What do our clients think?
“Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote, both from great restaurant and beverage backgrounds nationally and internationally, have finally opened one of Vancouver’s new and exciting culinary enterprises with their Kale & Nori. Having known and worked with them both socially and professionally, I am impressed with their insightful enthusiasm and knowledge on foods and beverages regional and far and wide.”
- Nathan Fong, Director, IACP (Int’l Ass’n of Culinary Professionals), Founder and Chair, Passions for The Dr Peter Centre, Global TV, The Vancouver Sun
“Thank you Kale and Nori for helping deliver an upscale kitschy Canadiana themed experience for our special guests. They were delighted with the sumptuous cocktails and lavish hors d’oeurves prepared with local ingredients and served by your professional toque-wearing staff. Lauren and Jonathan it was a pleasure working with you once again. I hope we can do it again soon.”
- Lorien Henson & Kassia O’Connor, Event Planners, Hootsuite Vancouver
“Just wanted to say a big thanks to you and Jonathan and Kelsey for putting on such an amazing event for us. The meal and cocktails were absolutely perfect and the day was just what we had hoped for. You guys are superb professionals and I can’t wait to see what you do next!”
- Courtney Healey & Chris Sklar, Vancouver BC
“In my first of what I hope to be many engagements with Kale & Nori’s Bittered Sling Bistro Events, I was pleasantly surprised! The guests at this event were completely engaged, and eager to learn about the food and spirit being displayed before them. These were guests that put thought into a night out that would be different from every other night out. The Bittered Sling Bistro Events are designed to engage their guests, and open them up to new ideas while educating them on the staples of Bartending and Culinary Art. These events will continue to sell out given their sincere nature, and pure passion for all things Culinary, and Bar Savvy. A wonderful way to say, ‘Let’s go get a drink and a bite to eat!’ ”
- Jeff Myers, Brand Ambassador, Maker’s Mark Bourbon and Beam Reserve Brands, Western Canada
“Lauren Mote with business partner Chef Jonathan created an elegant catered dinner for 20 guests featuring seasonal sustainable ingredients and paired with innovative signature cocktails. Kale & Nori Culinary Arts is wholly committed to bringing a socially and environmentally responsible approach to catering, which is very important for my clients. For days after the dinner party the guests were singing the highest praise about the sumptuous food and professional hospitality of Lauren and Chef Jonathan. The entire process from custom menu development through to delivering beautifully presented and delicious cuisine was an absolute pleasure working with Lauren and her team at Kale & Nori. I highly recommend Lauren and Kale & Nori for anyone seeking a full service caterer for social, corporate or special events that will delight taste buds and impress guests.”
- Lorien Henson, Integrated Marketing Specialist, Sustainable Event Professional, LimeLight Events; PowerPlant Vancouver
“Lauren and Jonathon are real stars in our eyes. Our guests had their best evening with their professional and relaxed demeanor and with all their culinary delights for both the food and the cocktails. Their enthusiasm and creativity really shines and we are very happy that we have had the good fortune to discover Kale & Nori. Thank you again with all our hearts for a truly wonderful magically evening.”
- Alison Lam, West Vancouver BC
“We thoroughly enjoyed the party and appreciated all the efforts from you and your staff. There were many compliments to Chef Jonathan for his delicious food! Your ‘Lioness’ cocktail was a hit and you were brilliant at keeping everyones’ glasses filled. We also loved your lively and fun manner with our guests. Your staff is excellent! Friendly, efficient and very professional.”-
- Joanna Clark, West Vancouver BC
“The Bittered Sling Bistro Maker’s Mark event was a fantastic! Very well executed and the food & cocktail pairings were phenomenal. Chef Jonathan of Kale & Nori created spectacular dishes that truly showcased Maker’s Mark. We look forward to participating again!”
- Angie Poirier, BC Field Sales Manager, Beam Global
“Wow, what a fantastic meal and evening. Thanks again. Really admire the quality and professionalism you two brought to the event and still having pangs of longing for those dishes again!”
- Ben Garfinkel, partner Industrial Brand; Foodists.ca, Vancouver BC
“The event was universally well received and everyone complimented the food, so we were very happy with the service, thank you.”
