Track & Food Podcast

Opening a bar in Vancouver in 2026 can cost of upwards of over a million dollars - and that's before you've even served a single drink. So what does it take to sign a lease, survive the build-out, and create something that lasts? I recently sat down with four veterans of Vancouver's hospitality scene to talk through exactly that. Andrew Kong and Max Curzon-Price are two of the city's best bartenders, most recently behind the award-winning bar program at Suyo. Andrew's currently holding things down at Nomo Nomo, and Max at Elisa, while they both work toward opening day of their new joint venture, Bar Supernova. It's still in the early stages (lease negotiations are underway), but the dream is already becoming very real - as well as the attached uncertainties. I wanted to know what they're feeling, what they've learned so far, and what they're hoping to build. To help put their experience in context, I invited two people who've been through it all before: James Iranzad, co-founder of Gooseneck Hospitality, the group behind Bells and Whistles, Lucky Taco, and Bufala; and Dallah El-Chami, co-founder of the beloved Superbaba and Mish Mish. Both have navigated the fog of opening, managed to keep the lights on through various ups and downs, and come out the other side with hard-won perspectives on what the hospitality business actually looks like, including lease structures, P&L reports, debt repayment, and all the other things nobody tells you about until you're already in it. We also got into the bigger picture, inspired by a searingly honest Toronto Life column about why restaurants close, written by chef/restaurateur David Schwartz last month (January 13th, 2026). In '“The gap between perceived value and the true cost of doing business is becoming unmanageable”: Chef David Schwartz on why your favourite restaurants close', Schwartz argues that the gap between what diners think a meal should cost and what it actually costs has become unmanageable. Then we took it one step further by posing the question, could dynamic pricing be part of the solution? I made the case for it in my recent column for Medium, 'Dynamic Pricing Could Save Restaurants. Too Bad We Only Like It When It’s Called ‘Happy Hour’', and I wanted to hear what four people with serious skin in the game actually think. There's no roadmap for opening a bar these days. But this conversation gets pretty close.

Recently, I sat down for a discussion with my good friend James Iranzad (co-owner and operator of Gooseneck Hospitality), along with two of the city's most respected chefs, Joël Watanabe (Kissa Tanto, Bao Bei, Meo) and Ron McKinlay. McKinlay is a Vancouver-born chef who has spent the past nine years in Toronto as the Executive Chef at Canoe in Toronto. Earlier this year, he left that position in order to focus on travelling, collaborating, and cooking around the world - including at a special dinner with Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson, Executive Chef of Published on Main. Together, we dug into the topic of current chef culture; including how leadership has shifted, what awards actually mean, and the real challenges of running a functional, creative and healthy kitchen in 2025. We also talked about the beauty of collaboration, the grind behind big-name restaurants, the music that shaped Ron's early cooking years (plenty of hip hop), and how chefs stay inspired over the course of their careers. If you care about where restaurant culture is heading, you’ll get a lot out of this one. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

Once again, I'm joined by James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) and James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus), as we dig into a few topics that have been top of mind lately... We kick things off by unpacking what the BCGEU strike has meant for the hospitality industry, and how we can better protect ourselves during future labour negotiations. From there, the discussion shifts to Nikki Bayley’s latest, and we imagine curating our own version; we touch on the recent New York Times feature following two restaurateurs, with limited money and experience, trying to open restaurants in NYC; wrapping it all up with a recent Vancouver Sun column about the rise of food content creators, and how social media is shaping the way diners experience food culture in Vancouver. Always good fun when we chat. Enjoy! The 38 Best Restaurants in Vancouver, According to a Local Expert - Eater Opening a Restaurant in New York Is No Picnic. - New York Times How food content creators are transforming Vancouver’s restaurant scene - Vancouver Sun If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend James Iranzad, of Gooseneck Hospitality (Bufala, Lucky Taco, Bells & Whistles), to unpack three big conversations shaping BC’s dining scene right now, kicking off with the BCLDB strike and how it’s rippling through restaurants across the province — from inventory headaches to staff morale. Then we dig into the latest Michelin Awards and what they reveal about Vancouver’s evolving culinary identity. Finally, we explore what it means to be a “foodie” in 2025, inspired by Jaya Saxena’s insightful Eater column "The Life and Death of the American Foodie". If you love good food, honest opinions, and some laughs along the way, this one’s for you. And, beginning now, there are two ways to enjoy: by listening to the player above, or by watching the following Youtube video. https://youtu.be/RaTJS1go6cw?si=y0ebHgLlfUC8jYkT The Life and Death of the American Foodie - Eater If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

