With chef Raphael Gonzales gone to the USA I was wondering who would be taking over at Yew in the Four Seasons. It’s a German chef named Oliver Beckert, fresh from a Four Seasons property in Hawaii. Full press release below:

“Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver welcomes a new edition to Vancouver’s culinary scene with the arrival of Executive Chef Oliver Beckert. Landing in Vancouver from Four Seasons Resorts Lana’i in Hawaii, Chef Oliver Beckert will oversee all the Hotel’s culinary operations; from the city’s premier catering events to the gastronomic hotspot, YEW restaurant + bar. Beckert, whose accomplished skills began from a young age, was born, raised and educated in Nuremberg, Germany. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Chef Beckert found his calling. Learning the tricks of the trade since the young age of four, he has fond memories of cooking with his grandmother in the family kitchen.

Chef Beckert’s skills and creativity are a perfect fit for one of the world’s hottest dining destinations. He apprenticed at the exclusive one-Michelin star-rated restaurant “Bammes” prior to joining the venerable five-star Bellevue Palace in Berne, Switzerland – renowned for over a century of setting the standards in Swiss hospitality. Prior to his arrival in Vancouver, Chef Beckert honed his talents at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Lana’i, Miami, Washington D.C., London and New York City.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Oliver while in Hawaii,” says general manager Simon Pettigrew. “He has such a passion for great food and with Vancouver’s dynamic restaurant scene we look forward to spicing up the city.” “I simply love to cook,” says Beckert. “I enjoy being an integral part of someone’s culinary experience, from taste, aroma, and texture to presentation, mood and environment…I thrive on the intensity of the creative challenge.”

YEW restaurant + bar opened in December 2007 and has received numerous awards and accolades throughout the year. Chef Beckert looks forward to continuing the success and working in a city that offers endless fresh local ingredients. With the diversity of cultures within Vancouver, Chef Beckert is eager to experiment with the variety of ingredients and flavors available to him and his team.

He arrives with his wife, Yvonne, and son, Rafe. When not in the kitchen, he is keen on hitting the slopes, joining the soccer league and exploring the city with his family.”