- Martha Martindale, Vancouver BC
“Kale & Nori catered a party for us this summer. They were outstanding. I spoke with and got quotes from multiple other catering companies but went with Kale & Nori because a) their proposed menu sounded fabulous, b) I liked their commitment to using local and sustainable ingredients, and c) Lauren sounded like she would be great to work with. The food was incredible, and many of our guests raved about it to me. Lauren and Jonathan were entirely professional but also very fun to work with. I would definitely work with them and again and highly recommend them!”
- Heather Finlayson, Vancouver BC
“Kale & Nori are a local catering and culinary arts team that relish in bringing sustainable seafood and vegetarian flavors to people who savor delightful, exotic and lush delights. Jonathan & Lauren are two people who love great food, wonderful experiences and making people’s taste buds go ‘wow – oh my god are you kidding me that is unbelievable!!!’. They are all about authenticity and being true to their vision. I found Kale & Nori through a gourmand friend who I knew would not steer me wrong. He knows my penchant for true, honest food that is unique and worldly, yet accessible and that I would also have to love who I was working with regarding the reception of my wedding. Once I met Jonathan and Lauren, and tried their edible creations I knew that both my criteria had been met. Prior to creating our menu they truly wanted to know all about us, and what would make us thrilled. Each step along the way was easy and fun. They hand crafted a menu that was wonderful. We would have tastes of Japan, India and Italy! On the day of the wedding, they came to perform. Jonathan pumped out hit after hit of lovely foods. Lauren created cocktails that were specifically designed for the themes of the day. Some of the things we feasted on…. ”Bounty of British Columbia late summer charcuterie” / ‘Horseradish marinated spot prawns” / “Chickpea tartlet, sweet and hot pepper curry” / “Lemon and garden herb risotto arancini” / ‘Sablefish Mumbai” My mouth is watering as I remember tasting each dish. Jonathan cooked these on site crafting them with gusto. It was lovely how Lauren and Jonathan took the time to bring each of these to the guests, reveling in their delight. Everyone at the reception was in awe of the amazing food. They really made the day a hit! If you are looking for someone to cater your wedding, event or special occasion and care about where the food comes from, how is it made and about wowing your guests… Give Jonathan and Lauren a call, they are inspirational, fun and cute too.”
- Gary Mahler, Vancouver BC
“Right from the start Kale & Nori empressed us with their efficient and professional manner – Lauren’s creative and out of the box approach to our Christmas party was outstanding! Her understanding of our needs within a very short time inspired us and generated the results we were looking for. Jonathan shared his expertise & hand made delicacies with our guests adding to the allure of the event. The execution of the event was flawless, the menu impeccable and perfectly tailored to our crowd ( over 100 in attendance)! From their culinary expertise to the amazing mixology and the helpful and knowledgeable staff our experience with Kale and Nori confirmed we had partnered with true leaders in the industry. FYI!!!!!!! this was a 5 star experience for sure!!!!!”
- Tami Landrum, Vancouver BC
“Kale & Nori just did another event for us. This time it was a private sit-down dinner for 16. The food was creative and fabulous and they did a wonderful job of serving and describing each element of the meal. Everything was top notch, down to the details of Christmas garnishes for the drinks and a beautiful table setting. I hope to work with them again!”
- Heather Finlayson, Vancouver BC
“These two are an amazing duo! and what they are capable of is truly a miracle. We have used Jonathan & Lauren, of Kale & Norte fame for numerous events in our industry. Most recently for our annual Cocktail Culture Sampling Event for BC Liquor stores @ Albernie & Bute, where they treated customers to a true culinary experience. They are both knowledgeable, professional and creative. We can’t say enough wonderful things about them ..only wish we could post pictures so that you could see the beauty that they create…. we look forward to working with them again as its great to know that they just handle everything and we never need to worry that any detail has not been taken care of – all will be top drawer! They will surpass your expectations.”
- Marlies Caswell, PMA Canada
“Kale & Nori provided amazing service with a clear focus on what it takes to make an event successful, especially in the Vancouver Market. Their dedication to excellence as well as their passion for their craft is inspirational. We look forward to having them a part of future events and being inspired by their delicious culinary and cocktail creations”
- Chase Stampe, Brown-Forman Canada
“Lauren Mote and Jonathan Chovancek are an incredible team! Joining forces to bring us Bittered Sling Bistro, they have completely stepped outside box and have given us a truly amazing culinary-cocktail experience! They break the mold in everything from their event execution, customer service, and product knowledge. It has a been a pleasure working with them on not only a professional level, but also enjoying their events as a guest!”
- Amy Hollenbach, PMA Canada