In this episode, we dive into some of the more pressing (and sometimes frustrating) issues the hospitality world is experiencing right now – beginning with ‘tip-flation’ and the growing backlash from consumers. Is the tipping model completely broken? Or are people just tired of being prompted to tip everywhere they go? From there, we dig into reservation and cancellation policies. Credit card holds are now standard operation, but is a 24-hour cancellation window still fair? What happens when guests ask for leniency, or when a table is filled anyway after a no-show? Is it time for restaurants to rethink how they handle this? We also explore something that’s been on my mind a lot lately: what do you do when your restaurant is running smoothly, but the team vibe feels flat? How do you reignite that spark when the energy dips, even with a veteran crew? Then there’s the profitability conversation — this time with a ‘meaty’ twist. Could serving less meat actually be better for the bottom line? With more veg-forward spots pricing dishes under $30, we unpack whether that’s a necessity, competitive strategy, or just smart economics. We compare meat versus veg labor costs, and what guests are willing to pay for plant-based menus. And finally, I pose my guests with a personal question: After everything we’ve been through in this industry, what still drives you, and what keeps you coming back? Speaking of my guests, this time around I’m joined by four of Vancouver hospitality’s best and most vocal personalities: James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality), Shira Blustein (The Acorn, Lila), Shaun Layton (¿CóMO? Taperia), and Adam Henderson (Superflux, Superflux {Cabana}). As always, it’s a lively, thoughtful, and unfiltered conversation; I hope you enjoy it. The Backlash Against ‘Tip-flation’ - The Tyee Face it: you're a crazy person - Experimental History If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

Once again, I’m joined by my good friends James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) and James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus) for another of our signature catch-ups. In this episode, we discuss the buzz around recent restaurant awards — Van Mag, Canada’s 100 Best, and North America’s 50 Best Bars — and the latest restaurant openings here in Vancouver. We also reflect on the emotional power of good menu design, the feeling we chase when dining out, and the significance of this year’s BCRFA Hall of Fame nominations. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

In this episode, I’m joined by four of Vancouver’s top bar talents – Amber Bruce (The Keefer Bar, June), Tara Davies (Chupito Cocteleria), Andrew Kong (Suyo), and Alexa Gervais (L’Abattoir) — for a roundtable discussion on the state of Vancouver’s cocktail scene. With North America’s 50 Best Bars having just left town, we dive into what that meant for local hospitality, the challenges of launching new venues, evolving guest expectations, and the growing interest in nonalcoholic options. From bar design to industry trends, expect an honest and insightful look at where things are heading. The Diamond Effect — Is Vancouver Ripe for a Cocktail Bar Revolution? If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

In December of 2023, Adam Henderson (Superflux Beer Company), Sam Payne (The Parkside Brewery, Rewind Beer Co.), and Nick Black (Strange Fellows Brewing) joined me to discuss the (seemingly dire) state of the beer industry. Now, just over a year later, the trio of local brewery pros have returned to drink a few beers and discuss the changes, adaptations and growth the industry has seen since we last spoke. Tune into an insightful, humorous, and overall fun-filled episode all about a possible new era for B.C.'s craft beer industry. The Great Craft Beer Reckoning is Here - The Growler If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

Continuing with last year’s end-of-year episode, James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) and James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus) join me once again to discuss their top 10 favourite bars in British Columbia. Additionally, the pair share their thoughts on ‘Dry January’ to begin our discussion. Happy New Year!

