Susan Mendelson

Susan Mendelson

Author: Robert Belcham of the Chefs Table Society of BC March 6, 2026 Duration: 1:02:12

In collaboration Les Dames d’Escoffier we are celebrating the Woman Leaders in Hospitality. Each week we will bring the amazing stories of 4 incredible women to you in this long form podcast. The first in the series will be Susan Mendelson of the Lazy Gourmet and Compass foods. Les Dames d’Escoffier International is an international organization of women leaders with more than 2,800 members in forty chapters in the US, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Italy who provide leadership, educational opportunities, and philanthropy within their communities. Les Dames are named after Georges Auguste Escoffier a restaurateur, culinary writer, and philanthropist, who popularised and updated traditional French cooking methods.

The BC Chapter (LDBC) is comprised of BC’s hospitality, food and beverage professionals who are committed to inspiring, advancing and supporting women, particularly in these sections. Their work largely focuses on granting scholarships to women and their applications are open this year until March 14th. Apply now at www.lesdames.ca

 

Susan Mendelson is the founder of Vancouver’s iconic Lazy Gourmet, which she started in 1979. A celebrated caterer and bestselling cookbook author, she has written ten cookbooks, beginning with Mama Never Cooked Like This, which helped home cooks simplify classic gourmet recipes. For more than four decades, Susan has been known for her passion for beautiful food, her commitment to exceptional ingredients, and her generous spirit as a mentor, philanthropist, and champion of Vancouver’s food community. Today, The Lazy Gourmet remains one of the city’s most respected catering companies, built on Susan’s enduring love of food and hospitality.

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Hosted by chef Robert Belcham, Mise en Place-the Podcast pulls up a chair for candid, substantive conversations with the people shaping British Columbia's vibrant food scene. This series, presented with the Chefs' Table Society of BC, moves beyond recipes and menus to explore the real architecture of a life in hospitality. Each episode is a deep dive with restaurateurs, producers, and culinary leaders, unpacking the complex business decisions, career pivots, and personal philosophies that define their work. Listeners get an authentic backstage pass to the pressures, triumphs, and often-unseen logistics of running kitchens and dining rooms. The discussions naturally reveal the interconnected culture of local food, from farm relationships to dining room dynamics. Belcham’s perspective ensures these aren’t just interviews, but nuanced dialogues full of practical insight for anyone invested in this world. The podcast serves as an oral history of a community in motion, documenting the craft, economics, and human stories behind the plates. It’s for those who appreciate that a great restaurant experience is built on a foundation of meticulous preparation-the true meaning of its namesake. Tune in for thoughtful, grounded talk that respects the intelligence of both its guests and its audience.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 135

Mise en Place - the Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Bernard Casavant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:40
In 2022, I asked Chef Bernard Casavant to be the Chef leader of the World's Largest Family Meal at COOKSCAMP 2022. I have known about Chef Casavant for a long time as one of the OG. A Chef who led a team that turned Cana…
Brandon Grossutti [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:08
On todays podcast I am very happy to chat with Brandon Grossutti of Pidgin Restaurant in Vancouver. A Vancouver native, Brandon's unique story of a real BC man, has taken him from fishing boats in the Haida Gwaii to owni…
Danae Dejong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:06
The 20 somethings who come to the hospitality industry want and need different things than we had, to be fulfilled in their careers. The pontificating from old Chefs and Managers about how hard they had it in their day,…
Mary Mackay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:59
On this weeks Podcast we have Mary Mackay, VP of Innovation and Product, and also co owner of Terra breads here in Vancouver. I first met Mary about 15 years ago when I started volunteering for the Chefs' Table Society o…
Tim LaHay and Hiran Perera [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:10:21
On this weeks episode we have the Owner, Tim Lahay and Executive Chef of the Barley Merchant. A good sized restaurant in Langley that specializes in local food made from scratch and amazing local beer. From the inception…
Jeff Van Geest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:59
On this weeks episode, I was lucky to be able to catch Jeff Van Geest in Vancouver and had him over to our podcast studio. I have known Jeff almost as long as I have been in Vancouver so it was really great to catch up a…
Gene Carpenter and Linda Jong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:49
On this weeks episode, that we recorded earlier this year, are to young entrepreneurs with roots in Vancouver but now call Toronto home. The Chef Linda Jong and Gene Carpenter are the masterminds behind Fattoush Sandwich…
Dez Lo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:25
So happy t have on todays guest. Dez Lo is a Chef who has made Vancouver her home for the last 15 years. Born in Hong Kong and gaining her culinary chops in New York City, she came to Vancouver to start a new life and ha…
Evan Elman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:42
This weeks podcast is a day late but good things come to those who wait. We have Executive Chef and owner of Vancouver Private Dining and Sunshine Coast Catering, Evan Elman. It was great hearing his inspirational and en…
Nathan and Akiyo Lowey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:42
In this weeks episode we have restaurateurs Nathan and Akin Lowey. The husband and wife duo of the Hokkaido style restaurant on Powell St called Dosanko. They talk about the struggles and triumphs of owning a small famil…