Chef Steven Che opens Haisan, a 30-seat Chinese Pacific Northwest restaurant on Commercial Drive

Chef Steven Che, who opened Just Pizza in 2024, is launching a fine-dining venture this fall: Haisan, a 30-seat restaurant at 2892 Commercial Drive that marries his Macau heritage with Pacific Northwest ingredients and technique.

Che was born in Macau and raised in Vancouver, starting hospitality work at age 13. He trained at a three-Michelin-star restaurant in Norway and a three-hatted restaurant in Australia before returning home. In 2024, he was named Rising Star Chef of the Year at the Chinese Restaurant Awards, and in 2026 he won the Garland Canada Culinary Competition.

The menu is a 16-course tasting experience. "Our menu is Chinese Pacific Northwest — one point of view, cooked the way I already think about food," Che said. "Haisan cooks for the families who've lived this integration for generations, and for anyone curious what it becomes at this level of craft."

Che drew inspiration from his time abroad: "While working at top restaurants in Norway and Australia, I saw chefs showcase their culture and personal history at the highest level, and I wanted to do the very same thing with my own heritage here at home." The dining room is designed to evoke the natural calm of the Pacific Northwest, with soft blue tones and natural ash millwork creating what the designer calls an "Ocean and Mountains" aesthetic. The open kitchen, custom ceiling acoustics, and narrow-beam lighting focused on tables create an intimate setting. Che handmade the ceramics at each table.

Haisan's precise opening date within fall 2026 has not been announced. Reservation details and pricing per diner remain unconfirmed.