2024 Board of Directors
Executive Board
Johnny Bridge
President
About
President – Johnny Bridge
Chef Johnny Bridge is a west coast Chef with 2 decades industry experience, currently a private chef on the Sunshine Coast of BC as well as in a Chef role with the University of British Colombia. Johnny believes the most defining resource in our industry is the wellness of those who work it. Practicing and promoting our industry workers mental health through “Unconditional Positive Regard” in all sectors Johnny aims to shift our culture of the future to a kind & more productive one. Johnny is a board member of Mind The Bar, a Growing Chefs instructor and a UBC Farm volunteer as seasons permit.
Garett Kemp
Vice President, Membership Co-ChairAbout
Vice President, Membership Co-Chair – Garett Kemp
Chef Garett Kemp was born and raised in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, where he grew up learning and loving local producers. However, he had a taste for the West Coast from a young age – falling in love with the delicacies of the Pacific Northwest. For as long as he can remember, Chef Garett had a passion for cooking food, and when he graduated from cooking meals at home as a youngster, he packed up his knifes and headed out West to learn from the best.
Graduating top of his class from The Art Institute of Vancouver’s culinary program he immediately started honing his culinary prowess in all aspects. He spent a decade working in Vancouver fine dining staples, The Fish House in Stanley Park and WEST Restaurant, and earning his red seal designation from VCC. He then moved onto Cactus Club Café and The Pinnacle Harbourfront hotel where he discovered his love for teaching, coaching and the development of other chefs.
Today, Chef Garett is the Executive Chef of Pier 7 Restaurant in North Vancouver, where he works with local producers to create the best food the Pacific Northwest has to offer. He is passionate about utilizing the local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients and driving the industry forward. Chef Garett finds excitement and pride in mastering what our beautiful province has to offer and sharing that knowledge with his apprentices, other chefs and the world.
Poyan Danesh
Treasurer and Competition ChairAbout
Treasurer and Competition Chair – Poyan Danesh
Chef Poyan Danesh has been heavily involved in the BC culinary scene since graduating top of his class at VCC in 2003. Poyan is currently Culinary Director at Ocean Mama Seafood.
Named 2013 British Columbia Chef of the year, he was also one of 4 chefs that represented Canada in the World Culinary Olympics in Germany in 2012, placing 4th in the world. He was also honoured with the position of Captain of the Olympic Culinary Team of BC where he led them to a gold in their category, and 4th place finish at the World Culinary Olympics in Germany October of 2008. Poyan was also a member of Culinary Team Canada from 2004-2007 and 2010-2012, competing twice in Luxembourg, Germany, Basel and in Chicago with a second place finish, winning 14 gold medals in total.
Poyan was featured on the Global series “Canada’s Next Great Chef” as BC’s culinary representative. Poyan has also won the honour of being BC’s 2006 Apprentice of the Year and has won many Grand Gold championships at regional competitions in Vancouver. He has also been awarded the Top in Trades award by the Province newspaper and was named one of Vancouver’s rising stars by the Vancouver Sun and VCC alumni of the year in 2007.
Shawna Gardham
Executive Director/SecretaryAbout
Executive Director – Shawna Gardham
Shawna Gardham comes from the hospitality industry and has been involved in all aspects of event planning, fundraising, restaurant management, project management and customer service.
She has an entrepreneurial spirit with extensive contacts within the industry and outside of it as well.
Darren Clay
Past – PresidentAbout
Past – President – Darren Clay
Darren’s passion for culinary arts began at an early age. Every morning a loaf of unsliced bologna and unsliced bread was left out for him to saw through and create his own haphazardly shaped meat and mustard sandwich. Fast forward a number of years where he apprenticed with Fairmont Hotels in Vancouver, various establishments in Singapore with Raffles Hotel Group and learned efficiency and systems with Cactus Club Cafe. Darren settled into a role as Executive Culinary Chef at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts on Granville Island.
Wanting to give back to the industry, Darren sits on various ITA advisory committees, was a part of the Joy of Feeding steering committee which raised awareness and funds for the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm. It was here that he was enlightened with the progressive initiatives happening at UBC and joined the team to help make a difference in the future of food.
