The internationally experienced chef takes over the kitchen at Fairmont Pacific Rim’s acclaimed Coal Harbour restaurant, launching her first dinner and summer tasting menus. Botanist has welcomed Amanda Healey as its new executive chef, marking a new chapter for the award-winning restaurant inside Fairmont Pacific Rim. Healey returns to Vancouver with more than 20 years of international culinary experience and a résumé that includes some of the most respected kitchens in Canada and Australia. Her approach centres on seasonality, sustainability and using regional ingredients to tell a story through food. “As we look to the future of Botanist, we also…
Author: cassandra
Decanting Memories Gray Monk – A limited-edition memoir traces the funny, difficult and determined journey of Trudy and George Heiss, the pioneering couple behind Gray Monk Estate Winery. It is difficult to imagine the Okanagan Valley without its vineyard-lined hills, winery tasting rooms and internationally recognized wines. When Trudy and George Heiss began growing grapes in Lake Country more than 50 years ago, however, none of that success was guaranteed. Their remarkable story is preserved in Decanting Memories: Our Life in the Vineyard, the Cellar & Beyond, a newly released hardcover memoir chronicling the couple’s journey from European immigrants and…
Some luxury SUVs demand attention. The 2026 Volvo XC60 PHEV Ultra earns it quietly. It delivers a calm, beautifully finished interior, useful electric driving range and plenty of power without constantly reminding everyone how expensive or capable it is. For Vancouver drivers, the formula makes sense. You can complete many everyday errands using electric power, yet still have a gasoline engine available for trips to Whistler, Vancouver Island or the Okanagan. 2026 Volvo XC60 PHEV Ultra at a Glance Starting MSRP in Canada: $84,000 Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with plug-in hybrid system Combined output: 455 horsepower Maximum torque: 523…
¿CóMO? Ultramar Opening in Vancouver With Spanish Seafood The team behind ¿CóMO? Taperia is opening a seafood-focused restaurant inspired by Northern Spain at East Broadway and Carolina Street. Vancouver’s Spanish dining scene is about to gain a new seafood destination. The team behind Mount Pleasant’s Michelin Guide-recognized ¿CóMO? Taperia will open ¿CóMO? Ultramar this winter at 592 East Broadway, bringing live-fire cooking, whole grilled fish and the seafood traditions of Northern Spain to the neighbourhood. Founders Shaun Layton and Frankie Harrington are developing the restaurant around the coastal cuisines they have encountered during their annual research trips through Spain. “Ultramar…
Tickets go on sale July 21 for special multi-course dinners supporting women in food, beverage and hospitality. Dames Dine Around returns this September with two evenings of special dining experiences at restaurants across British Columbia. Presented by the Les Dames d’Escoffier BC Chapter, the annual culinary fundraiser takes place on Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Guests can book limited-seat dinners at participating restaurants throughout Metro Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria, the Okanagan and the Sunshine Coast. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, July 21 at 10 a.m., priced from $50 to $250 per person. Gratuity is not included. What to…
Canada’s table is officially set for Saturday, August 1, and this year’s message is beautifully simple: Choose Canadian Food First. Food Day Canada 2026 is officially over, but the celebration continues with Harvest Table – A Taste of Vancouver Islandon September 26 at Keating Farm in the Cowichan. We’ll report more once we have futher details. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbjRu06y6nA/?hl=en For me, Food Day Canada is not just another food holiday or a marketing campaign to share on social media. It is personal. I knew Anita Stewart, the powerhouse culinary pioneer who founded Food Day Canada in 2003. When Anita began this movement,…
When the forecast finally shifts to patio weather and long, drawn-out summer evenings, the last thing anyone wants is a high-maintenance skincare routine. Warmer days naturally call for a lighter approach—we swap heavy knits for breathable linens, and our skincare should follow suit. But streamlining doesn’t mean sacrificing results. Canadian clinical skincare brand Vivier has built its reputation on pharmaceutical-grade formulas that do the heavy lifting without requiring a ten-step routine. By centering everything around a straightforward philosophy—Prepare, Target, Moisturize, and Protect—the brand has created a simple four-step regimen that keeps skin healthy, hydrated and glowing throughout the summer months.…
The Wes Anderson Cookbook serves up 59 illustrated recipes inspired by the colour, charm and cinematic worlds of Wes Anderson.
