The women of Worth Association’s Yes Shef event are redefining hospitality as a sisterhood of excellence and lasting legacy.
Yes Shef was once again hosted at the iconic Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver’s definitive luxury hotel, where an unforgettable night of connection and culinary virtuosity was laid out like a banquet for queens. The latest edition of this Worthy event was an exquisite celebration of flavour, leadership, and the joint ascent of women in food, beverage, and hospitality.
At the high seats of this refined soirée are women whose vision is to write into history, the real story of the industry.
Joanna Jagger, Founder and President, Worth Association, brought to life the idea she once longed to see…talented women from the kitchens of hospitality brought out of the shadows to shine under the chandeliers of recognition. She is the voice and vision of Worth Association. She embodies the fearlessness of a woman who steps into the spotlight and use it to illuminate others. Her journey through some of Canada’s most iconic establishments – Marriott, Shangri-La, Sequoia Company of Restaurants, Joe Fortes – shaped her understanding of excellence.
Beside her stands Tash McLeod, Operations Manager, the heartbeat of Worth Association and all it entails, she orchestrates the Yes Shef event with the precision of a conductor and the heart of a nurturer, ensuring every chef, every volunteer, and every guest feels appreciated, celebrated, and part of something greater. Tash, a lifelong advocate for equity and belonging, blends her uncanny insight into people with an instinct for grace under pressure. With years in Vancouver’s top restaurants – Hawksworth, The Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Ancora, Vij’s, and Fable – she carries the impeccable cadence of the fine-dining world as seamlessly and naturally as breathing.
And breathing life into the narratives of Worth Association is Danya Wheeler, Communications & Community Manager, who is both storyteller and strategist bridging the gap between vision and audience. Danya makes sure Worth’s message of equity and empowerment reaches far beyond the palisade of any one event.
The women of Worth’s devotion to Yes Shef is what advocacy is, literally and figuratively. It is that indomitable desire to shine a light on female chefs of every background and story, it is to celebrate the diversity that flavours Canada’s kitchens, and it is to honour the extraordinary depth of talent that thrives when inclusion is a living thing.
The evening’s gala was generously supported by partners who believe in both the hospitality industry and equity. Fairmont Pacific Rim welcomed more than 500 guests into its grand ballroom, with a waiting list of over 100 more hoping for that proverbial seat at this unforgettable table.
Sponsors such as Destination Vancouver, Gordon Food Service, and a host of industry allies lent both resources and belief in an affirmation that when women are lifted up, hospitality also increases tenfold.
Yes Shef scale and soul is remarkable in its orchestration. Holding court were some of British Columbia’s most talented female chefs, paired with apprentices through a mentorship programme that goes on long after the chandeliers twinkle off.
Each tasting station showcased identity, artistry, courage along with skilled talent, and the patience of mentorship. It is heartwarming to see the work in motion as these brilliant chefs guide the next generation towards the art of honing their skills.
Behind the polished sophistication of Yes Shef are the women who built it – the mistressminds, the grand conductors, the volunteers-extraordinaire. Yet, they are the first to say it is the fearless chefs, and the loud and proud loyal supporters of Worth Association who make Yes Shef the phenomenon it has become.
In the refined world of luxury hospitality, this event is what prestige looks like, where every aspect of it carried a forward marching movement. That phenomenon was in the music, the lighting, the plating, the locally produced food, and the unequivocal promise that inclusion, mentorship, and shared leadership will always be the foundation of what Worth Association stands for in the industry’s future.
At the end of the day, Yes Shef is a glamorous and a wildly decadent food event, and the women behind it, the women who participate, and the people who support it, are performing the very act of pioneering an industry that is enthroned in equity and community.
For Joanna Jagger, Tash McLeod, Danya Wheeler, Nikki Lajeunesse, and all the remarkable women who participated in Yes Shef, that’s the whole point. For them, it is not, and will never be just a one-night dinner soiree.
Yes Shef is a marriage of vision and legacy folded into, and wrapped around, delightful morsels of flavours and textures that reflect both diversity and excellence in perfect harmony.
Stay tuned for the chef stories and their creations from the Yes Shef, 2025 edition.