Vancouver's culinary arena has long been a space where talent and passion converge, yet for many women, navigating this landscape has been a journey marked by challenges and the absence of crucial mentorship.
Joanna Jagger, Founder and CEO of WORTH Association (Women of Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality) understands this all too well, having spent the first several years of her career in professional kitchens before launching her organization with its mission unlike that of any other society in Canada.
Jagger tells V.I.A. she realized early on that the "missing ingredient" for her and her peers was mentorship and the opportunity to learn from women role models in the challenging industry.
This revelation spurred her to create WORTH, and, in turn, Yes Shef! the organization's annual food and drink fundraiser that bridges this gap while celebrating the contributions of people who identify as women in Vancouver's dynamic food and beverage sector.
As Jagger notes, even two decades after her own culinary career began, women remain underrepresented in the industry. Yes Shef! addresses this disparity by pairing notable chefs with culinary students from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA), fostering a mentorship dynamic that extends beyond the event itself. This mentorship program offers invaluable benefits, providing a guiding hand for women in hospitality to navigate their careers, step into leadership roles, and overcome challenges.
Yes Shef!'s 2023 tasting event features over two dozen women from the B.C. culinary industry
The event's growth is a testament to its impact. From a modest gathering of 80 attendees for its inaugural event in 2019, Yes Shef! returned last year with overwhelming success, exceeding its capacity and necessitating a change in venue and format. This year, the event, which takes place November 6, has expanded to accommodate more students and chefs, with over a dozen tasting stations and about 25 women altogether participating in various roles for one exciting evening at the Fairmont Pacific Rim's Star Sapphire Ballroom.
Among the accomplished chefs taking part are Nutcha Phanthoupheng of Richmond's innovative Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine, Maria Ponce of La Taqueria, and Pricilla Deo, pastry chef and co-owner of the award-winning and Michelin Guide-recommended Folke.
Not only are the chefs paired with students from PICA, but the tasting is also rounded out with cocktail and wine selections curated and presented by women-identifying professionals from the beverage industry. Participating this year are Britt Hoorne from the acclaimed Bar Susu and Shiva Reddy and Alexia David of Main Street's celebrated Burdock & Co, along with women in key roles at several fantastic B.C. wineries.
Guests at Yes Shef! will have the chance to meet with the talented women-identifying chefs and beverage industry pros and to learn more about their backgrounds and achievements.
"My hope is that attendees get an introduction to some of the talent in British Columbia that they may not hear about as frequently," notes Jagger, adding that in Vancouver, it's often the male chefs who are celebrated. "We don't often put the spotlight on women in the culinary industry as we should."
Past participants attest Yes Shef! is a singular and crucial event
Yes Shef! demonstrates "that we are nothing less than our male counterparts and can have the same opportunities," remarks 2023 chef participant Deo. "The more we share our successes, the less hard the boundaries are to overcome. There is strength and beauty in numbers," adds Deo, who is hopeful there is a point in the near future that equality in the field means the gender factor can be eliminated.
"WORTH instinctively feels and ushers in the fact that we women are different from men in how we work, run things at home, interact with peers and staff, prioritize, spend revenues, speak, laugh...and yet we celebrate and work towards inclusivity," points out Meeru Dhalwala, chef and co-owner of Vancouver's world-famous Vij's Restaurant.
"We aren't asking anyone to move over. We ask everyone to shake hands of equity through example. Yes Shef! puts fun, taste, and meaning into our culinary careers," Dhalwala says.
And, as Jagger emphasizes, while Yes Shef! is organized by and a showcase for those who identify as women, it by no means is an event designed for only women to attend - absoloutely everyone is welcome.
Event illustrates the power of women working together
As past participants and Jagger attest, Yes Shef! also accords an opportunity for chefs, students, and anyone in attendance to witness the power of women working together.
"The Yes Shef! event provided me with an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience," says Joy Rudder, a 2022 Vancouver Community College culinary student who took part in last year's event, adding she doubts she might ever find herself in such a scenario again in her career.
"What that night did was awaken my consciousness to the fact that there is a lot that one takes for granted in the culinary scene that is often male-dominated. I got a chance to think about the professional world of food as holding new possibilities for me as a woman and to know there were other women out there who were making a successful career in [the industry]" continues Rudder.
Jagger's vision extends beyond the event itself. As WORTH's primary annual fundraiser event, Yes Shef! can support the next generation of women in the industry through scholarship opportunities. Additionally, the organization offers a professional women's network that is accessible to all, providing a platform for networking and professional development within the recreation, tourism, and hospitality sectors.
"As restaurants face high rents and challenges, we all have a collective obligation to elevate talent in the industry and there are so many talented women in the city that don't always get the spotlight," says Jagger.
"There's no organization like ours out there, and we want to make sure we are doing what we can to support - and retain - women in the field," adds Jagger. Yes Shef! is a shining example of a phenomenal way for Vancouver to show its support of WORTH's mission to educate, elevate, and empower. "It's going to be a fantastic night."
Yes Shef! takes place on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in the Star Sapphire Ballroom at Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with tasting and mingling, followed by live music at 6:30 p.m., and an awards presentation at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $200 each and include food from tasting stations featuring 15 of B.C.'s top female chefs; wine and beverage tastings from top beverage professionals and companies; the opportunity to meet leaders in B.C.'s recreation, tourism, and hospitality industry; and the chance to bid on prizes at the silent auction. Purchase tickets online. Please note: This event is 19+.
