Talented Chefs Partner Up with Culinary Students for the Return of “Yes Shef”, Nov. 6th

Maria Ponce, of La Taqueria, is just one of this year’s participating chefs… Photo credit: Rubén Nava / Less Noise

Once per year, a lineup of BC’s most talented women working in the hospitality sector come together in a singular room for an exceptional cause, at the WORTH (Women of Recreation, Tourism & Hospitality) Association’s Yes Shef: Elevating Women in Food & Beverage event. That’s no small beans! The 2023 edition is set to return on Monday, November 6th, in the Star Sapphire Ballroom at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.

One of the things that we love most about the Yes Chef event is the mentorship program that fuels it: seasoned chefs are paired with budding culinary students from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA) to create a single menu. The pay-off is that guests get killer food and students get the opportunity to build connections early and receive the support of women in the hospitality sector to chart their career paths, assume leadership positions, and tackle challenges head-on, knowing that other strong women with experience in the industry have their back.

As for the evening itself: the celebration kicks off with a tasting session at 5:30pm, followed by live music at 6:30pm, and the inaugural “Women of Worth” awards presentation at 8:30pm. Tickets are pricey ($200 each) but if you can swing it, we suggest hooking yourself up with one now, because they will sell out! Each ticket gives guests access to 20 tasting stations featuring innovative food masterfully plated by female-led teams…and it gets better: not only will each acclaimed chef be teaming up with student apprentices from PICA, there will also be leading female winemakers, sommeliers, brewers, and bar professionals in the mix. This isn’t just about food, folks – it’s great food, award-winning talent, the finest of BC’s wine and beer, live music, and a throng of cool-as-heck women. How refreshing!

Check out the full roster of participants below, and then see you on November 6th!

Participating Chefs, Somms and Brewers:

Nutcha Phanthoupheng, Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine
Eleanor Chow, Cadeaux Bakery
Tia Kambas, Chambar
Kate Siegel, Leah Patitucci & Chloe Sy, Fairmont Pacific Rim
Pricilla Deo, Folke
Marisa Gonzales, Hawksworth
Yasmin Shariff, Kilimanjaro Snack House
Maria Ponce, La Taqueria
Stacy Johnston and Minette Lotz, The Restaurant at Poplar Grove
Ying Ying Gao, Riley’s Fish & Steak
Donya Darreh Shouri, Seaside Provisions
Top Chef’s Siobhan Detkavich
Jessica Kwon, Cactus Club Cafe Bentall
Shelome Bouvette, Les Dames Escoffier BC Chapter

Participating Beverage Professionals include:

Reverie Beall, AnnaLena
Britt Hoorne, Bar Susu
Shiva Reddy and Alexia David, Burdock & Co
Kaitlyn Ambrus, Cactus Club Cafe
Severine Pinte, Le Vieux Pin & La Stella
Nikki Callaway, O’Rourke Family Estate
Lyndsay O’Rourke, Tightrope Winery