Shelome Bouvette always knew that she would bring love into the world through her culinary gifts. She’s been cooking since the age of two, when she was helping out atop a milk crate in her grandparents bakery. She ventured into the professional world at VCC and proceeded to work in catering, hotels and some of Vancouver’s most notorious restaurant haunts (Mescaleros, Allegro, Bin 942, Ballantyne’s….and the list goes on). She is a dedicated mother, extremely hardworking chef and grandiose social diva. In August of 2005, she was given her first opportunity to “own it” when she came on board as the executive chef and creative vision behind the award winning “Modern Mexican Cuisine” at Lolita’s South of the Border Cantina on Davie. Shelome continues to push the boundaries of her career by refining her skills with specialty classes, local charity and social events and creating masterpiece special occasion cakes. Somewhere in her near future a food truck looms. What’s cooking, good lookin’?

Three things about Commercial Drive that makes you want to live there: Good coffee, diversity of culture and the fact that it’s community oriented.

Name the thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating? Dim sum.

Default drink/cocktail of choice? Full bodied red, like myself.

The Vancouverite that you admire most and why? John Bishop, because he was one of the first chefs in Vancouver to showcase local seafood and organic produce and meats.

Your role models? Rick Bayless (Mexican chef and restaurateur in Chicago).

Favourite breakfast? When someone else makes it. For a chef, this is a treat.

What trend have you followed that you now regret? Frosted hair tips, feathered roach hair clips, tight jeans before there was lycra, overalls and 90’s rave wear.

The dumbest thing that you’ve ever done to your hair? Back in the 80’s they had a thing called Sun In. You would spray it all over your hair and wake up hoping you look like a beach babe. I forgot to tell my mom I had done this and she permed my hair the next day and it all fell out. Had to wear a hat for weeks to high school.

What are the three things you’d like to change about Vancouver? Homelessness, the fact that its always raining, and the cost of living.

What does food do for community? Food to me means love, sharing, and bringing our cultures together.

Your go to, no-frills place for dinner? Kyles Cafe on commercial and 10th. Ghetto neighbourhood cafe that has cheap but great Chinese food. It’s one of the only Chinese restaurants that still does Canadian/Chinese combination meals.

The relatively normal piece of clothing that you believe you’d look the most ridiculous in? A bikini. It’s never going to happen.

If you could board a plane this afternoon, where would it be taking you? Greece. I’d head to the beach to sip wine and eat 100% pure, local ingredients.

The strangest place you’ve ever been to? Brownsville, Texas.

The three books that you read that made an impact on you in your formative years? As a chef: Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum, and Mexico One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless.

What is the best way to get to know a neighbourhood? Hang out where the locals go and then meet the bartenders that work there.

Where was the last place you traveled to for work or pleasure? Chicago.

What is your biggest phobia? Driving. I’m scared to death, 37, and have never driven a car. I gotta get a life or driving lessons.

Where did you go to school? Maple Ridge Secondary.

 The cliché that you overuse? Calling people “Hun” when I forget their names.

The strangest talent that you possess? Making magic in the kitchen after being nicknamed The Hummingbird of Chaos.

Shoe of choice? At work: Birkenstocks. Casual: Converse. For a night out: high heels.

The different career path that you could have gone on? Opera. I studied for years before I wanted to be a chef.

Your ancestry? Russian and Ukrainian.

Your three favourite films? Saint Elmo’s Fire, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles.

Favourite pizza? Olympia Pizza on Denman. It is what it is: simple greek pizza with lots of flavour and lots of toppings, unlike the fad of thin crust pizza (which I like). Making a whole family happy is hard with thin.

Under what circumstances would you join the army? If Canada was being invaded. I’m not sure what they would want me to do anything other than cook and clean. I might be useless.

Your most regrettable purchase ever? Real live plants or flower beds. I just can’t keep them alive.

Your major character flaw? Not listening. Whats the question?

The character flaw in others that you can’t abide? Bad manners.

How do you know when you can trust someone? When I give them my bank card.

What was the luckiest moment in your life? Having my son, meeting my partner, opening Lolitas.

What was the unluckiest moment in your life? When Me and Julio’s closed.

What are you the most proud of? My amazing friends and family that keep me in check and always have my back.

What are you the least proud of: Four broken iPhones and counting, 4o lost debit cards and counting.

The biggest mistake you’ve ever made? Always being too sensitive to let things go in everyday situations with people.

What is the best thing about your work? I can 100% be myself with my personality and my food.

What is the worst thing about your work? Chopping cilantro. If I could hire someone to do this task I’d be laughing.

The talent that you wish you possessed? Being a handy in general; Ikea furniture, et cetera…

What are you listening to as you answer these questions? My son asking me the same question over and over and me yelling at him and him not listening.

What musical instrument do you secretly long to play? Piano. It would have helped me warm up my voice when I was studying opera.

What sport did you give up and why? All of them. Not very coordinated.

What is the game that you’re best at? Hiding from suppliers when they need cheques.

What is the one animal that scares you the most? Racoons.

Scariest situation you’ve ever been in?  Being in a car with my mother driving.

Your favourite Saying? Mexi can, not mexi can’t.

Your least favourite word? Ma’am. It’s what you start being called when you stop looking like a young lady. Heartbreaking.

Your favourite curse word? Motherfucker. Classy, right?

Three things of no monetary value that you own and will keep dearly until you die? All the Mothers Day gifts my son made in school. A wine cork from a bottle of 2007 Rubicon Estates Cab Franc that I shared with my best friends. We bought it in Napa Valley and saved it for a special occasion. An old Watkins cookbook given to me by my grandmother.

The strangest road you’ve ever travelled? The road of opening Me and Julio’s. Interesting characters and lots of heartbreak.

Your first memory? Standing on a milk grate helping my grandparents in their bakery when I was a little girl.

The first album that made you love music?  Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

The song that you could listen to on repeat for an hour? Not Ready To Make Nice, Dixie Chicks.

The one place that you have the least interest in ever visiting? Bosnia.

The first three things that you do every morning? Shower, coffee, makeup.

Describe your favourite photograph: A picture of my brother, sister and I, and my angry mother who wasn’t supposed to be in the photo. All of us with the same uneven bowl hair cut back in the late 70’s.

When you can’t sleep: Wine, Reality TV, back to the wine and repeat.

What is beauty? Beauty i an attribute everyone possess but in many different forms. I always try to find it in everyone one I meet.

If you had a motto, what would it be? It doesn’t matter if the glass is half empty or half full. There is clearly room for more wine.

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