Dana Reinhardt

Dana began her career in the hospitality industry at the age of 12, spinning cotton candy and selling corn dogs at the PNE. Her father was in the wine importing business for many years and instilled a love of wine, food and travel.

Dana’s culinary fate was sealed when, after managing several flagship Vancouver restaurants in her early twenties, she followed her passion into the kitchen, completing her formal chef’s education at Dubrulle Culinary School and launching her extremely successful inaugural venture, Cellar Door Restaurant at Sumac Ridge Winery in the Okanagan.

To deepen her craft further, she completed an apprenticeship at the storied River Cafe in London, England, an experience that continues to fuel her creatively to this day. Inspired and emboldened by what she learned there, she returned to Vancouver and launched one of the most innovative and awarded small plates restaurants in Vancouver’s culinary history, CRU.