Three Rooms, One Vision: Joël Watanabe’s Culinary Trilogy.
May 05 2025,
Over the past 15 years, Joël Watanabe and his partners have carved out a singular voice in Vancouver’s culinary landscape. From the legendary Bao Bei to the critically acclaimed Kissa Tanto, and now the sultry newcomer Meo, each of his restaurants captures a different mood, taste and stage of personal evolution.
We caught up with Joël as he reflected on a decade-and-a-half of hospitality: the sweat equity, the staying power and the subtle art of building spaces that feel like nowhere else. In this conversation, he shares stories from the kitchen, what’s growing in his garden and how each of his three ventures captures a different chapter of his creative journey.
Chapter 1 – Bao Bei (2010): Celebrating 15 Years
Bao Bei redefined the way diners engage with Chinatown. Co-founded with partner Tannis Ling, Bao Bei married intimate service with pan-Asian flavours and vintage charm. Fifteen years later, it remains an icon.
- Q: When you opened Bao Bei, what were you trying to create that didn’t yet exist in Vancouver?
Well, it's kind of a two-person question because my partner, Tannis, was really the genius of the restaurant. She wanted to open a modern Chinese restaurant with exceptional service and different Chinese food than the rest of the city. A younger, fun and energetic place. - Q: Is there a dish or design element that still feels sacred from the early days?
The beef tartare and the Shao Bing will probably always stay on the menu. We're in the process of bringing back six or seven of the classics in the next week or two. - Q: What’s your favourite memory from Bao Bei’s first year?
I have a very vivid memory of having not enough labour and just three of us in the kitchen, wrapping dumplings till four o’clock in the morning until I was knocking nails. We were doing 17 hour days for the first while. - Q: After 15 years, what’s drawing your focus on Bao Bei right now?
There was a little bit of a course correction needed to get back to our roots, upgrade our standards and align with the times. As everything has become more expensive, we want to have people still feel like they’re getting value – from service to ambiance and the whole Bao Bei experience. - Q: What do you think has made Bao Bei such a lasting presence in Vancouver’s dining scene?
I think it is a bunch of factors. We were different from everything else when we started. There was no real modern Chinese or Pan-Asian restaurant with that type of decor and service, it had a bit of everything. People thought we were crazy to open in Chinatown at the time, now a ton of businesses have come to the area and people seem to have less of a problem coming down to have dinner. So I think all those factors created a certain vibe and we always strive for great food. It has just kind of become an institution.
Image Credit: Knauf & Brown
Chapter 2 – Kissa Tanto (2016): Approaching A Decade
Perched above a quiet corner in Chinatown, Kissa Tanto channels a dusky glamour that’s part jazz-age Tokyo, part retro Milan. The food? A seamless blend of Japanese and Italian influences. As it nears its 10 year mark, Joël unpacks what makes this space feel special —from his fine dining foundations to the seasonal vegetables that set the tone. Awards may come and go, but the spirit of the restaurant remains deeply personal.
- Q: What key things did Bao Bei teach you that made Kissa Tanto such a success?
It’s hard to pinpoint. It feels like a lifetime of experience filters through. I’d been cooking for 16 years when we opened Bao Bei, mostly in fine dining. Also, I hadn't stayed in one place that long before. I was at Bao Bei six years before I went and opened Kissa Tanto. Just the idea of pushing through and staying somewhere; that process teaches you a lot about yourself and the business you’re in. You don’t run away from challenges. You face them, get through them and then another one shows up. That’s just life, but especially business. - Q: Was there a moment early on when you knew Kissa Tanto would be something special?
Yeah, I felt it from the beginning, as soon as the room was done. Tannis is the aesthetic visionary of the group and we share an aesthetic sense, which helps a lot. She and the Ste. Marie design team did an amazing job. When I walked in there, I saw it as a place where I could deliver a much more elevated experience. That room has something magical: low ceilings, high gloss, curved corners. It feels warm and elegant at the same time, a mix that really fits my personality. - Q: How has the menu evolved over the past decade—are there throughlines you’ve intentionally kept?
The food has moved depending on the crew, on their passions and talents. The throughline is always Japanese and Italian, but we’ve never forced it to be half and half, sometimes it leans one way or the other. That flexibility helps. - Q: How do you maintain creativity and experimentation under the spotlight of acclaim?
There’s a certain amount of pressure, but I’ve always been hard on myself. I don’t see our work through the lens of Michelin or awards. This is who we are. This is what we do. We uphold our own standards. You get the awards because of what you’ve already done. So you have to keep doing it for the same reasons, not because of the recognition. If you start thinking, “I’ve won these awards, I’m a Michelin-star chef,” and let that define you, it can be especially damaging – particularly for younger male chefs. If you start shifting the narrative of who you are, you risk losing the essence of what you’re doing.
Chapter 3 – Meo (2024): New Kid On The Block
Meo is not your average cocktail bar. It’s moody, playful and full of subtext, a place where connections spark and flavours surprise. Born from a long-held idea of building a space that encourages real human interaction blended with the art of flirting with bold cocktails, Joël shares the backstory on the bar-first concept.
- Q: Meo feels like your boldest and most playful space – what was your vision for it?
