to…