Your Hosts

General Manager: Mona Trivedi
Manager: Mao Wright
Event Coordinator: Heather McKee
Executive Chef: Francois Gagnon
Sous Chef: Mark Cornett
Sous Chef: Scott McLennan

Executive Chef - Francois Gagnon 

Francois began his culinary arts career in Quebec City over a decade ago where he apprenticed under the skill and expertise of Francois Rousseau. He was soon motivated to move to France where he trained for two years under much acclaimed chefs such as Joel Garault, of the Hotel I'Hermitage and Monte Carlo and Roger Verger of Le Moulin de Mougins.

Placing first in the province of Quebec in a cooking competition is what encouraged Francois to move to Vancouver. Our city's passion for and appreciation of fine food brought him here in 2002 where he spent time working with Rob Feenie, both at Lumiere as Chef de Partie and at Feenie's as Chef de Cuisine.

Francois then moved to the Top Table Restaurant group and spent four years at the Blue Water Cafe as Executive Sous Chef alongside Frank Pabst. His talents helped to make Blue Water Cafe the successful restaurant it is today. Francois' skills and ambition spurred him on to the position of Executive Chef at Cin Cin Ristorante.

Francois joined the Sequoia Company of Restaurants to head up the team at the Teahouse in September of 2009. Combining classical training and premium ingredients, he crafts traditional dishes which stand out and authenticate his strong belief in letting the ingredients speak for themselves.