Team

Margot grew up in the heart of the Canadian Prairies and moved to the West Coast in the late ’90s. Having worked every front-of-house role, gaining invaluable experience alongside some of the industry’s top professionals, she stepped into management in her 20s, leading dynamic teams and refining her expertise in operations, service, and leadership.
In 2012, Margot played a key role in opening Forage at The Listel Hotel, where she helped establish the brand, curated an award-winning wine list, and developed a strong foundation in sustainable business practices. Her role expanded to oversee two restaurants and the catering operations for the Vancouver property.
Margot holds an Advanced WSET Certificate, is a Certified Specialist of Spirits, and continuously seeks professional development opportunities, most recently completing Sustainable Business Leadership at BCIT. Her contributions to the industry were recognized in 2016 when she was inducted into the BCRFA’s Restaurant Hall of Fame.
She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and serves on the governance committee for Restaurant Culture Shift: Pathways to Successful Teams and Sustainable Careers. She also sits on the steering committee for Cooks’ Camp, an initiative by Chef’s Table Society.
Now, as General Manager of Wildlight Kitchen + Bar, Margot brings her wealth of experience, passion for hospitality, and commitment to sustainability to lead an outstanding team and create an exceptional dining experience.

Chef Tim Hui’s culinary journey started at a young age, when his father worked as a chef in the hotel industry in Nassau, Bahamas. Every Sunday, they would have large potlucks with people from around the world, who would bring food from their countries.

After immigrating with his family to Vancouver, he too began working in kitchens, the age of 15, then went on to graduate from the Vancouver Community College Professional Culinary Program in 2011. His career has included roles at Baccano Osteria and Bistro Pastis under chef Spencer Watts, whom he credits as a pivotal mentor in shaping his approach to cooking. Hui also credits chefs Ken Nakano, James Choi, and Alex Kim for helping develop his leadership style during his time at Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver.

On his culinary style, Chef Tim explains, “I try to stay true to the flavours and foods I grew up with while exploring new approaches through classical techniques. Cooking food is all about bringing people together, sharing a few laughs and good conversation.”

Born and raised on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia, Mike Cooke’s interest in wine began at the age of 10 while hanging out after school at his parents’ family-owned cellar, Palm Beach Cellars. His passion for hospitality was ignited during stints at Sydney’s Relais and Châteaux Hotel and Restaurant, Jonah’s, and at Jonah’s in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where he trained with the Court of Master Sommeliers. As Director of Wine at Café Sydney, Mike built a cellar of more than 600 wines, developed relationships with wineries across Australia and New Zealand, and received accolades from National publications including the Sydney Morning Herald: “Sommelier Michael Cooke has put together an interesting list of slightly left-of-centre choices from worlds old and new, including a 2009 Dr Burklin-Wolf biodynamic Riesling from Pfalz in Germany ($59) that’s crisp and clean.” In 2013, Mike followed his wife to Vancouver and has spent the past decade immersing himself in the Vancouver wine and hospitality industry, most of it on the wine team at Chambar restaurant. He’s excited to share all the styles of wine from B.C.’s top producers with guests at Wildlight.

Mixology began as a hobby for Aman Nijjar and over the years has grown into a passion for perfecting recipes and showcasing local spirits. Drawing on his science and business background, Aman appreciates consistency and balance in cocktail crafting; he takes a culinary approach in building recipes with an emphasis on making as many components in-house as possible. At Wildlight, Aman’s cocktail list pays homage to classics, with a creative twist to honour the West Coast. “We have an opportunity to challenge industry standards and broaden our guests’ experiences of Pacific coast-inspired dishes and drinks. We have a passionate team in place, with the shared goal of creating memorable guest experiences through a team-first service standard.”