With the year-end comes a fun-filled year-end list! Who better to join in ranking B.C.'s top 15 restaurants than my good friends, local industry vets, and frequent collaborative cohorts, James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) and James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus). In addition to comparing this year's top experiences from some of our favourite restaurants, in this final episode of 2024, we also riff off of two hot topics recently featured in Eater and Food & Wine magazines: the great sparkling water debate ("We Deserve Free Sparkling Water") and restaurant reservation time limits ("Should a Restaurant Be Able to Tell Me When I Have to Leave My Table?"), yielding some of our best discussions to date. Enjoy! Happy New Year! If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

"If you've ever dreamed of moving to Europe to cook and learn from the best, then The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf might feel familiar. The new novel from Vancouver author (-slash-journalist-slash-UBC-Professor-of-Creative-Writing) Timothy Taylor follows the life of Teo, an inexperienced kid from Vancouver pursuing his culinary fantasy in Paris. There, he meets Frankie, a confident Quebecois who chances to show Teo the ropes in the kitchen. Through the day-to-day grind and late night struggles, Taylor's protagonist slowly emerges as a competent chef, eventually returning home to Vancouver to begin his own restaurant empire. The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf explores the many challenges of restaurant life - from the long hours spent in the kitchen to the resultant personal tolls outside of it. At the heart of it all is Taylor's ability to capture the humanity of his characters as they search for meaning in such a notoriously exacting industry. In this conversation with Taylor - an avid eater and once occasional food writer, himself - he shares the thoughts and ideas driving his latest literary invention." Timothy Taylor is a bestselling and award winning author of six book-length works of fiction and nonfiction. He emerged on the writing scene in 2000, when three of his short stories were selected for a single edition of the Journey Prize Anthology. His story Doves of Townsend won the Journey Prize that same year and was included in his collection of short fiction Silent Cruise, which was itself later named runner-up to the Danuta Gleed Award. Taylor’s first novel Stanley Park was released to critical acclaim in 2001 and was nominated for a Giller Prize, a Rogers Writers Trust Fiction Prize as well as both a Vancouver and BC Book Award. His 2011 novel, The Blue Light Project, was a bestseller in Canada and went on to win the CBC Bookie Prize in fiction. His most recent novel is The Rule of Stephens and was released in 2017. Taylor has also been a prolific journalist and creative nonfiction writer over this same period. He has published hundreds of feature articles in the past 15 years in such publications as The New York Times, EnRoute, Walrus, 18 Bridges, The Report on Business Magazine, Hakai and many others. He has won or been nominated for over two dozen magazine awards, been widely anthologized, and seen his work appear in both the US and France. His most recent nonfiction book, published by Nonvella in Vancouver, is Foodville, a food memoire and meditation on foodie obsessions in western consumer culture. In addition to his writing and teaching at UBC, Taylor travels widely, having in recent years spent time on assignment in China, Tibet, Japan, Dubai, Brazil, the Canadian arctic and other places. He lives in Point Grey Vancouver with his wife, his son, and a Brittany Spaniel named Keaton.

Corey Mintz is a distinguished food journalist hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has contributed to several prominent publications, such as The New York Times, Eater, and The Globe and Mail, and is the author of The Next Supper: The End of Restaurants as We Knew Them, and What Comes After. In this episode, Corey and I delve into a range of topics, from tipping and restaurant pricing, to the Michelin awards and the role of migrant workers in Canada’s food industry. His extensive expertise, sharp cultural insight and thought-provoking perspectives make for an engaging and lively discussion. Some of the columns we go over are as follows: Restaurant Math Isn’t Working - Eater Feast of riches - The Globe and Mail ‘We are the farmer’s property’: A former migrant worker on his fight for justice - TVO Michelin removes stars from two Toronto restaurants - blogTO If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

