Culinary Team

Canadian-born and originally hailing from Ontario, Chef Michael Pagnacco was lured into the kitchen at an early age. From the start, his fascination with cooking, travel and with the camaraderie of the restaurant environment drew him towards the culinary world. He began working in private restaurants before deciding to hone his skills in culinary management at Algonquin College in Ottawa, where he graduated with honours.

As a self-made chef who started as a dishwasher and worked his way through the ranks, Middleton brings 15 years’ experience in international restaurant operations with deep culinary expertise in Italian, French, British, and North American cuisines learned first hand from chefs all over Europe and North America during his extensive travels in pursuit of culinary excellence through cultural immersion.

Taka is a seasoned hospitality professional whose journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence. Beginning as a bartender at Hapa Izakaya, Taka’s passion for the industry took root and flourished, driving him to attain a Diploma in Hospitality Management from Vancouver Community College. Fueled by education and ambition, Taka’s proved himself as a key player behind the bar, and was quickly promoted to Restaurant Manager.