Meet our new Buy BC Ambassadors: Sharing recipes and stories that celebrate B.C.’s bounty

Meet our new Buy BC Ambassadors, by Buy BC
August 12, 2025

Every ingredient has a story worth discovering. Our Buy BC ambassadors help you build meaningful connections with food grown, raised, and made right here in British Columbia. They open the doors to the vibrant worlds of local growers, producers, and processors—sharing the stories, traditions, and people behind the ingredients you love, and inspiring new and delicious ways to enjoy them.

We’re thrilled to introduce our two new Buy BC Ambassadors! From sharing approachable, affordable recipes to taking us behind the scenes—on the farm, out on the ocean, and everywhere in between—they each bring a fresh perspective on the incredible food we grow and harvest right here in B.C. Let’s meet Michael Tchao and Raj Thandhi, your guides to discovering B.C. ingredients and products, making it easy to enjoy them in everyday meals.

Michael Tchao

Michael Tchao (@michaeltchao) is a Vancouver-based content creator with a passion for uncovering the deeper stories behind the food we eat. Known for his curious, approachable style and visually rich storytelling, Michael creates content that explores why food works the way it does.

Michael’s connection to B.C.’s food systems started early. His dad was a live seafood wholesaler, and summers spent on boats with commercial fishers left a lasting impression. That early exposure to the source of food can still be seen today, whether he’s heading into the backcountry to hunt, foraging for wild ingredients, or connecting directly with local producers.

He is driven by a deep curiosity about where our food comes from, how it’s grown, how it affects our bodies, and how our choices in the kitchen shape the final dish. Michael blends cooking, culture, food science, and nutritional insight into digestible, engaging videos. His work has reached hundreds of millions across social media, helping people see everyday ingredients through a more thoughtful lens.

As a Buy BC Ambassador, Michael will inspire you to explore B.C. ingredients through content that’s intentional, informed, and rooted in a profound sense of place.

Chef Raj Thandi

Raj Thandhi (@pinkchai) is a chef, recipe developer, educator, freelance food writer, and content creator based in Surrey, B.C. Her work blends a passion for documenting and sharing cultural recipes with B.C. ingredients and making them accessible and enjoyable for all home cooks.

Raj’s appreciation for local, seasonal food runs deep and is at the heart of everything she creates. Both of her grandparents worked in agriculture after immigrating to B.C. in the early 1980s. As a child, she spent summers roaming strawberry and blueberry fields while her grandmother picked berries. Her grandfather dedicated himself to long days in the cranberry bogs and local canneries.

As a content creator reaching over 100,000 followers, Raj is known for translating complex recipes into simple, step-by-step guides. She’s built an engaged community by connecting followers with Punjabi recipes many believed were lost or too difficult to recreate at home. Her culinary expertise is sought out by national and international media—including CBC, The Globe and Mail, National Post, Washington Post, Vogue India, and the BBC.

As a Buy BC Chef Ambassador, Raj will inspire you to seek out B.C. ingredients and show you how to turn them into simple, delicious meals at home with practical tips and easy recipes.

Follow along with our Buy BC Ambassadors

Keep up with Michael’s food adventures and Raj’s cooking tips on Instagram at @EatDrinkBuyBC, and find new recipes at buybc.gov.bc.ca/eat-local/recipes.