Directors

Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts is led by President and Founder,  Sue Singer. Our faculty includes Chef Instructors who are all European-trained.

Our faculty also includes Restaurant Service Instructors and Bakeshop & Café Instructors. Students learn merchandising, customer service and other “front of the house” realities by operating the Institute’s Restaurant and Bakeshop & Café.

Chef Julian Bond
Executive Chef & Program Director

British born and trained, Julian Bond's career began in Barnsley, England where he attended the Royal Institute of Technology, and graduated with honours. Chef Julian then honed his culinary skills at several notable British restaurants, including the Michelin-rated Nidd Hall, Bell Inn and Jean Alexander Catering in London where he cooked for royalty.  In 1993, Chef Julian moved to Canada, landing at the Kananaskis Hotel in Canmore, Alberta.  Bond was lured further west in 1995 to open the Vancouver restaurant, Star Anise, where he filled two roles, as Executive Chef & Co-owner of the award-winning hotspot.  Chef Julian led the restaurant to financial success and multiple awards, including Gourmet America's Top Tables Award and the award for Best Restaurant from the Vancouver Magazine three years in a row.  Always adding to his repertoire Chef Julian later moved on to assist in the design and opening of Oritalia at the Sheraton Le Soleil, a restaurant located in a new boutique hotel nestled in downtown Vancouver's bustling business district.  Within a year of opening, Conde Nast's Traveler magazine rated Oritalia as one of the 100 Hot New Restaurants of 2000, an impressive honour as Oritalia was the only Canadian restaurant named.

The turn of the millennium also saw Chef Julian make a seemingly natural career move, accepting the position of Director of Culinary Programs at Dubrulle International Culinary & Hotel Institute of Canada (later named The Art Institute of Vancouver).  In 2005, he was recruited for his expertise to the Test Kitchen of Cactus Club Café Restaurants, a BC casual fine dining chain.  In this role, Chef Julian combined his passion for teaching and his eye for detailed kitchen construct and reconstructs.  After a successful two years at Cactus Club Café, Chef Julian worked on a consulting-basis; providing advice and assistance to singular and multi-facet unit restaurants prior to joining Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts as Executive Chef & Program Director.  

Chef Julian has received many accolades over the years including: 

• An honorary lifetime induction to the BC Chef's Association
• Young Chef of the Millennium by the Globe and Mail
• Top 100 Young Canadians, Entrepreneur by Maclean's Magazine

Bali Mann
Director of Admissions

With 5 years in the role of admissions advising for the culinary industry, along with a Marketing Management Diploma from Kwantlen University College and a Certificate in Internet Marketing from the University of British Columbia, Bali brings his knowledge and experience to Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.

Having worked in the field for numerous years and closely with students and employers, he understands what the industry is looking for and what they need.

Having joined Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in March 2008, Bali Mann will maintain the integrity and professionalism of our programs as the Institute's Director of Admissions.

"The industry is demanding that students have a solid foundation and a well rounded skill set of all aspects of the industry. They need to be consistent, focused and most importantly have extensive hands-on experience. Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts provides all of these skills while guaranteeing small class sizes and 90% hands-on training." – Bali Mann, Director of Admissions

Giulia Vendramin
Director of Catering & Events

A graduate of our Culinary Arts program in 2003, Giulia Vendramin launched her new career with Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts after spending over a decade in the telecommunications industry. Combining her passion for fine wines and classical cuisine with her superb management skills, a keen eye for detail and an unrelenting pursuit of complete client satisfaction, Giulia is uniquely qualified in the demanding role as Director, Catering and Events.

Carsten Davids
Director of Restaurant Services

Carsten has been in the hospitality industry for 15 years. He received his Cook training in Germany, and was employed in hotels in Germany and England before completing a Hotel Management Degree. Carsten’s work in the Food and Beverage industry took him around the globe to a number of prestigious properties.

In London, England, Carsten was employed at The Savoy, Claridge’s, and Simpson’s in The Strand. He then moved to New Zealand with Southern Pacific Hotels and prior to joining Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, Carsten worked at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver, BC.

Having worked both the "front" and "back" of the house in the restaurant industry, Carsten firmly believes that in order to become a great Chef, one must also become a great server, and this is what he hopes to impart to his students.