The YVR Prep Team

Operations Manager

Born & raised in Colombia, Luisa has 13 years of cooking/baking experience in hotels, restaurants and pastry shops. When not in the kitchen, you'll find Luisa either outdoors hiking and exploring, or indoors trying new restaurants. Luisa is passionate about minimizing food waste and learning about other cultures.

Fun fact #1: There is only one breakfast for Luisa - arepa with cheese & a side of fruit!

Fun fact #2: Luisa's travel dream is a winter in Finland or Iceland.

Managing Partner

A homegrown Burnaby-ite, Ryan has extensive experience in the food industry, with 20+ years working in restaurants, resorts and cruise ships. He is living the dream right along with our members - juggling entrepreunership and full-time parenting! In his not-so-abundant free time, Ryan loves to fish and forage for wild mushrooms.

Fun fact #1: Ryan is an avid pho connoisseur.

Fun fact #2: Ryan is allergic to peanuts and anything related to the Google workspace.

Managing Partner

Born in Toronto and raised in Vancouver, Jason draws on his 20+ years of experience in hospitality & marketing. He is a proud #girldad & avid foodie & walks the entrepreunerial walk as owner of another co-working business, Beta Collective, and serving on the Burnaby Board of Trade. Jason balances his busy life with daily hot yoga and travelling with his family.

Fun fact #1: If he wasn't busy enough, Jason is also a DJ and travel agent!

Fun fact #2: Like a true foodie, Jason will never say no to trying new foods or snacks.

Managing Partner

A born & raised Vancouverite, Josh has 20+ years in the food industry having worked in restaurants and as a corporate chef. Josh is also a proud #girldad and loves to pass on his passion for gardening & farming to his daughters. He is a member of Slow Food Vancouver and represented the Coastal chapter at Terre Madre 2022 in Italy.

Fun fact #1: Josh is the 3rd oldest of 12 children!

Fun fact #2: Wild foraged foods are his passion so don't be surprised if you come across him in the woods or fields somewhere.

Kitchen Steward

Mary has lived her whole life in Burnaby and started working at YVR Prep during the pandemic in 2020. She is all about sports - basketball, softball, curling, soccer - watching and playing them! If she had to choose a favourite sport and team to watch, it would be soccer and the Whitecaps. Outside of work and sports, Mary likes to hang out with friends and family.

Fun fact #1: It always amuses Mary that people get surprised when she goes into animated and chatty mode because she's usually pretty quiet.

Fun fact #2: Mary represented BC at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2024 in Calgary and won gold with her team (on which her mom and sister also play)!!!

Kitchen Steward

Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Taiho immigrated to Canada in 2001. When he's not working, you'll find Taiho either road cycling or playing golf. He likes all sports, but his favourites to watch are golf and UFC. Taiho is also a lover of a wide range of music, from classical to ballads to pop.

Fun fact #1: His favourite food is seafood, especially sashimi.

Fun fact #2: Taiho also loves movies and will watch his classic favourites, such as Ben Hur, every year!

Kitchen Steward

Ming has lived in Canada for less than one year, having moved from Nepal in September 2023 to study in an Associate of Arts college program. Even though most of his time is filled with work, studying and school assignments, his fun time is spent playing the guitar and playing basketball or soccer. Ming is really enjoying the beauty and cool weather of Vancouver/Canada and having gotten a taste of hiking, plans to do a lot more hiking!

Fun fact #1: What does Ming miss about home (Nepal)? His friends and momos (steamed meat-filled dumplings).

Fun fact #2: Ming has a hidden artistic talent... sketching and watercolour painting.