About
People
A Passion That Inspires Us
Sal Howell, Founder and Proprietor
British‑born and educated on both sides of the Atlantic, Sal holds a Fine Arts degree from Mount Allison University. Her artistic sensibility and passion for extraordinary local food have shaped her work as both an artist and restaurateur.
She has been recognized nationally and internationally for her leadership in sustainability and her contributions to Canadian cuisine. Her honours include Independent Restaurateur of the Year (Food Service & Hospitality Pinnacle Awards, 2009), Best Restaurateur (Terroir Symposium, 2014), the Leader of Sustainability Award (City of Calgary, 2010), Earth Day Canada’s Hometown Hero Award (2016), the Laurie Masterson Award from Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (2016), and YWCA’s She Who Dares Award (2017).
River Café has earned numerous accolades, including placement on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants, multiple Best Overall Restaurant awards from Avenue Magazine and Where Magazine, the Ocean Wise Sustainable Seafood Award, and inclusion in the international publication 1001 Restaurants You Must Experience Before You Die.
“We make very deliberate choices about how we source local ingredients, and champion producers who care for the land as a renewable resource. We also make very conscious decisions on how we operate. We have created practices to address our source and use of energy and resources, and how we dispose of waste and unwanted materials.” - Sal Howell
Kristen Livingston, Executive Chef
Leading the talented kitchen is Executive Chef Kristen Livingston, a passionate advocate for sustainability and a champion of Canadian cuisine. Her coast‑to‑coast culinary journey—from the shores of Prince Edward Island to the kitchens of St. John’s - has shaped her deep appreciation for Canada’s diverse food culture.
Guided by River Café’s mantra, How local can we be?, Kristen focuses on building a sustainable, seasonal menu rooted in close relationships with growers, foragers, and farmers. Her work centres on environmental stewardship and continually reducing the restaurant’s carbon footprint.
Her menu is unconventionally artistic, highlighting organic produce, Ocean Wise seafood, and free‑range animals raised without added by‑products or antibiotics.
Kristen also brings River Café’s culinary garden to life, showcasing native herbs, berries, and edible flowers grown on the restaurant’s property.
Bruce Soley, Sommelier and Cellar Manager
Bruce has been a familiar face for guests and a savvy guide to River Café’s wine list since 1999. A graduate of The International Sommelier Guild, Bruce continues to expand his vast knowledge through regular tasting, reading and—lucky him—travel in wine country. Bruce enjoys maintaining the list’s quality and diversity and believes that the most important part of his job is listening to guests to help them discover new favourites. Like any wine aficionado, his personal preferences change daily depending on mood, temperature, season, time of day and of course, what is on his plate.
Vanessa Stephan, General Manager
Born and raised in Toronto, our General Manager grew up in a family that loved to bring people together, a foundation that shaped her lifelong commitment to warm, thoughtful hospitality. Her career began in wine, earning WSET Level 3 and CMS certification before moving into restaurant leadership. She helped open esteemed restaurants in Toronto including Vela, Bar Prima, and Bridgette Bar, discovering a passion for building strong teams, mentoring emerging talent and creating guest experiences rooted in genuine connection.
She believes exceptional hospitality feels like being welcomed into someone’s home, defined by intention and the small details that make moments memorable. A deep appreciation for the natural world informs her commitment to sustainability and to protecting the environments that inspire her.
Now calling Calgary home, she is proud to lead at River Café, working alongside a team whose dedication to seasonality and the beauty of Prince’s Island Park reflects her own values.
Her favourite moments in hospitality are simple and meaningful: when a guest feels truly cared for, when a team member grows in confidence, and when food and wine bring people together.
Cassandra Boyce, Chef de Cuisine
Cassandra Boyce’s culinary journey began at SAIT, where she enrolled straight out of high school with no kitchen experience and little idea of what to expect. Her very first placement, an internship at River Café, changed everything. The pace, the energy, the creativity and the sense of purpose she found on Prince’s Island Park sparked a deep love for cooking and a commitment to the craft.
After her internship, Cassandra spent ten years at Yellow Door Bistro, working her way up to Chef de Cuisine. There, she honed a wide range of skills, from butchery to menu development, and discovered the joy of building dishes that balance technique with imagination.
Returning now to River Café as Chef de Cuisine, she brings a decade of experience, a deep respect for seasonality and a passion for letting ingredients speak for themselves. Her cooking is rooted in curiosity and the same spark she felt in her first kitchen - a commitment to creating food that feels connected to the land, the moment, and the people gathered around the table.
Olivia Fournier, Pastry Chef
Chef Olivia Fournier leads River Café’s pastry program with a style shaped by family influence, especially the time she spent baking alongside her grandmother. She fell in love with pastry early and went on to study Baking and Pastry Arts at SAIT, building the foundation for a career rooted in craft, creativity, and a deep respect for ingredients.
Olivia began her professional journey at River Café as a pastry cook before moving to Teatro Ristorante as Pastry Sous Chef, where she refined her technique, developed her own recipes, and learned to express flavour with intention. Mentorship from exceptional chefs helped shape her approach - one that values curiosity, precision and the beauty of seasonality.
She returned as Head Pastry Chef in 2025, inspired by the garden and the local producers who define River Café’s sense of place. Olivia is passionate about minimizing waste through finding ways to use every part of an ingredient and exploring unexpected flavour combinations. Her desserts are expressive, artfully plated, and rooted in the landscape around Prince’s Island Park.