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Two Leaders Ascend the Ranks at Robson’s Forage and Timber

The GOODS from Forage

Vancouver, BC | Welbert Choi, Chef de Cuisine at Forage, has been promoted to Executive Chef of Forage, Timber, and Forage Catering. Restaurant Operations Manager Margot Baloro has also taken on the new role of General Manager F&B Front of House. Her role will include collaborating with Chef Choi on development of the rapidly expanding catering division.

Both are champions of the philosophy of Forage which is to support local sustainably-minded farmers, fishers, and foragers. We look forward to seeing how this growth of our team deepens the roots of those connections.

Executive Chef Welbert Choi | Welbert Choi is quietly driven. Everything he does is imbued with his innate creativity. From food to photography to car engines and computers, he brings fresh eyes and ideas to everything he touches.

Welbert was born in Hong Kong. His grandfather helped spark his interest in all things culinary. He and his family moved to North Burnaby while he was in high school, and he studied computer science at Capilano University and SFU. He is also an accomplished mechanic and photographer. Turning back to his culinary roots, he attended Dubrulle Culinary Institute. He has worked in catering at the Hilton Burnaby, in the kitchen at Opus’s Elixir, and he opened Forage with Chef Chris Whittaker in 2012 as Pastry Chef. In 2014, after 2 years of Forage being open, he was given the title of Chef de Cuisine and has been running day to day operations ever since.

Working at Forage he’s developed his experience in operating a sustainable restaurant. He chooses his ingredients with respect, and considers the environmental impact of what he brings into the kitchen. He believes that it is the responsibility of all Vancouver chefs to champion farming, fishing and foraging legacies in BC for generations to come and is proud to support local producers. He makes it a priority to work alongside them whenever he can get away from the restaurants.

Margot Baloro | Like most of us out here, Margot Baloro grew up in Canada’s prairies. She moved out west to Vancouver in 1998. Margot has done every job in the front of house. She’s worked her way through restaurant management roles in the city, including the venerable Raincity Grill. She was the opening manager of Forage in 2012. In 2015 she stepped into the role of Restaurant Operations Manager and helped open Timber, the company’s second West End restaurant. She then took on the marketing, communications, and media relations for both restaurants.

Margot holds an Advanced Certificate in WSET, and is a Certified Specialist of Spirits. She is a proud member of Les Dames d’Escoffier BC chapter and in 2016 was inducted into the BCRFA’s Hall of Fame.

More about Forage, Timber and Forage Catering…

Forage | Award-winning Forage connects diners to local fishers, foragers and farmers. Also featured? The handiwork of an eclectic crew of talented BC distillers, winemakers, and brewers. The menu is – first and foremost – delicious, but also reflective of our uncompromising commitment to local ingredients and building community through shared plates. Forage is open for breakfast 7 days a week, brunch on weekends and nightly for dinner.

Timber | Timber sits at the gateway to the West End, right next door to Forage. Timber pays tribute to British Columbia’s rich history and the tough people who built this province, one two-by-four at a time. The menu reads like a roadmap of Canadian comfort food. Think bison burgers, elk tourtiere, fish & chips and classic butter tarts. If you’re looking for a place to grab a craft beer and a delicious poutine while you curse the hockey refs on TV, Timber is where you want to be.

Forage Catering | Forage Catering’s roots run deep. Forage is one of the Vancouver restaurant scene’s most acclaimed spots for the best of BC food and wine. We operate all our facilities as zero-waste. What does that mean for you when working with Forage Catering? It means that not only will you serve your guests delicious, local food, but they will feel good knowing that their carbon footprint got a little fainter while they enjoyed it. From dinner parties and barbeques to weddings and corporate launches, Forage will deliver the quintessential Vancouver experience to you and your guests.

Forage
Neighbourhood: West End
1300 Robson St.
604-661-1400

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