Darren is currently with UBC Food Services and working on various initiatives to bring local, sustainable and healthy options to students and staff. He can’t remember the last bologna sandwich he ate.
Board
Robert Belcham
Marketing ChairAbout
Marketing Chair – Robert Belcham
Robert Belcham was recognized as one of Vancouver’s leading chefs when he was awarded Chef of the Year at the 2009 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Credited by judges as producing “some of the best food this city has seen,” he wins high praise from his peers, the industry and his guests. As a young chef, he received the opportunity of a lifetime when Chef Thomas Keller offered him a Chef de Partie position at the world renowned French Laundry. In 2002, Robert came back to BC to C restaurant, where he rose to the challenge of running one of the country’s finest seafood restaurants. Later, Chef Belcham worked as Chef Consultant at Nu. Robert has since opened a string of his own highly regarded restaurants. His first, the award winning Fuel Restaurant in 2007—which rebranded as Refuel Restaurant & Bar in December 2009—and opened his second venture, Campagnolo Restaurant in 2008, followed by Campagnolo ROMA in 2011. Robert continues to source quality regional products and animals from organic and free-run farms. (Robert is Past President of CTS)
Tret Jordan
Membership Co-ChairAbout
Membership Chair – Tret Jordan
Chef Tret Jordan crafts traceable, ingredient-driven menus that are rooted in the classics while utilizing regionally focused fare. Seasonally inspired and sustainably sourced, his cooking is approachable, focused and precise. With over 20 years of hospitality experience, Chef Tret has worked in many different facets of the industry globally from quick-service outlets, to hotel groups, to Michelin starred restaurants. Currently based in Vancouver and the UK, Tret is a member of the Future Food Institute and is working towards a Master’s degree in Food Sustainability at the University of Reading. Chef Jordan holds a Red Seal Chef certification and WSET wine certification.
Growing up on the West coast of Canada on his family farm in the Fraser Valley, Tret developed a strong connection to how food is grown, harvested, processed and preserved at an early age. Chef Tret honed his culinary skills in many Vancouver restaurants: the William Tell, Raincity Grill, Earls Kitchen, Bacchus in the Wedgewood Hotel, Elixir Bistro at the Opus Hotel, and Voya Restaurant at Loden Hotel. Chef Tret went on to work at a diverse range of world-class Michelin-starred restaurants in London, England including Claridge’s Hotel, Putney Bridge, 1 Lombard Street Brasserie and Pied-a-Terre. Chef Tret also cooked at the ultrachic Whist Restaurant in Santa Monica’s Viceroy Hotel. In 2008, Chef Tret joined the Wentworth Hospitality Group as part of the executive team. As Executive Chef, Tret played an integral role in the execution and inspiration behind the kitchens and menus at Loden Hotel, Tableau Bar Bistro, Homer St Cafe and Bar, and Musette Caffe. He has represented the Future Food Institute at the UN General Assembly in New York and participated as a climate shaper in the Smart Oceans Program in West Fjords, Iceland. Currently, Chef Tret Jordan is the Chef Instructor and Culinary Manager of the culinary program with Coast Mental Health; A none profit social enterprise offering culinary skills to young adults with barriers to employment, providing them with real world training in the industry.
Ken Nakano
Scholarship/Mentorship Co-ChairAbout
Scholarship/Mentorship Co-Chair- Ken Nakano
Executive Chef of Inn at Laurel Point, Victoria
Chef Nakano has led the culinary teams of globally recognized companies like Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver, Rosewood Hotel Georgia and Fairmont Hotels. During that time Chef Nakano has prioritized sustainability and a farm-to-to table approach throughout his 20-year culinary tenure and supports local farmers, producers and fishermen wherever possible.
Chef Nakano’s philosophy of marrying locally sourced and seasonal ingredients with worldly flavours is perfect for Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio small plates concept and the culinary operations at Inn at Laurel Point. His traditional yet inventive approach to cooking inspires him to create sophisticated yet uncomplicated ingredient driven dishes. He is currently developing menus based on his planting of various items for the Inn’s culinary garden; these will include indigenous as well as rare and unique fruits and vegetables to be showcased in Aura throughout the year.
