Coffee x Prix fixe lunch - Tomoko Tahara × Kunie Inaba

Coffee tasting experience + 3 course vegan prix fixe lunch introduction by Kunie & Tomoko
Gratuity included, reservation required.

COFFEE EXPERIENCE × FOOD
Kunie Inaba × Tomoko Tahara

How does water change the way we taste coffee and food?

Join us for a coffee tasting experience & pairing food exploring how minerals in water can shape flavour, paired with a three-course vegan prix fixe lunch by Tomoko Tahara.

Kunie Inaba of Oide Coffee will guide the coffee tasting, with three 60ml pours, while Kunie and Tomoko share a short introduction to the coffee, food, and ideas behind the flavours and pairing.

We don’t take food modification for the menu.

The menu includes stone fruits, seeds and nuts, alliums and gluten.

October 4
Mæst Food Studio

7 East 7th Vancouver BC
Standing session.

About Kunie Inaba

Born and raised in Japan, Kunie Inaba began her coffee career after moving to Vancouver in 2013. Her work has spanned barista competitions, brewing, cupping and quality control, including a role in the cupping room at Swiss Water Coffee.

She is the 2024 Canadian Brewers Cup Champion and placed third in the 2022 Canadian Barista Championship. She is currently a QC specialist and barista at Oide Coffee in Vancouver.

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Tomoko Tahara

Chef | Food culture Researcher | Founder of Mæst Food

Tomoko Tahara is a Vancouver-based chef with over a decade of experience in ethical, plant-based cooking.

Her culinary work focus on sustainable, seasonal ingredients, often foraged or sourced from local farms, using fermentation or other unique technique and is guided by a deep respect for technique, culture, and nature.

Tomoko has honed her skills at some of Vancouver’s most respected restaurants, including AnnaLena, Published on main, and The Acorn. She also served as head chef at Harken Coffee, where her inventive, ingredient-focused approach brought a new perspective to plant-based cafe.Her training includes an internship at Inua(closed by pandemic)—the Tokyo-based sister restaurant to Noma—and two terms at the MAD Academy in Copenhagen (2022 & 2024), where she further developed her focus on sustainability, fermentation, and leadership in the kitchen.

Feedback from past guests:

“Mæst Food offers one of the most thoughtful plant-based dining experiences in Vancouver — seasonal, creative and deeply considered.”

— Alicia, Vancouver

“Tomoko’s cooking is incredibly innovative and beautifully executed. Every detail feels intentional, creating an intimate and memorable experience.”

— Jace, Vancouver

“Wonderful and creative vegan gastronomy. A rare and much-needed addition to Vancouver’s food scene.”

— Dali, Vancouver

“Thoughtful, inventive and unlike anything else plant-based events in Vancouver. Every Mæst dinner feels intimate, memorable and beautifully executed.”

— Erin, Vancouver

“I first discovered Tomoko’s cooking at Harken Coffee, where her thoughtful, deeply satisfying food was as memorable as the space itself. Years later, I attended one of her tasting menu experiences and was equally impressed.

Tomoko’s cuisine brings together foraged ingredients, seasonal vegetables, fermentation, and contemporary technique through a uniquely Japanese perspective. Every dish is carefully considered, beautifully presented, and full of unexpected flavours.

Beyond the food, the experience creates a genuine sense of connection and hospitality, making each tasting menu feel personal, memorable, and unlike a conventional restaurant meal.”

ー Brandon, Vancouver, BC

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