Practical, stylish, and now available with all-wheel drive, the redesigned Nissan Kicks is built for real life in Vancouver. For years, the Nissan Kicks has been one of Canada’s most approachable compact SUVs, offering good value, easy city driving, and a small footprint that makes urban life less stressful. For 2026, the redesigned Kicks feels more confident, more refined, and more useful than ever — especially with available all-wheel drive. At a Glance Vehicle: 2026 Nissan Kicks SV AWD Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder Horsepower: 141 hp Torque: 140 lb-ft Transmission: Xtronic CVT Drivetrain: Intelligent All-Wheel Drive Fuel Economy: Approximately 7.7 L/100…
Vancouver has warmly embraced Peruvian cuisine over the past decade, but few restaurants have explored its depth and diversity quite like SUYO Modern Peruvian. Located in Mount Pleasant, the restaurant has earned a loyal following for chef Ricardo Valverde’s contemporary approach to one of the world’s most celebrated culinary traditions. https://www.instagram.com/p/DaQgZ_bpi4U/ Drawing inspiration from Peru’s Indigenous heritage alongside Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and Spanish influences, SUYO creates dishes that are deeply rooted in tradition while feeling distinctly modern. On our latest visit, we enjoyed an eleven-course tasting menu that showcased the breadth of the kitchen’s talent and the incredible ingredients available…
There are plenty of luxury SUVs on the road these days, and for good reason. They’re practical, comfortable, and can handle everything from Costco runs to weekends in wine country. But after spending a week with the 2026 Lexus IS 350 AWD F SPORT 3, I was reminded why there’s still something special about a luxury sport sedan. It’s lower to the ground, more connected to the road, and simply more fun to drive. The 2026 Lexus IS 350 AWD F SPORT 3 features a low, aggressive stance built for handling. A Rare Breed The automotive world has changed quickly…
Vancouver’s beloved Fraserhood French bistro has reopened following a refresh, with an official relaunch celebration set for July 8. One of Vancouver’s favourite neighbourhood restaurants is entering a new era. Les Faux Bourgeois has officially reopened after a refresh that includes an updated dining room, a reimagined menu and new leadership, while keeping the approachable French bistro experience that has made it a local institution for years. The Fraserhood favourite quietly welcomed guests back during a soft opening on June 26, giving diners an early taste of what’s to come before its official relaunch on July 8. The restaurant is…
Rosalia Osteria from the brothers behind Via Tevere and Don’t Argue Pizza with house-made pasta. Vancouver’s Italian dining scene is about to get a little more personal when Rosalia Osteria opens this summer. The brothers behind some of the city’s most beloved Italian restaurants are preparing to open a new Yaletown spot inspired by family, tradition, and the kind of pasta dinners that bring everyone to the table. Named after their grandmother, Rosalia Osteria will open later this summer at 1127 Mainland St. from Dom and Frank Morra, the team behind Via Tevere, Don’t Argue Pizza, Dante Italian Sandwich, and…
The Essential Cottage Cookbook There is something about cooking at the cottage that feels different. Meals are often shared with family and friends, kitchens are sometimes less equipped than at home, and nobody wants to spend hours indoors when the lake, hiking trail, or patio is calling. That is exactly where The Essential Cottage Cookbook : Simply Delicious Recipes for Cottages, Cabins, and Wherever Your Travels Take You shines. Created by Canadian cookbook author and food personality Andrea Buckett, this practical and approachable cookbook is designed for real-life summer cooking. Whether you’re spending the weekend at a lakeside cottage, a…
Inside the Celebrated Turnaround Season That Restored Confidence, Refilled the Tanks, and Brought Relief to Local Vineyards For the first time in a long time, there was something I hadn’t heard from BC winemakers recently. Relief. At the recent Wines of British Columbia Vintage Reveal, I joined a room full of winemakers, growers, media, and industry professionals to taste through some of the first wines from the 2025 vintage. More importantly, I got to hear directly from the people who made them. The mood was noticeably different. After frost, winter damage, tiny harvests, and years of uncertainty, the message from…
Why Bard on the Beach’s Newest Comedy is a Must-See This Summer There’s a specific magic to settling into the tents at Vanier Park, glass of BC wine in hand, watching the sun dip behind the North Shore mountains while Shakespeare unfolds in front of you. It’s a quintessential Vancouver tradition, but let’s be honest: sometimes you want a break from the heavy tragedies and historic histories. This year, the opening production of The Merry Wives of Windsor at Bard on the Beach delivers exactly that—with an unexpected, thoroughly modern twist: youth soccer culture. And it might just be the…
The 2026 James Beard Cookbook Winners Every Food Lover Should Know My name is Cassandra and I have a cookbook problem. At this point, it’s less of a collection and more of a structural concern. Every flat surface in my home seems to have a stack of cookbooks on it. I buy them faster than I can cook from them. I tell myself they’re “research” and while that’s partially true, the reality is that I simply love food books. Some people unwind with crime novels. I spend my evenings reading about sourdough starters, regional Mexican cuisine, fermentation techniques, and the…
Mention Lambrusco and many people still think of the sweet, easy-drinking reds that were wildly popular a few decades ago. But that’s only one small part of the story. In its homeland of Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco has been enjoyed for centuries, with styles ranging from delicate and floral to dark, structured, and remarkably complex. A recent tasting at Homer St. Café & Bar offered a chance to explore just how diverse modern Lambrusco has become. By the end of the lunch, one thing was abundantly clear: if you still think Lambrusco is one wine, you’re missing the plot entirely. Think of…
Published on Main, AnnaLena, and Whistler’s Wild Blue earn coveted spots as British Columbia continues to cement its reputation as one of North America’s top dining destinations. British Columbia’s dining scene has earned another major international spotlight. Three local restaurants have been named to the newly released North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list, with Vancouver’s Published on Main ranking No. 17, AnnaLena landing at No. 35, and Whistler’s Wild Blue Restaurant + Cocktail Bar debuting at No. 47. The rankings were unveiled during a ceremony in New Orleans on May 28 and recognize the most memorable dining experiences across…
Terroir Symposium 2026 There’s no shortage of food festivals that promise a good night out. You know the drill: massive rooms, tiny bites on toothpicks, a glass of wine in one hand while you try to take an Instagram story with the other. They’re fun, but they rarely leave you with much to think about the next morning. TERROIR is a completely different beast. Returning from May 27 to June 1, 2026, TERROIR is marking its 20th anniversary with the theme Joy of Food. Spanning both Calgary and Edmonton, this week-long gathering brings together the country’s top chefs, farmers, producers,…
