PiDGiN Announces the Return of Chef Karlo Sarmiento

The Goods from PiDGiN

Vancouver, BC | PiDGiN is proud to introduce Chef Karlo Sarmiento. Karlo’s culinary journey started as a dishwasher at Tapenade under the talented Alex Tung while he attended The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Vancouver. From there he honed his skills under the mentorship of Stefan Hartmann as pastry chef at Bauhaus and worked with Wesley Young at PiDGiN. It was at PiDGiN that Wesley pushed Karlo to explore new kitchens, new countries, and new challenges, ultimately sending him to Australia to continue his culinary evolution.

In Melbourne, Karlo wasted no time making waves. He first sharpened his fine dining skills at Cutler, a two-hat institution, before diving into the world of Spanish cuisine at Bomba Tapas Bar under Matt Jordan. His journey then led him to Longrain, a one-hat restaurant where he had the chance to dive deep into Southeast Asian flavors – from Thai to Indonesian to Malaysian. Before returning to Vancouver, Karlo was the executive chef at Epocha, a modern European restaurant with one hat to its name.

Now, after years of expanding his culinary horizons, Karlo returns to PiDGiN to take over for his mentor Wesley Young. His expertise and Filipino heritage will guide the restaurant into a bold, new direction. For over a decade, PiDGiN has explored Japanese, Korean, and European influences. With Karlo at the helm, the next chapter of PiDGiN will see exciting new flavours, techniques, and a playful approach to Southeast Asian cuisine, all while staying true to the clean, creative, and bold spirit that PiDGiN is known for.