Wayne Sych knew early in life that he was going to be a chef. “I remember helping my grandma make cabbage rolls, perogies, nalesniki and cinnamon buns when she and grandpa visited from Edmonton,” he says.  Meals at home involved contented times with his parents creating favourite dishes. “Preparing my dad’s moose Swiss steak following a hunting trip is among my fondest memories,” he adds.

In high school he enrolled in a Career Prep Culinary Program and realized that the culinary field was where he wanted to be. After working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant “to find a pathway into the kitchen” studies followed at BCIT, VCC and the Dubrulle Culinary Institute. Many years were spent honing his skills at local restaurants.

Wayne joined the Fish House in Stanley Park in 1998 as Sous Chef under Executive Chef Karen Barnaby. “I worked my way through Sous Chef, Executive Sous Chef to Chef. With Karen I really discovered what being a chef is about,” he says.

“Spending time with my wife and two rambunctious sons is my first passion and my other is passing on my knowledge to others,” Wayne says. He spends several evenings a month teaching cooking classes throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. 

Says Karen Barnaby, Executive Chef, The Fish House in Stanley Park:

“Although I’m a little sad that Wayne and I are no longer in the same restaurant, I’m very happy to see him at the helm of his own ship. With his skills and vast knowledge, he will keep the Cannery fresh and lively as always. Since the Cannery and Fish House are within the same company, we’re still bouncing ideas around and having fun like we always have. Two heads are better than one!”