After weeks of planning and anticipation, Vancouver’s Cibo Trattoria and UVA Wine and Cocktail Bar recently announced the addition of new head chef Jesse Zuber, and are both set to reopen their doors for dine-in services today.

Chef Zuber, best known for competing on Top Chef Canada and helming the kitchens at Ayden Kitchen and Bar and Saskatoon’s Little Grouse on the Prairie, has developed new dinner, lunch, and weekend brunch menus for Cibo that embrace the restaurant’s traditional rustic Italian cuisine, while maintaining the B.C.-born chef’s affinity for seasonality and local ingredients. 

“It’s a bit of an odd time to start a new position, but I’ve been so impressed with the amount of passion on display here and the breadth of talent from the front of house to the kitchen and bar,” says Zuber. “I’m so thrilled to be a part of this amazing team and we can’t wait to welcome old friends and new acquaintances back to our dining room.”

At UVA, chef Zuber and his team will provide a select menu of bites and small plates to complement the downtown Vancouver wine and cocktail bar’s award-winning cocktail list and cellar of Old- and New-World wines. 

Both Cibo and UVA plan to employ stringent health and safety standards, including the use of personal protective equipment and social distancing measures.

Reservations for Cibo can be made via OpenTable or by calling the restaurant, while UVA will accept walk-ins only based on availability.