Vancouver, we need to talk. Specifically, we need to talk about some women who are absolutely rocking it in the food industry.
An upcoming Food Talks event aims to put the spotlight on some of the city’s women are who totally killing it. The event’s organizer, Vancouver Foodster founder Richard Wolak, says he curated the panel with an eye for bringing together women he saw have been truly “crushing it” in the industry, which is how the event’s theme and subtitle came about: “Crushing it in our Food Community.”
The May 8 event, which kicks off with appetizers and a welcome cocktail, is centred on the speakers talking about their experiences in the food business, followed by a Q & A session. Wolak assembled a stellar line-up of speakers:
Chef Lynda Larouche – Co-owner of the Argo Café
Chef Parinya Lopston – Founder and owner of Ban Chok Dee Thai
Chef Barb Finley – Founder of Project Chef
Chef Shobna Kannusamy – Founder of Soirette Pastry Boutique
Dana Lee Harris – Executive Director of BC Hospitality Foundation
Wolak says there are many facets of these talented women’s careers that most people aren’t familiar with – for example, how Larouche has been a longtime mentor to so many in her professional kitchens.
The endeavours the panelists have undertaken, like Lopston opening a first-of-its-kind in Canada Thai cooking school, or Finley’s far-reaching work with children in the Vancouver school system through Project Chef, clearly deserve recognition and to be more widely known as examples of how women have done and continue to do so much in the industry.
In addition to the aspect of leadership, there are innovators in their fields, like Soirette founder Kannusamy, and Hariss’ profound impact on the B.C. wine industry.
By engaging these accomplished women in a dialogue, and inviting the audience to take part, Wolak hopes the event will prove inspiring, and that “people will see what people can do with just an idea, and perhaps some of these women will end up collaborating on future projects with each other together.”
Want to be a part of the fuel for some food biz momentum and learn from these trailblazers? Tickets are available now for this exciting Food Talks event, and are priced at $18 before May 1, and $21 the week-of.
Food Talks Vol. 16: Crushing it in our Food Community
When: May 8 from 6pm-9:30pm
Where: Dockside Lounge in the Granville Island Hotel – 1253 Johnston Street, Vancouver
Cost: Early-Bird Tickets: $18 per person (before May 1, 2018); Regular Tickets: $21 per person (after May 1, 2018). Tickets available online.
Lindsay William-Ross writes regularly about Vancouver's food scene at Vancouver Is Awesome.
