Partnership

LCV Culinary Students Cook Alongside BC's Top Chefs at BCHF's 20th Anniversary Gala

Students from LaSalle College Vancouver’s Hospitality and Culinary School cooked alongside Canada’s culinary champions at BCHF’s 20th Anniversary Gala, hosted at our new campus.

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Two culinary students smile at the camera while holding plates of appetizers, dressed in black aprons and chef hats.

In partnership with the BC Hospitality Foundation and Chef Julian Bond, LaSalle College Vancouver hosted the Foundation's 20th anniversary gala on July 22, 2026 — a seated dinner for 200 guests, a lineup of Canada's most decorated chefs, and a night our Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts students won't forget.

For twenty years, the BC Hospitality Foundation has stood behind hospitality workers across the province, and its milestone anniversary called for a celebration to match. Hosted by Vancouver personality Fred Lee, the evening brought together industry leaders and longtime supporters for a three-course dinner, curated wines, live entertainment, and storytelling honoring the people who make hospitality extraordinary — closing out on LaSalle College Vancouver's seventh-floor rooftop patio with dessert and a view of the city.

A group of chefs are working together in a kitchen, preparing food at a workstation. It appears to be a cooking class or culinary demonstration.

An experienced chef wearing glasses and a black apron is instructing two cooks in a professional kitchen, showing an ingredient from a pot.

An Asian chef is adding a final touch to a dish in a professional kitchen, with other cooks working in the background. The food looks delicious and carefully prepared.

Chefs in a commercial kitchen are meticulously arranging food on plates, preparing for a large event or service. The focus is on detailed presentation and efficient workflow.

The night's culinary lineup read like a who's-who of BC's food scene: Jay Park (Boulevard), 2026 Canadian Culinary Champion; Jasper Cruickshank (L'Abattoir), 2025 Canadian Culinary Champion; Vikram Vij (Vij's); Dino Renaerts (Bon Vivant Catering); and Carol Chow. Cooking alongside them were three familiar faces from LaSalle College Vancouver's own Culinary faculty: Chef Julian Bond, Director of Hospitality and Culinary; Chef Robert Clark, retired chef, author, and Culinary Arts Instructor; and Chef Mandy Vial, Baking and Pastry Arts Faculty Lead.

A gourmet dish featuring crispy fish, corn puree, chopped vegetables, and a dark sauce, artfully presented on a white plate.

This image displays a rectangular platter filled with puff pastry-wrapped appetizers, topped with a glossy glaze and garnished with a small flower and a dollop of cheese or cream.

These are salmon tartare bites with roe eggs on yellow wonton crisps, presented on a black plate. They are an elegant and flavorful appetizer.

The entire evening's menu came together in LaSalle College Vancouver's brand-new culinary facilities — industry-grade kitchens built to mirror the pace and pressure of a professional restaurant. Canada's Culinary Champions and BC's top chefs cooked on the same equipment our students train on every day, from Rational combi-steam ovens to marble pastry stations.

A chef wearing glasses prepares ingredients wrapped in aluminum foil in a professional kitchen, surrounded by other cooks working on their own dishes.

A professional chef is cooking with open flames in a pan, creating a culinary spectacle with vibrant fire in a professional kitchen setting.

For the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts students, this was the kind of night that's hard to script in a classroom. Helping execute a seated three-course dinner for 200 guests meant real pace, real pressure, and real service, working side by side with chefs whose names they've studied in class, on the very equipment they train on every day. Beyond the kitchen, students had the chance to meet chefs, hospitality leaders, and BCHF supporters face to face, the kind of early connections that stick with you well past graduation.

A young female chef wearing a cap and black apron looks towards the camera at an event with set tables and other people in the background.

Chefs in a professional kitchen are carefully plating small appetizers, with one chef artfully drizzling sauce from a squeeze bottle onto the dishes.

A smiling chef holds a plate of desserts in front of a modern building. He is wearing a black chef's hat and a black apron over a white uniform.

More than anything, the night was a reminder of what happens when different corners of Vancouver's culinary world come together toward one goal. Champions, veterans, students, and faculty, each bringing their own style and experience to the same kitchen, working as one team to pull off an evening this size. Together, $125,000 were raised for the BC Hospitality Foundation's beneficiary assistance program, helping the Foundation continue supporting more individuals and families across the province.

A heartfelt thank you to the BC Hospitality Foundation, Chef Julian Bond and his culinary team, and every chef who joined us for the evening.

A group of chefs and front-of-house staff pose together in front of elevators and turnstiles, dressed in black and green uniforms.

A man wearing glasses and a suit is speaking into a microphone in front of an audience seated at tables.

A group of people are laughing and enjoying an event, possibly an auction, with a man holding up a sign with the number 77.

A group of seven smiling chefs, mostly women, pose for a photo in an outdoor setting with flowers and greenery.

Four people smile at the camera in a professional kitchen. Two men with beards wear white chef hats, another man in a white chef hat and a woman wearing glasses stand in front.

A group of people are gathered outside the LaSalle College Vancouver building, enjoying an outdoor event with green trees and a sunny day.

About the BC Hospitality Foundation

For 20 years, the BC Hospitality Foundation has supported hospitality and tourism workers across British Columbia facing financial hardship due to serious health challenges, while also investing in the industry's future through scholarships and bursaries for hospitality students. Learn more or support their work at bchospitalityfoundation.com.

About the Hospitality and Culinary School

Interested in a career in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, or Hospitality and Restaurant Business Management? Discover certificate, diploma, and grand diploma program options offered through the Hospitality and Culinary School at LaSalle College Vancouver, rooted in over 40 years of excellence in the city.