Welcome to the Episode 100 extravaganza! In honour of this milestone, we catch up with former Track & Food podcast co-host, Mickey McLeod, and friend of the podcast, Tristan Young, of The Keefer Bar. Then, with the help of industry vets Shira Blustein (Acorn, Lila), James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus), James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality), and Michelle Sproule (Scout Magazine), we embark on a lengthy and raucous discussion beginning with whether Vancouver has a defining food image, and veering into myriad other hospitality-related topics. Get ready for a two-and-a-half-hour-long, fun-filled, and bubbles-fuelled episode of insider knowledge and laughter. For additional context, check out my recent article for Midrange, "Is McDonald's the Defining Food Image of Our Time?" You can read it here. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

Will poverty always be a systemic issue? This is the question at the heart of Tracy Smith-Carrier’s article, “Implementing a basic income means overcoming myths about the ‘undeserving poor’”, published in The Conversation last December – and the focus of today’s interview with its author. Smith-Carrier has studied poverty for over 25 years, and is currently an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair, with a focus on Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC. As such, she brings a candid and humanistic lens to an issue affecting so many in our society, by breaking down the myths hindering our progress towards the elimination of poverty and (hopefully) helping us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issue from a macro level. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

Back in the fall, I received some good intel, via text, about a peculiar issue brewing up along Main Street, regarding the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association(BIA). The problem was a proposed expansion of where the BIA lines fell, with the Main and 19-29th Street areas considered a new addition. The text suggested a lot of pushback from business owners in this proposed expansion area who did not want a BIA. Fast forward to moments after recording my last episode when guest, Shira Blustein (owner of The Acorn and The Arbor), pulled me aside to let me know that the BIA story was still on the table, and that a vote with the Mount Pleasant board members to decide the fate of the expansion would be happening on February 27th. If I wanted to cover this story, now was the time. Vancouver has 22 Business Improvement Associations – nonprofits funded by their jurisdiction through tax dollars collected by the City. Their roles within their respective communities vary, with some being more prominent than others (for example, Gastown has a potent BIA). The Mount Pleasant BIA expansion is unique, as most business owners in this area are small operators with prolonged exposure to the area. In this episode, we hear from Mount Pleasant BIA Executive Director, Neil Wyles, on why he’s pushed so hard for this expansion and what that process has entailed so far, as well as from those in opposition, including business owners Erin Boniferro (Collage Collage), Kildare Curtis (Eugene Choo), and the aforementioned Blustein. A small, dynamic interview with David Duprey – board member of the Mount Pleasant BIA and owner of The Narrow Group (Uncle Abe’s, The Narrow, Slim’s BBQ, Key Party) – has also been added.

Whether at work or with friends, one of the more common questions posed to me is: “Where do you recommend going for dinner?” In a city as varied and culturally diverse as Vancouver, options for delicious fare seem endless. But despite the abundance of intrigue and hard-to-book tables, the local sector is in peril (much like the beer industry featured in my previous episode). This is largely (still) owing to the hard-hitting pandemic, which left thousands of small businesses scrambling nationwide. In today’s episode, we hone in on the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), a $60,000 government assistance loan with a string attached: $20,000 in forgiveness if paid back by a specific date. That date passed in 2022 and was extended once more to January 18th, 2024. More than 885,000 small businesses and not-for-profits took out CEBA loans, totalling more than $48 billion. According to a Restaurants Canada report from late October 2023, the Canadian food service industry was on track to reach a remarkable milestone, with a value of $110 billion in 2023. It is Canada’s fourth largest private employer, serving 22 million people per day – yet over 50 percent of restaurants and food service businesses are either operating at a loss or barely breaking even. To better understand what is happening on the ground here in Vancouver, I’ve rounded up a few friends who also work in the industry: Shira Blustein (owner of Acorn and The Arbor), Shaun Layton (co-owner of ¿CóMO? Tapería), and James Iranzad (co-founder and operator of Gooseneck Hospitality, and a fixture on this podcast). We debate where restaurants are headed in 2024 and what can be done to help an industry on the brink. Businesses need to pay CEBA loans or lose free money — because the deadline isn't changing - CBC Restaurants Canada Supports Growth and Stability of the Canadian Foodservice Industry - Restaurants Canada New pilot project supports restaurant industry’s workforce development - B.C. Government If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

