"Farm to table" is an essential mandate of Ned Bell, Executive Chef of Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, including YEW restaurant + bar. A good portion of his life was spent growing up in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, which has instilled a lifelong passion for fresh and locally sourced cuisine.

At 12, Ned began making dinner for his brother and sister igniting his love of cooking. Bitten by the restaurant bug early, Ned got his first job at 15, washing dishes at Kerrisdale's Avenue Grille. His culinary studies began at Canada's prestigious Dubrulle Culinary School, where instructor Rob Feenie inspired Ned to follow him to Le Crocodile. Flourishing as an apprentice under Feenie and Vancouver culinary legend Michel Jacob, Ned next moved up as Sous Chef for the opening team of Lumiere, a restaurant that put Vancouver on the global culinary map.

Looking to broaden his culinary horizons, Ned moved east to hone his talent at key positions in Toronto and the Niagara region in Ontario, Canada. A few years later, things turned a 'little bit country' when Ned heeded the call of the west and was soon awarded the "Best Overall and Rising Star Award" from WHERE magazine after opening Murrieta's Bar and Grill in Calgary. In 2007, Ned fulfilled a dream and returned to his Okanagan roots to become co-owner and chef at the Kelowna lakeside favourite Cabana Bar and Grille, where he was soon ranked one of Western Living magazine's "Top 40 Foodies Under 40."

Outgoing and passionate about his craft, Ned has energy, enthusiasm and passion for cooking. Naming his own food philosophy "globally inspired and locally created," he begins with premium ingredients, sourcing the best of what is available locally and seasonally, and then focusing on flavour at YEW.

When the apron is off, Ned can be found running local trails, hitting golf balls and spending time with family. He is passionate about making a difference to cuisine in British Columbia, loves being part of the vibrant food scene and is particularly smitten with local farmers markets and BC wine country.