Kale & Nori Culinary Arts – Vancouver’s newest catering company
Kale & Nori Culinary Arts creates beautiful and successful events, focused on vegetables, local seafoods, and proteins, all sourced from the finest local artisans, farmers and purveyors in the Lower Mainland and from across Canada. From Cocktail and Wedding Receptions to Interactive Client “Hands-On” Events and Multi-Course Plated Dinners – each menu and event with Kale & Nori is completely custom. High quality event planning works in tandem with each client to provide the best guest experience possible.
Should you require an outside venue for any type of event, we can surely assist you with a roster of sexy, unique and beautiful venues hidden throughout our city. If you are out of town, we love to travel!
We specialize in elegantly conceived cuisine and mixology, that’s both interesting and innovative – a true celebration of British Columbia’s coastal and interior bounty. We are ambassadors to our environment, and operate with professionalism, enthusiasm and enlightenment.
About Us:
Lauren Mote,
The Refinery, Chow, Goldfish, Hawksworth Catering, Lumière, Le Select Bistro
Kale & Nori co-owner Lauren Mote has been an intricate part of the food and beverage industry for over 12 years. Spanning her knowledge and enthusiasm between Toronto and Vancouver, she has devoted her expertise to Le Select Bistro, Lumiere, Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, Hawksworth Catering and Chow Restaurant. From 2009-2011, Lauren has been behind the critically-acclaimed cocktail program at The Refinery, having written over 20 lists, and 240 contemporary cocktails using at least 50% homemade products like bitters and fermented sodas. She’s also the founder of the Cocktail Kitchen Series, Vancouver’s largest and longest running cocktail and food pairing competition, now heading into it’s third season. As a certified Sommelier and award-winning Mixologist, Lauren is able to provide an innovative and unique service for Kale & Nori clients. Being one of Canada’s foremost mixologists, Lauren continues to shape the way Vancouver consumes cocktails. Several of Lauren’s award-winning cocktails are developed using avant-garde mixology, “tasting note” deconstruction, and culinary theory. Lauren is also an accomplished writer, and Director for the CPBA – The Canadian Professional Bartender’s Association (founded 2010).
Jonathan Chovancek, Chef
Culinary Capers Catering, CBC Village on a Diet, King Pacific Lodge, Zambri’s, Sooke Harbour House, Avalon, The Aerie Resort
Kale & Nori co-owner Jonathan Chovancek has over 16 years experience cooking across Canada in such award-winning, ingredient-driven restaurants as the Relais & Chateaux Aerie Resort, Sooke Harbour House, Eigensinn Farm, Avalon, Zambri’s, and King Pacific Lodge. From 2005-2011 Jonathan was Chef de Cuisine at Culinary Capers Catering, Vancouver’s most prestigious catering company. Here, Chef Jonathan was responsible for the development and execution of its cuisine and creative menu development. During the 2006 and 2008 Olympic Games, Jonathan led Culinary Capers teams to Torino and Beijing respectively, where he earned rave reviews from a discriminating international clientele on both occasions. Of course, his skills were in full force throughout Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Games. Over a two-week period, Culinary Capers served an incredible 59,279 people at 578 events. Two months later, Jonathan’s food and wine pairing skills won the top prize at the the 2010 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Vintner’s Brunch. As one of the Vancouver’s top catering chefs, Chef Jonathan is sought out as an expert speaker and instructor – teaching thousands about catered arts in Las Vegas for the past 6 years at the Catersource – International Caterers Association conference. 2010 saw Chef Jonathan as the expert chef/host on CBC’s ground-breaking documentary, Village on a Diet, which was watched by over a million people weekly from coast-to-coast. Jonathan has contributed recipes to the best selling OceanWise Cookbook, B.C. Almanac, Popler Grove Winery and CBC’s Live Right Now national campaign for promoting healthy lifestyle. Jonathan is a regularly featured guest on CityTV’s Breakfast Television as well as CBC’s Steven & Chris Show. Jonathan’s uniquely creative spirit, dedication to a healthy lifestyle and passionate organic philosophy have evolved into a gospel that he lives by, in both his personal and professional kitchens. He is committed to using the freshest possible ingredients and can be found shopping daily at Granville Island Public Market and local Farmer’s markets. Jonathan is a consultant with Growing Chefs, a Vancouver-based non-profit society that brings professional chefs into elementary school classrooms to teach children how to plant, maintain, harvest and enjoy the bounty of their very own urban vegetable gardens. In his personal time, Jonathan is a world traveller, guitar player, and fitness fanatic, who relies on healthy food to fuel his energetic lifestyle!
Testimonials:
“We were incredibly lucky to be the first ones to have Kale& Nori Culinary Arts out for an event. Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote bring a fresh and talented set of skills with them and were one of the highlights of our festival, wowing crowds with their culinary talents behind the scenes at our Chefs’ Dinner and then during our cooking demos the following day. Jonathan’s dedication to his craft and the creativity he possesses were obvious when he arrived a day early to work on the sea cucumbers he was scheduled to prepare for the cooking demos. Being an extremely complicated product to work with, Jonathan’s demo captured the audience’s attention with his combination of charm, passion for sustainable seafood and professionalism. The duo at Kale & Nori no doubt managed to turn an army of new recruits on to the culinary possibilities of sea cucumbers that day. Hopefully we’ll be lucky enough to have them out to the our festival again next year!”
– Matthew Wright, Executive Director, BC Shellfish Festival, June 2011.
“Kale & Nori provided amazing service with a clear focus on what it takes to make an event successful, especially in the Vancouver Market. Chef Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote bring dedication to excellence and as well their passion for their craft is inspirational. We look forward to having them a part of future events and being inspired by their delicious culinary and cocktail creations!”
– Chase Stampe, Provincial Sales Director, BC, Brown-Forman Canada, July 2011.
“Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote, both from great restaurant and beverage backgrounds nationally and internationally, have finally opened one of Vancouver’s new and exciting culinary enterprises with their Kale & Nori. Having known and worked with them both socially and professionally, I am impressed with their insightful enthusiasm and knowledge on foods and beverages regional and far and wide.”
– Nathan Fong & Associates, Culinary Film Design; Director, IACP (Int’l Ass’n of Culinary Professionals); Founder and Chair, Passions for The Dr Peter Centre; IACP Award of Excellence (Food styling) Celebrating 21 years on GlobalTV; The Vancouver Sun, columnist, July 2011.
“We had an absolutely amazing day. We still feel energized by it. We were so happy to have you both as part of it. Everyone was ASTOUNDED by the food. We LOVED it as well. We wish you continued success as you make dreams come true!”
– Clients Gary & Kanako Mahler, “World Flavours Wedding” Catering by Kale & Nori August 12, 2011.
Press:
Refreshing Asian Fruit Desserts, Special to the Vancouver Sun, by Nathan Fong
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Refreshing+Asian+fruit+desserts/5127613/story.html
Why are Vancouver’s vegan crowds forced to hunt for a meal? The Globe and Mail, by Alexandra Gill
Vegan Dinner at the Workshop with Kale & Nori, The Vegan Project, by Jessica Grajczyk
http://theveganproject.ca/vegan-dinnery-party-with-kale-nori-culinary-arts/
BC Shellfish Festival 2011, Vancouver Sun, by Nathan Fong