It ties into something from years ago at Bao Bei. When we had really long waits, we always wanted to open a cocktail bar for our guests, but we could always send our guests next door to Keefer Bar, which had awesome cocktails. We also realized there aren’t many cool cocktail spots that serve good food. It’s usually one or the other. We went to New York on a research trip and loved the idea of a dark room where you forget where you are. That’s why we blocked the front windows, to let go of your day and enjoy yourself. We wanted to create a room where people could reconnect socially. That vibe of flirtation and human contact — it’s missing now with all the apps and digital interactions. We wanted to bring that back. - Q: The cocktail program feels like a core part of the identity. Was it developed alongside the food or did one lead the other?
Cocktails were the spearhead. We were working on them before we even landed on the food concept. At first, the food was going to be a global mix, but now it leans more into Spanish, French and Korean influences, thanks to our chef de cuisine from Menorca and some influence from his Korean wife. The kitchen has real talent. - Q: How playful do you let yourself be at Meo, creatively? Are there fewer rules?
Pretty much all the rules are out the window. The only limitations are the ones we give ourselves to keep things focused. Right now, we’re exploring themes like “fruits as savoury” and “vegetables as sweet.” - Q: The music, lighting and vibe are perfectly dialed in. What went into creating that immersive environment?
It evolved from a lot of conversations and mood boards. We wanted to nod to Chinatown’s heyday in the 1970s, when the clubs were there. It has that retro vibe. Also, we talked a lot about how hard it is to meet people now. Everything’s transactional. We wanted to build a space that encouraged real human connection - furtive glances, maybe even a number on a napkin. Even our pink cocktail napkins say “Call Me.” The furniture is lower, more relaxed. Long bench lines make people sit close together. Everything was built around social energy.
Joël, The Group & Vancouver – From Family Roots To Future Roads
In this final chapter, Joël opens up about the influences that shaped him, from family kitchens to fine dining mentors. He shares the rituals that ground him, the neighbourhood spots he returns to and the destinations that call him forward. Through it all, one theme endures: the importance of staying true to your vision while letting life shape the journey.
- Q: How do the three restaurants represent different parts of your personality?
Kissa’s warmth and elegance reflect my upbringing — French Canadian, Corsican, Catholic. Meo is my playful, creative side, where rules are flexible. Bao Bei is where I learned perseverance and built the foundation. - Q: Are there any influences that have shaped the way you run your restaurants?
My Japanese grandmother and Corsican grandfather — they shaped how I think about food and hospitality. Before opening Bao Bei, I worked mostly in fine dining establishments and spent quite a bit of time with Jack Evrensel at Table Top. He was a huge influence and taught me a lot about business. It was a really strong example of how to run restaurants, I learned a lot from him. When it came time to open Bao Bei, I tried to implement some of those lessons, along with my own past experiences. - Q: Is there an ingredient that still makes your heart skip a beat when it comes across your kitchen?
I’m really fond of good tomatoes, and I love hakurei turnips — those little white ones that are super sweet and delicious. But honestly, any perfect little vegetable that comes from one of our organic farmers gets me excited. When a farmer shows up all dirty with a few boxes of beautiful produce, that’s always a great moment. Oh, and in my own garden right now, I’ve got about 220 garlic bulbs growing. They’re about a foot and a half tall and I’m pretty excited about that, too. - Q: With the change in seasons, what new flavours or ideas are finding their way onto the Kissa Tanto menu?
It depends on what farmers bring. Right now, it’s kale shoots, broccoli shoots, radishes, hakurei turnips and salad greens. I just picked cherry blossom buds — I’ll preserve them in syrup and salts. - Q: When you are not working, what’s one of your favourite ways to experience and explore Vancouver?
Spending time outdoors, disconnected from work and with my kids; we go fishing — my daughter loves it. I like to go to Renzullo’s on Nanaimo, which is a little Italian-run family business that's been there for 62 years. The owners are great. Franco knows every kid’s name. It’s one of those spots that serves the neighbourhood in a really genuine way. - Q: What are your guilty-pleasure off-site meals?
Pizza for sure. And South Indian food — especially dosa. I love Dosa Corner on Fraser. - Q: Is there a go-to comfort meal you like to cook for your friends and family?
I actually cook a lot, I'm one of those weird chefs who enjoys cooking at home. I often make tostadas. My parents met while hitchhiking in Guatemala and spent a lot of time in Mexico, so there's a bit of that influence in my family. I grew up eating tostadas, and I still really love them. Another one would be gyoza; that’s another family tradition. We’d sit around making them together, and I still like preparing big plates of gyoza for friends. - Q: Is there a travel destination that’s calling to you?
Right now, Italy. Sardinia specifically. My great-grandfather was from a small town there. I’ve got old photos of him and found out where he was from. So I will visit for my 50th next year and have some stops where friends meet me along the way. It’ll be part personal pilgrimage, part celebration. - Q: If you could host a dream collaboration dinner at any of the three restaurants, who would be cooking with you?
Pascal Barbot, a three-Michelin-star chef I cooked with in Amsterdam. Marcella Hazan, the legendary Italian cookbook author. And my Japanese grandmother and Corsican grandfather — I’d love to learn more from them. - Q: What have you learned across these three chapters that you would pass on to young chefs who want to build something lasting?
I’ve learned to stay the course. Stick with something, don’t run away when it gets hard. That process teaches you about yourself. You face a challenge, work through it and then another comes. It builds character and longevity. Connect deeply with your vision. Truly feel it. Then protect it — from ego, from distractions, from outside voices. If you stay true to it, then you will persevere.
From late-night dumpling prep to gravity-defying cocktails, Joël Watanabe’s journey is one of vision, resilience and reinvention. With three restaurants and countless stories behind him, his impact on Vancouver’s dining scene is lasting—and still unfolding.
