About Us
Our People
NICOLLE VAUPOTIC
General Manager
Nicolle Vaupotic brings more than two decades of experience in Vancouver’s food & beverage industry and a genuine desire to share her love of hospitality with every guest to her role as General Manager.
She began forging a connection to the industry at a very early age, helping her parents grow a wide variety of Asian produce at their family farm in Richmond and supply them
to beloved Chinatown restaurants like Foo’s and Canton House. She fondly remembers
sitting down with her family for special dinners at those same establishments, seeing
the camaraderie that existed between staff, and getting a first-hand sense of the type of
hospitality that would light the spark for her eventual career.
At the age of 13 she dipped her toe into the restaurant industry while bussing tables at
The Keg and never looked back. From there she quickly rose through the ranks via a
variety of roles in serving and management, eventually leading to a job as Restaurant
Manager and then Director of Food & Beverage Operations at Granville Island’s iconic
Dockside Restaurant.
At Fable, she’ll help her fellow staff members evoke that same spirit of hospitality she
first encountered in Chinatown all those years ago and work together to continue
providing unparalleled guest experiences for everyone who visits the Michelin-
Recommended Kitsilano restaurant.
“What has set Fable apart from the start aside from the food has been its people and
their focus on service and hospitality,” says Nicolle, who also places a premium on
helping to inspire and mentor the next generation of talent looking to prove their mettle
in the restaurant industry.
“I love being a part of the continuing evolution of the hospitality industry in Vancouver.
This industry is in my blood, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of executing a
busy service the right way and making sure all the moving parts are perfectly aligned.”
MATTHEW VILLAMORAN
Head Chef
While he’s no stranger to Vancouver’s burgeoning food and beverage scene or its
embrace of farm-to-table cooking, Matthew Villamoran views his latest role as Fable
Kitchen’s Head Chef with reverence, calling it his “proudest moment” in a kitchen career that spans two decades.
“It’s an honour for me to be able to pay homage to what Fable has become over the
past 10-plus years and continue building on its legacy as one of the city’s pioneering
farm-to-table restaurants,” he says.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Villamoran first visited Vancouver on a whim in 1998 and
was immediately struck by the stark contrast of the West Coast climate to his frigid and
snowy home in Central Canada. After a year spent saving up his dollars, he made a
permanent move to the West Coast in March of 1999.
He started his culinary journey as an expo and line cook at The Keg on Granville Island
in 2001 and found a passion for cooking that eventually led him to enroll at the Dubrulle
International Culinary and Hotel Institute. Degree in hand, he then embarked on an
impressive run at some of Vancouver’s best-loved and acclaimed restaurants, including
stints as Sous Chef at both Raincity Grill and Bao Bei, Chef de Cuisine at The Parlour
and Executive Chef at Tractor.
It was during his time at Raincity Grill working alongside Executive Chef Robert Clark
and CDC Jennifer Peters when he began to truly embrace the potential that BC’s
farmers, fishers and foragers provide to plate and palate.
“It not only exposed me to the bounty of British Columbia but the passion and pride our
local purveyors have, but taught me to appreciate the value of the relationships created
with local farmers,” he says. “At Fable, I feel like I’ve come full circle and have free reign
to showcase the amazing ingredients we have at our disposal year-round on the West
Coast.”
the beginning
Every great story needs a beginning. Our story began with back in
2012. While competing on Season 2 of Top Chef Canada during the
ever popular “Restaurant Wars” episode, Trevor bird came up with the
name for the team’s farm to table restaurant concept: FABLE. The
vision was born.
The perfect location was found that shared the vision
of an open kitchen where the kitchen team could interact with guests
while showcasing their talents.
The next step was finding someone the vision could be shared with to
help bring Fable to life. Where else, but online… “Chef looking for
front of house partner”. Kathy Schleyer forwarded the ad to Ron
MacGillivray. Trevor and Ron met for the 1st time over coffee.
After
two hours of getting to know each other, the vision was shared. Within
three weeks they took over 1944 west 4th Avenue and with a lot of
help from friends and family Fable started to take shape. Exposed
brick walls, wood beams reclaimed from the historic Cecil. Farm to
table came to Kitsilano in 2012. Fast forward over ten years and Fable
continues to deliver innovative and locally sourced meals.