If you had asked me what I thought ‘craft beer’ was when I first moved to Vancouver, back in 2009, my answer would have been something vague about its ‘higher quality’. Fast forward to today, and layers of experiences, flavours and perspectives add nuance and understanding to what the beer sector signifies. Market capitalization and interest usually peak when something new captures the scene, with entrepreneurs racing to make their mark and carve out their niches. In BC, R&B, Storm, Red Truck, Phillips, and Driftwood are a handful of the early success stories; then came 33 Acres, Strange Fellows, Parkside, and Brassneck (to name a few), who shepherded an exciting crew of businesses with exceptional beers and inviting tasting rooms. The people came, and a new way of socializing formed: fewer corner pubs and more family affairs. Kids and dogs littered patios as parents sipped on unique IPA styles. Soon, there were upwards of over 200 craft breweries in the province. Craft beer seemed here to stay… Then came a pandemic, rising interest rates, changing consumer habits, and the rise of non-alcoholics and RTDs – each a new challenge for breweries. As of late 2023, the news wasn’t good: some are closing, and others may follow suit; reports from the CBC and Global News paint a possible stark environment for 2024. To gain a better comprehension of the situation from the inside, I’ve rounded up three friends and prominent brewery owners – Sam Payne (co-owner and operator of Parkside and Rewind ), Nick Black (co-owner and operator of Strange Fellows), and Adam Henderson (owner of Superflux) – to share their knowledge and personal narratives, and discuss the state of the craft brewery market today, how they see it evolving, and the challenges ahead… Trouble brewing? Canadian beermakers foresee closures amid economic challenges - CBC Beer industry says looming tax increase latest blow to tapped out sector - CBC COVID loan repayments a brewing crisis for B.C. craft beer sector, industry warns - Global News A Missed Opportunity— Did The Craft Beer Industry Lose Their One Chance To Grow Their Market Share? - Track and Food If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email at trackandfoodpod@gmail.com

In this newest edition of the triple(J) - H series, prominent former winemaker Heidi Noble joins alongside James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) and James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus) to help predict who will win, keep, and possibly move up in year two of Vancouver's Michelin guide. Enjoy! This year's announcement is on October 5th.

In 2018, Vancouver non-profit Foundations for Social Change, along with researchers from UBC, set out to do a small experiment: a one-year trial where they gave a lump sum of $7,500 cash, no strings attached, directly to people experiencing homelessness to see whether the direct cash method would provide them with a leg up finding stable housing, or if they would instead spend it on temptation goods (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.). Several local shelters were enlisted to help them find suitable candidates for their study, which was led by Dr. Jiaying Zhao (PhD, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair, UBC). The results – published only a few weeks ago – shed light on how the homeless actually spend their money while also providing clues for what they need to succeed moving forward. For further reading on this study, check out the links below... A B.C. research project gave homeless people $7,500 each — the results were 'beautifully surprising' - CBC A Canadian study gave $7,500 to homeless people. Here’s how they spent it. - Vox A Study Showed Giving Money to Homeless People Changes Lives. What’s Next? - The Tyee

In this episode, award-winning freelance journalist, Rachel Nuwer, discusses her fantastic and revelatory new book, I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World. Featuring the real life stories of many intriguing characters, from ravers to PTSD sufferers, Nuwer's book covers a lot of ground: from how MDMA (aka Ectasy or "Molly") accidentally came to be (in a German lab for pharmaceutical company, Merck), to its use by the US government as a potential 'truth serum' circa the 1950s (spoiler: this never took off), and subsequently by prominent biochemists and pharmacologists as a (legal) treatment for trauma and addiction in the mid-1970s. I Feel Love is at times maddening and disheartening, but also captivating, enlightening and an overall pleasurable read - in the similar vein of Dr. Gabor Maté and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, who also explore the concept of 'best practice' for those who are suffering trauma. A must-read for those seeking a compassionate journey. Rachel Nuwer is an award-winning freelance journalist who reports about science, travel, food and adventure for the New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American and more. Her multi-award winning first book, Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking, was published in 2018 with Da Capo Press. Her second book, I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World, was published in June 2023 with Bloomsbury.