Meet Our New Buy BC Ambassadors: Celebrating Local Food, One Story at a Time
By Buy BC
November 21, 2024
At Buy BC, we’re passionate about connecting you with the food grown, raised, and processed right here in British Columbia. Our Buy BC Ambassador Program brings you closer to our province’s growers, producers, and processors, sharing the stories behind the food you love and how to enjoy it.
We’re thrilled to introduce our three new Buy BC Ambassadors! Each serves up their own unique flavour—whether it’s creating simple, family-friendly recipes, capturing the elegance of everyday meals, or reimagining local ingredients in surprising ways.
Let’s meet Chanelle Saks Sullivan, Danika McDowell, and Chef Mark Singson—your guides to exploring B.C. ingredients and products in new and delicious ways!
Chanelle
Saks Sullivan
Chanelle Saks Sullivan (@ChezChanelle)’s lifelong passion for food was shaped by her mother, a restaurant owner and operator. After years in the corporate world, Chanelle took a bold leap and left her job in 2018 to compete on MasterChef Canada. She made it to the finals—an experience that catapulted her career into the culinary world.
Driven by a desire to inspire others to cook with creativity, heart, and purpose, Chanelle launched Chez Chanelle Media in 2019. She uses food as a means of connection, celebration, and love. Her personal motto, “Celebrate Life Through Food,” is reflected in everything she does, both online and behind the scenes.
As a Buy BC Brand Ambassador, she aims to share not just what’s on the plate, but the stories that connect us to the food. Chanelle’s content emphasizes what matters most when feeding her own family— wholesome local ingredients. Her deep love for B.C. is woven into every meal she creates in her North Vancouver kitchen. You’ll never leave her table or Instagram posts without learning about the local farmers and purveyors from whom she sourced her ingredients.
Danika
McDowell
Danika McDowell (@DanikaSea) is a seasoned visual storyteller with a passion for local food and retail branding. As a Buy BC Brand Ambassador and food photographer, she helps amplify the voices of small, local brands by capturing their products through compelling content and imagery.
Her impressive portfolio includes brands such as LUSH Cosmetics, Earls Restaurants, and Salt Spring Coffee. She also previously served as co-founder and creative director of Edible Vancouver Island magazine.
Hailing from Victoria, B.C., and now residing in the Comox Valley, Danika’s deep connection to Vancouver Island’s culture informs her work, bringing authenticity and a local touch to every project.
When not crafting brand stories, you can find Danika exploring farmers’ markets, mixing up new cocktail recipes, and discovering B.C.’s newest delicious hidden gems.
Mark
Singson
Chef Mark Singson (@MarkSingson) is the passionate chef behind FAM Inc., a culinary venture that blends his love for food, art, and music. Mark moved to Vancouver, British Columbia from the Philippines at the age of nine, where his love for food began to take root. At just 13, he started working in his mother’s restaurant, marking the beginning of his culinary journey.
Since then, he’s developed a unique style that reflects his Filipino heritage while celebrating the fresh, seasonal ingredients found in B.C.
A former Top Chef Canada contestant, Mark has made his mark at notable Vancouver restaurants, including The Fairmont Pacific Rim and AnnaLena. His culinary exploration took him to Melbourne, Australia where he honed his skills at Vue de Monde and Saint Crispin, before returning home to create memorable pop-up dining experiences.
A firm believer in the importance of local sourcing, Mark loves to incorporate ingredients from B.C. producers, local farmers’ markets, and specialty grocers into his dishes. As a Buy BC Chef Ambassador, he aims to highlight B.C. ingredients and the flavours of his childhood through modern interpretations. Mark’s cuisine combines comfort and finesse, shared through a British Columbian Filipino lens.
View Our Buy BC Ambassador’s Latest Posts, Recipes, and Blogs
Follow along on Instagram at @EatDrinkBuyBC as Chanelle, Danika, and Chef Mark show you where to find B.C.’s best, and inspire you to cook, share, and celebrate the food that makes our province unique. And find our Buy BC Ambassador’s latest recipes and blogs on BuyBC.gov.bc.ca/eat-local.