The Goods from Banda Volpi Hospitality

Vancouver, BC | Banda Volpi Hospitality has named Graham Trivett Head Chef of Pepino’s Spaghetti House and La Tana – a natural next step for someone whose career has grown alongside the group itself. He steps into the role with a deep understanding of Pepino’s, La Tana, and the people at the heart of both.

Originally from Tsawwassen, Graham’s path to the line was anything but linear. His childhood included three years in Singapore, a move to Ancaster, Ontario, and an eventual return to Tsawwassen for high school. It was there that a cooking class first sparked his interest. He began working at Mario’s – a longtime Tsawwassen staple – before enrolling in culinary school at VCC in 2013. After graduating, he was introduced to fine dining at Five Sails, with a later stint at Botanist further refining his technique and broadening his perspective.

Graham joined Banda Volpi in 2020 after dining at Pepino’s and feeling drawn to the food, the energy, and the people behind it all. Over the years since, he grew from prep cook to sous chef at Pepino’s, then on to sous chef at Savio Volpe, before joining the Elio Volpe opening team as sous chef there. His promotion to Head Chef reflects not only technical skill, but a leadership style shaped from the inside out, grounded in collaboration, mentorship, and a deep understanding of the shared culture that connects each Banda Volpi restaurant.

For Graham, cooking has always lived at the intersection of creativity and connection. “Selfishly, it’s about making something creative,” he says, “but it’s also about watching someone enjoy something you made. You want to do your own thing, but you also want to please people.”

That balance is reflected in the restaurants he now runs. Pepino’s leans into nostalgic Italian-American staples, while La Tana offers a more elevated, experimental outlet. “The contrasting worlds are really fun,” he adds. “Pepino’s has the classics, and La Tana lets you play.”

Outside of work, Graham spends most of his time with his family. He’s a skateboarder, a father of two – Noah, nearly four, and Lucy, seven months – and though he doesn’t describe himself as a foodie, he loves going out to eat, especially if pasta is involved. A family favourite is rigatoni alla vodka, which was Noah’s first pasta, eaten with such enthusiasm it resulted in hours of regret and a six-month pasta hiatus. (Don’t worry, he’s since forgiven it.)

With Graham at the helm, Pepino’s and La Tana continue to reflect what he values most: food made with care, teams built on trust… and rigatoni alla vodka.