Team

Ryan Emmerson, Restaurant Leader

Born and raised in the Lower Mainland, Ryan Emmerson began his hospitality career at Earls Tin Palace in Edmonton. After leaving oil country for Vancouver's milder (albeit soggier) climate, Ryan acted as night leader at Earls Strawberry Hill in Surrey, where he was eventually promoted to the position of restaurant leader. Ryan relocated again in the summer of 2006, when he made the move to Vancouver Island and opened Earls Victoria Bay Centre. After a return ferry ride and quick pit-stop at Burnaby's Earls Bridge Park the following year, Ryan stepped into his current role as restaurant leader of Earls Yaletown and its upstairs alter ego, V. Travels to New York, Vietnam and Europe, coupled with a passion for food, drink and guests, played a significant role in shaping Ryan's goal of creating an unbeatable restaurant experience. Ryan is thrilled to be a part of the largest restaurant in Earls' history and looks forward to making his vision a reality in Vancouver's hottest culinary district.

Martin Keyer, Executive Chef

Hailing originally from the GTA (otherwise known to Vancouverites as the Greater Toronto Area), Martin Keyer moved to the left coast with his parents as a youngster. After starting his post-secondary studies in psychology at Simon Fraser University, Marty decided to take some time off and applied at Earls Fir Street as a dishwashing recruit. He was quickly promoted to the kitchen, where he ignited his passion for food as a line and prep cook. From that point forward, Marty set his sights on becoming an executive chef. After training through various sous chef positions, he achieved his goal when he was appointed executive chef at Earls Abbotsford. Subsequent stints at Earls Strawberry Hill in Surrey and Earls Victoria Bay Centre led Marty to Earls Yaletown, where he has taken on the position of executive chef for the largest restaurant in Earls' company history. Whether preparing a classic item from the Earls menu or concocting V's delectable food offerings, Marty is committed to blowing guests away with his innovative take on contemporary dining.

Stewart Halstead, Assistant Restaurant Leader

As assistant restaurant leader, Stewart Halstead contributes a strong marketing and financial background to the team at Earls Yaletown and V. Since starting with Earls Kelowna in 1998, Stewart has accumulated a decade of hospitality experience, having worked nearly every front- and back-of-house position in the company. Stewart holds a Bachelors Degree from the Olivet College School of Business, where he graduated cum laude and was recognized as an All-American Scholar – not too shabby for a born-and-raised Canadian. Before returning to Earls in 2007, Stewart served as an executive risk broker for Fortune 500 brokerage firm Aon Corporation. He still maintains strong ties to the financial industry, synergizing corporate events planning between Earls Yaletown and many business firms to create superior special event dining experiences for all large-party clients. Stewart also oversees the development and education of more than 200 business partners within Earls Yaletown and V, maintaining the clear goal of delivering distinctive value for all guests while attracting and retaining the best talent in the industry. A liquor and food enthusiast who never hesitates to attend a tasting or seminar, Stewart's genuine desire to provide his guests with the most memorable dining experience possible rests above all else.

Richard Baksh, Sous Chef

Richard Baksh is the latest addition to the team at Earls Yaletown and V, having spent the past three-and-a-half years running the test kitchen at Earls Langley. Rich began his career as a dishwasher at age 15; three years later, he was in charge of the kitchen. Rich steadily rose through the ranks once he joined the team at Earls, and although his intent was to earn a Bachelors Degree in Criminology, he could not resist the urge to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Surrounded by food from a very young age (namely, his family's native Caribbean cuisine), Rich takes his culinary inspiration from a number of areas. He counts Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsey and Chef Morimoto as major influences, and points to his time working alongside Michael Noble as a key point in his career. He prides himself on creating exciting new dishes with only the freshest ingredients and enjoys putting his skills to the test for friends and family.

Tatum Govender, Lounge Leader

Born in South Africa and raised in Vancouver, Tatum Govender's passion for people and lively personality shines through her position as lounge leader at Earls Yaletown and V. Tatum initially pursued a career in music and art history with aspirations of becoming a teacher. Not surprisingly, her studies in art history sparked an itch to travel and Tatum spent months exploring six countries abroad. Upon her return, Tatum applied at Earls as a part-time employee to supplement her income when she returned to school. Within weeks, she left her studies and accepted the position of day leader at Earls Bridge Park, running the top lunch business in the region. She spent almost two years in the position until she was selected to run the lounge at Earls Yaletown. Tatum is elated be part of the largest venture in Earls' company history and looks forward to creating unique experiences for her guests on a daily basis.

Amanda Haines, Marketing Manager

Armed with a Bachelors Degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate in Public Relations & Communications from Langara College, Amanda Haines has nearly 10 years of experience in the restaurant industry. She began her career in earnest, working as a busser to earn extra money while in her last year of high school. Over the course of the next seven years, Amanda performed every front-of-house job from hostess to bartender to floor manager. Upon graduating from university, she opted to remain in the hospitality industry, accepting the position of media relations and event coordinator with a public sector tourism agency. This led to an extended stint as second-in-command at an upstart boutique public relations firm, where Amanda created buzz for a variety of fashion, beauty and hospitality clients through media relations and special event coordination. It was her love of food and drink, coupled with a desire to work for a growing, people-focused organization, which led Amanda to Earls Restaurants. She relishes the opportunity to raise the profile of Earls and V both within the Yaletown community and Greater Vancouver, and looks forward to making Earls Yaletown the ultimate dining destination for the city's many food and drink enthusiasts.