A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

DINER: Award-Winning “West” Restaurant Hires Quang Dang As New Executive Chef

Today, the first day of NHL free agency, we’ve so far learned that Raffi Torres is off to the Coyotes and that the Canucks have re-signed Sami Salo and Chris Higgins. Not to be outdone, our local restaurant trade is making moves as well, beginning with the looming departure of first line center executive chef David Gunawan from South Granville’s venerable West to Belgium (in exchange for future considerations). To fill the captaincy, owner Jack Evrensel has booked the services of talented 1st round draft pick chef Quang Dang, who has successfully quarterbacked the powerplay at Diva in the Metropolitan Hotel for a little over a year now. No news as of yet on his replacement, but there’s no rush. Apparently, this deal doesn’t go through until the end of August. If that’s true, then there’s plenty of time for Diva to exploit free agency. There are several heavyweights currently available, and not many fine dining joints buying.

Field Trip: Tagging Along for a “Glorious” Tomato Appreciation Feast

Inspired by their love of tomatoes and everything that farmer Mark Cormier and his farm crew put into growing them, the team from Say Hey Sandwiches head out to Aldergrove on a mission to cook a feast for the Glorious Organics team...

Reverence, Respect, and Realization: What The Acorn Taught Me

At 21 years old, I'm still just a kid and relatively new to working in restaurants, but I grew up umbilically tied to the hospitality industry. My father was a food writer, and my mother is a photographer. Their careers meant that most of my early years were spent in kitchens and dining rooms instead of on playgrounds and soccer fields; consequently, I learned my table manners before I could count past one hundred.

Amanda MacMullin Talks Seeking New Challenges and Becoming a ‘Grizzled Old Bartender’

Rhys Amber recently sat down with The Diamond bartender to catch up, swap 'war stories' and discuss the minutiae of the crazy, hospitality life.

On Expensive Hobbies, Title-Chasing & Getting ‘Rinsed’ in the Kitchen, with Josh Stel

The veteran Vancouver pan jockey and recently appointed Chef de Cuisine at The Mackenzie Room possesses a slew of attributes harder and harder to come by these days, so Rhys saw it fitting to reach out and see what makes him tick.