Vish Mayekar
Scholarship/Mentorship Co-ChairAbout
Scholarship-Mentorship Co-Chair – Vish Mayekar
Vish Mayekar is a Chef originally from Mumbai, India, who is now grateful and proud to call Canada home. With a decade plus in the Culinary industry and proud graduate of Niagara College, Ontario, Vish is now the head Chef at Pepinos Spaghetti House & Caffe La Tana.
Vish is a proud member of the National Culinary Olympic Team Canada and is looking forward to represent Canada along with his team on world stage over the next few years.
Chasing his wine education dreams Vish pursued his WSET early 2021 and currently is the Head Chef of the newly opened wine bar in Vancouver; Caffe La tana as well as the popular Italian restaurant – Pepinos Spaghetti house. Prior to that Vish has showcased his love for the local produce of the west coast as well as his passion for wine, as the Co-Chef at The Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards in Peachland, Okanagan Valley.
His obsession for food & travelling has also earned Vish a role as the Executive Chef and Culinary Program Director at The American Pavilion where he delights the pallets of the worlds film and entertainment industry during the annual Cannes Film Festival in the South of France.
Cory Pelan
Scholarship/Mentorship Co-ChairAbout
Scholarship/Mentorship Co-Chair – Cory Pelan
Chef Cory Pelan has over 25 years in the food industry cooking in many celebrated kitchens in Victoria and the lower mainland. It is his passion for traditional curing methods and flavor combinations that is the corner stone of his current business, The Whole Beast Salumeria, and has fueled its success to date. Cory recently became co-owner of The Village Butcher thereby completing the traditional connection between fresh and cured meats between his two businesses and allowing for a true nose to tail concept.
Cory is an outspoken champion of the sustainable food movement with many connections to food security initiatives on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland including Past president, treasurer and board member of The Island Chefs Collaborative https://islandchefscollaborative.ca/ , past board member for Slow Food Vancouver Island https://slowfood.ca/about-slow-food-in-canada/ , and former stewardship team member representing Vancouver Island for Farm Folk City Folk http://www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca/
Alex Tung
Education Co-ChairAbout
Education Co-Chair – Alex Tung
Chef Alex has always had a deep and intimate relationship with food and restaurants. Having cooked in some of the top kitchens around the world, he has planted his roots in Vancouver and has called it home since 2002. Alex’s formal education was at the highly esteemed New England Culinary Institute and the University of Toronto, but his true culinary education took place working for giants such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Boulud and Christian Delouvrier. These days, Chef Alex is the Culinary Director of Kitchen Table Restaurant Group, performs culinary and hospitality consulting via his boutique agency Yowza!Culinary, is the Head Cheese on The Melt Shop Truck and serves as the brand ambassador for Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar and artisan pasta producer Rustichella d’Abruzzo.
Camille Sauvagnac
Education Co-ChairAbout
Education Co-Chair – Camille Sauvagnac
Camille began her culinary adventure at a very young age in her grandmother’s kitchen.
At the age of 14, Camille did her first internship in a bakery and pastry shop, and that was the confirmation that she wanted to be a pastry chef.
The following year Camille join a pastry and bakery program at the Lycée Hôtelier Georges Baptiste in France. She then studied Organization of reception, followed by a diploma in management.
During her studies, she worked for various companies, where she met many chefs and business managers who taught her a lot.
Now in Canada and after working for two different chefs, Camille is working with Chef Warren at Wildlight Restaurant and Bar.
Ned Bell
Sustainability Co-ChairAbout
Sustainability Co-Chair – Ned Bell
Chef Ned Bell is the co-owner of Hatch Hospitality and Naramata Inn, Buy BC Chef Ambassador, as well as a chef advocate for healthy oceans and waterways, keynote speaker and educator. Ned’s lifelong passion for sustainable seafood, combined with his culinary interests and remarkable talents, have led him through many roles, including Culinary Director of The Vancouver Club, Executive Chef at YEW seafood + bar, Ocean Wise Executive Chef, and now Chef Ambassador for the Vancouver-based global program Ocean Wise. In 2014, Ned founded Chefs for Oceans to raise awareness and advocate for responsible seafood choices and the importance of supporting healthy oceans, lakes and rivers. For this work and more, Ned has earned honours that include Fellow of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (2019), Honorary Doctorate in Technology from Vancouver Island University (2019), SeaWeb Seafood Summit Global Champion Award (2017), leading a multi-chef sustainable seafood celebration at James Beard House (2017), Food Service & Hospitality magazine’s Pinnacle Award for Chef of the Year (2015), and author of best-selling cookbook Lure: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the West Coast. Follow along @nedbell on Instagram and learn more at hatchhospitality.com.
