Once Ben was old enough to eat dinner at various friends' homes he came to realize that his parents had set the food standards bar very high.
This set the stage for Ben's love of eating good cooking. In fact, an impromptu dinner at a Filipino friend's house was probably one of his earliest experiences with Asian cuisine and began his pursuit of authentic food experiences. A stint as a bus boy at a local, family-run Italian restaurant completely turned him off a career as a food service whipping boy, but inspired a passion for cooking.

Ben has been accused of travelling with his stomach. And it's true, his foreign adventures are filled with a desire is to experience cultures through their food. Other accusations include hoarding of condiments, a proliferation of kitchen gadgets (though he's prone to enjoying traditional French food preparation techniques) and an unhealthy obsession with the maintenance of said gadgets; especially his pots, pans and knives. His favourite ethnic cuisine it a tough choice, but currently Malaysian warms his heart most dearly. His secret weapon: white truffle oil.

Ben Garfinkel is a founding principal and Creative Director at Industrial Brand Creative in Vancouver, BC. He's had many dining experiences that led him to believe he could do much better, however, he's under no illusion that entering the restaurant business is a good idea no matter how romantic the notion.