What percentage of your ingredients are actually sourced locally in BC?

We target 30%+ BC-sourced ingredients following the Feed BC standard, but I'll be honest — it fluctuates seasonally. June through October, we regularly hit 40-50% local sourcing when Fraser Valley farms are producing heavily. November through March, we might drop to 25% because BC's winter growing season is genuinely limited. Anyone telling you they maintain consistent local percentages year-round in Vancouver is either fudging the numbers or serving a very restricted menu. We track this monthly and share real numbers with clients who ask.

How do you maintain authentic Asian flavors while using local BC ingredients?

This is the biggest challenge we face, and here's how we handle it: we use BC ingredients where they genuinely excel — proteins, most vegetables, garnishes — and we import what authenticity demands. You cannot make legitimate mapo tofu without proper doubanjiang, and BC doesn't produce that commercially. Fish sauce requires tropical fermentation. Rather than create mediocre substitutes, we invest in premium imported pantry staples while building the rest of each dish around what the Fraser Valley and Okanagan do best. Our Richmond and Burnaby clients, many of whom grew up eating authentic Cantonese food, can taste the difference when we cut corners on foundational ingredients.

What happens when local ingredients aren't available due to weather or seasonal issues?

We adapt the menu rather than pretend nothing's changed. Last February, a cold snap wiped out our usual bok choy supplier for three weeks — we shifted to stored root vegetables and greenhouse greens from Delta operations until supply recovered. Our prep team has backup recipes built around BC's storage crops specifically for these situations. What we won't do is quietly substitute imported ingredients while keeping "local" descriptions on the menu. If we have to source outside BC temporarily, we document it and communicate with clients. That transparency has actually built more trust than trying to maintain perfect local percentages through dishonesty.

How much more expensive is local sourcing compared to conventional catering?

Direct costs run about 15-20% higher on average, but that comparison misses the operational advantages. When your ingredients travel 200km instead of 2,500km, they arrive in better condition and last longer in prep. We waste less product, and the food holds up better during transport to offices across Burnaby and Richmond. Plus, cutting out distributor markups on our BC partnerships actually saves money versus buying through Sysco or other broadline suppliers. The bigger cost is time — maintaining direct farm relationships, flexible menu planning, quality verification — but those investments show up as better-tasting food that clients are willing to pay for.

Can you trace exactly where each ingredient in my catering order came from?

Yes, for the vast majority of our ingredients. We maintain supplier documentation going back months, including farm names, locations, and delivery dates for all BC components. If you order our braised bok choy, I can tell you which Abbotsford farm grew it and when it was harvested. The limitation is imported specialty ingredients — soy sauce, certain spices, rice varieties that don't grow commercially in BC. Those come through established import channels, and while we know the distributors, we can't trace back to specific producers overseas. But for fresh proteins, vegetables, and herbs that make up the bulk of each dish, full traceability is standard operating procedure for us.