Stacy Johnston
Sustainability Co-ChairAbout
Sustainability Co-Chair – Stacy Johnston
Stacy’s passion for food began as a kid, growing up on her grandparent’s homestead in Saskatchewan. From an early age, Stacy has had an ingrained sense of appreciation for farming practices and strives to create food that tells the story of the ingredients, where they come from, and the season they grow in. Stacy is a graduate of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, where she studied professional cooking and earned her Red Seal certification in 2015. After meeting her partner in life and work in 2013, Stacy and Minette cooked their way across Western Canada, including working with Ocean wise, opening farm to table concepts and working as Co-Chef de Cuisine’s at the hyper-local Naramata Inn. Together, they were named some of the Canada’s ‘Next Rising Star Chefs’ and were resident Chef’s at the Ottawa National Arts gallery. Currently she is the Executive Chef at ‘The Restaurant at Poplar Grove,’ a must-see Okanagan winery destination where she curates a menu of ‘thoughtful’ and locally inspired dishes. When not running a kitchen, Stacy enjoys spending time with her wife, their Shorkie Olive and enjoying all of the beautiful things the Okanagan has to offer.
Chris Andraza
Sustainability Co-ChairAbout
Sustainability Co-Chair – Chris Andraza
Executive Chef Chris Andraza of Lift Bar and Grill has spent the past 20 years following a passion for the culinary world. He was born in southern Ontario in the town of Kitchener-Waterloo. In his early twenties he moved to the west coast thinking he would only spend a couple years honing his skills here. Without aging him he has a wife and two kids here, needless to say those couple of years have drastically been extended.
Chis did not have a huge influence with seafood cuisine in Ontario coming from a meat and potatoes style of cooking in his home, which he still loves to the core. When arriving in BC he quickly realized the plethora of delicious sustainable seafood available to him. After moving to Vancouver, he took on the Executive chef position at Rodney’s Oyster House where he found his new passion for oysters. A few years later he was approached by Fanny Bay Oysters and was asked to be part of the opening of their oyster bar in the stadium district. Since Fanny Bay Chris has been spending his days at Lift Bar and Grill developing new menu items and reaching back in the history books rejuvenating eclectic seafood dishes.
Advisors
Sid Cross
Founding Member / AdvisorAbout
Founding Member / Advisor – Sid Cross
Sid Cross is co-founder of The Chefs’ Table Society of BC. He is globally recognized for his extensive wine and food knowledge and his tasting memory. He has dined at most of the top resturants in the world. Sid writes monthly for Western Living Magazine and several other wine and food publications. He is a frequent panelist and entertaining educator on wine and food. Also an instrumental force in many charitible and fund raising activities. The only Canadian to be inducted as a Membre d’Honneur of the L’Academie du vin de Bordeaux and awarded Gourmet of the Year by The Society of Bacchus America (’for outstanding knowledge of food and wines and for imparting this knowledge to others’). He has been promoted by the French Government from Chevalier to Officer status in the Ordre du Merite Agricole. Sid with his legal background has recorded detailed notes of his comprehensive tasting experiences over the years in his chronological black book diaries providing one of the most extensive historical wine and food information collections of its kind in the world.”
Jamie Maw
AdvisorAbout
Jamie Maw
Jamie Maw was the Food Editor of Vancouver Magazine for 17 years and a frequent contributor to other national and international media outlets, including the BBC, the Globe and Mail and Bon Appetit. As one of the original founders of the Chefs’ Table Society of BC, Jamie was Co-Editor of Vancouver Cooks. Jamie was also the Editor of the Eating and Drinking Guide of BC, and has won more than 25 major awards for his culinary writing. He is the retired Chairman of Canada Place, former Director of the Vancouver International Airport, and the Chairman of the Jack Webster Foundation for journalism.
