A Taste of What’s Next: Five New Food Businesses Launch in Vancouver June 26th

Starting a business is hard. Starting one while adapting to a new country, raising a family, and figuring out where you fit into a new community is another level entirely.

On June 26, Flavours of Hope will introduce five mothers launching food businesses through its Dream Cuisines Food Business Program. It’s an evening built around food, but also around the people behind it. The stories, traditions, and recipes that travelled with them. The conversations that happen when strangers sit down at the same table.

Food has always been one of the easiest ways to make a new friend. It gives people a reason to gather, a way to share a piece of where they come from, and sometimes even the foundation for a more stable future. That’s what makes this event so compelling. It’s a chance to meet people at the beginning of something.

This year’s event centres around a simple idea: the recipes we carry with us often tell stories that words can’t. For many newcomers, food becomes a bridge between past and present, between old friends and new neighbours. In this case, it is also the foundation for businesses that can create independence, confidence, and new opportunities.

Here is the line-up of event participants from Flavours of Hope…

Dream Cuisines 2026 Cohort

Tanga Spice Kitchen by Amina Kihange (@tanga.spice.kitchen)
Amina is the founder of Tanga Spice Kitchen, a business that blends professional culinary skill with the rich food traditions of Tanzania. Amina’s cooking is her way of honouring her roots while introducing her community to the bold, aromatic flavours that define home for her. Her signature dish, pilau, is a fragrant spiced rice dish made with beef or lamb, potatoes, and warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin.

Lasarte Bake Shop by Caro Lasarte (@lasarte _bake_shop)
Caro is a professionally trained chef who studied and worked in Spain, Uruguay, and Argentina. She’s currently pursuing a teaching degree in pastry, with the hope of sharing not just the wisdom and expertise she’s gained over the past years, but also the joy that comes with being in the kitchen. Caro’s work is a legacy of “artisanal love,” recreating
the joy and warmth of a grandparent’s home.

Levant Gourmet by Reham Zarzour (@levantgourmetfoods)
Deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of her family, Reham focuses on the authentic flavours of Syria through dishes like ouzi and musakhan rolls. Beyond representing traditional dishes, Levant Gourmet is all about uplifting and refreshing flavours that bring people together. Reham is thrilled to share the connecting power of Syrian cuisine alongside her mother, who is a Dream Cuisines alumna and fellow food business owner.

Dough Re Mi by Shellica Lai (@doughremi.yvr)
Shellica is a self-taught baker who previously ran a dessert business in Hong Kong. Her recipes are inspired by childhood nostalgia, specifically familiar East Asian snacks like Ovaltine chocolate and White Rabbit candy. Through her creations, she hopes to provide her customers a “small escape” from daily stress, bringing playfulness to everyday life.

Happy Bites by Veronica Uribe (@happy.bites25)
Vero was a business administrator who found a new calling in baking after moving to Canada. Through her cooking, she brings the warmth of a Colombian breakfast table and the comfort of family gatherings to her customers, sharing a side of Latin cuisine that is rich in tradition yet often overlooked beside more widely known flavours.

Dream Cuisines Alumni

Sabor a Yucatan by Laura Molina (@sabor_a_yucatan)
Laura started Sabor a Yucatan with her family to bring the warmth of Mexican cuisine. Their commitment to crafting an experience that transports you to the cozy ambiance of a Yucatecan home-cooked meal has earned them a special place in the hearts of many. Their cherished food and drink recipes like chochinita pibil and agua frescas have been lovingly passed down through generations in their family, preserving the essence of their regional heritage.

Ruka Cocina by Rocio Valderas (@ruka.cocina)
Specializing in Chilean empanadas and baked goods, Rocio draws deeply from her upbringing in Southern Chile, where food sits at the heart of family and community celebrations. Rocio is passionate about sharing the vibrant traditions of Chilean cuisine while incorporating local, seasonal ingredients. For her, food is a universal language that beautifully connects different cultures.

Angeliz Colombian Food by Liza Riascos (@angeliz_c_food)
Liza brings the vibrant energy of Colombia to the table, blending traditional family recipes with her own creative twists. Crafting specialized regional empanadas and comforting arroz con leche (rice pudding), she shares bold, delicious flavours that showcase the true warmth and spirit of Colombian hospitality.

Beyond the food itself, what makes this event worth attending is the chance to spend an evening meeting people who are actively building something. Expect dishes shaped by family history, conversations with the people cooking them, and a room full of potential future regulars, collaborators, customers, and friends.

We’ve attended in previous years and can confirm it’s one of those rare events where you leave having eaten well and learned something about the city you live in.

Tickets are available by donation, with proceeds supporting the Dream Cuisines Newcomer Women Food Business Program. We’ve been in the past, and can confirm that it is both an inspiring and tasty event.

DETAILS AND TICKETS

Date: Friday, June 26, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM PDT
Location: And-Co Offices | 1575 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC
Admission: By donation, with all proceeds directly supporting the Dream Cuisines Food Business Program.

Space is limited so reserve your spot now!

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