Vaishnav (Vish) Mayekar, a 2014 graduate of Niagara College’s Culinary Management (Co-op) program, recently marked a major career milestone–hosting a private event where renowned St. John’s chef Jeremy Charles served up Newfoundland seafood for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. The event, held on February 23, took place at Mayekar’s restaurant, ELEM Restaurant, located in Vancouver, and was hosted for Ramsay’s cookware brand, HexClad.
Mayekar preparing food with celebrated Newfoundland chef Jeremy Charles.
Mayekar, who opened his dream restaurant, ELEM, just 16 weeks prior to the event, sees this collaboration with culinary legends as one of the standout moments in his longstanding career.
“I had Jeremy Charles in my kitchen for two days prepping and setting up for the event,” Mayekar said. “It was truly an honour to have him around with the team. He is a Canadian legend in the culinary world. And, of course, it was an honour to have the renowned Gordon Ramsay in the space and kitchen as well.”
After graduating from Niagara College, Mayekar moved to Vancouver where he worked with Cactus Club Cafe for four years. In 2019, he took on the role of manager at Fitzpatrick Winery in the Okanagan. Mayekar’s career took another major step when he was approached to run Pepino’s Spaghetti House and Café La Tana–two well-known Italian restaurants in Vancouver. Under his leadership, La Tana won Best Italian Restaurant at the 2024 Vancouver Magazine Awards.
In addition to his restaurant ventures, Mayekar has also made a name for himself as a competitor on Top Chef Canada and serves as the executive chef at the American Pavilion at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France. He also holds the title of culinary director for Cocktails and Canapes Catering Company.
The opportunity to collaborate with Ramsay and Charles for the Hexclad event came about after both celebrity chefs reached out to Mayekar, wanting to work with him to launch the cookware brand on the West Coast. As one of the lead chefs at the event, Mayekar worked closely with Ramsay and Charles to curate the food menu and helped host the event at ELEM.
Reflecting on his time at Niagara College, Mayekar credits the support and guidance he received as a key factor in helping build his confidence to pursue his culinary dreams.
“I will always cherish my time at NC,” he said. “The wealth of knowledge, the genuine support, and the desire from every instructor to see every student succeed was next level,” he said.
Looking ahead, Mayekar hopes to continue cooking with passion and to elevate Elem on a national level with his dedicated team.
For current Niagara College culinary students, Mayekar’s biggest advice is to follow your heart: “If you really want it, you really can achieve it. Put your head down, work towards your goals, and don’t give up, especially when it feels the hardest.”
