Foundry Kitchens Expands Canadian Expertise Behind Its Integrated Commercial Kitchen Model

Foundry Kitchens is strengthening its Canadian operation by investing in expertise and capacity, countering the industry’s shift toward lower-touch, transactional models. This fully integrated approach ensures clients benefit from cohesive design, precise fabrication, and seamless delivery, resulting in greater project efficiency and quality.

This focus is reshaping how Foundry grows. The team expansion across fabrication, design, sales, and delivery builds deeper technical knowledge and coordination at every project stage. Clients benefit from fewer handoffs, clear accountability, and kitchens that work from day one.

General Manager Jason Worsley brings nearly 30 years of industry experience. At Quest Metalworks, he developed expertise in stainless steel fabrication and recognized disconnects between design and fabrication that could slow projects and compromise outcomes.

What drew him to Foundry was a different way of working.

“I’ve been in this industry for about 30 years, and what stood out to me at Foundry was the collaborative atmosphere,” Worsley says. “You’re involved in every part of the process, from early design conversations through layout, fabrication, and installation. People ask questions and work together to make the kitchen better.”

Worsley joined Foundry nearly a year ago, becoming part of a group of experienced professionals. As parts of the local fabrication market retreated, Foundry strengthened its Canadian workforce, choosing long-term capability over short-term volume.

Where integration actually shows up

Foundry brings foodservice design, custom stainless fabrication, commercial kitchen equipment supply, and project management under one roof. That structure goes beyond efficiency on paper. It works because experienced designers, fabricators, and project leaders collaborate daily to shape how work moves from concept through fabrication and installation.

“You see a design come in, you watch it move through layout and onto the shop floor,” Worsley explains. “You build it, and you stop to ask, ‘Can we do this better or more efficiently?’ Then the conversation returns to design. That feedback loop doesn’t exist everywhere, and it makes a real difference.”

Maintaining that loop is a deliberate choice. In-house fabrication enables Foundry teams to respond quickly, solve problems early, and avoid the handoffs that often slow projects or dilute quality. That level of coordination depends on a skilled, experienced team that understands how early decisions affect performance later on.

“When people understand how their work affects the whole kitchen, the quality on the floor speaks for itself,” Worsley says.

Building depth, not just headcount

In the past year, Foundry strengthened its Canadian team for fabrication, installation, project delivery, and design support. The focus is on building depth and continuity, driven by experienced leadership and standards to scale quality.

As the industry continues to evolve, Foundry remains committed to maintaining skilled fabrication capacity in British Columbia. When a local fabrication shop closed, Foundry brought in ten experienced tradespeople, keeping that expertise in the region and reinforcing its in-house capabilities.

For CEO Luke Evanow, this approach supports long-term stability for both the company and its clients.

“Bringing in experienced people strengthens how we deliver projects across Canada,” Evanow says. “It’s an investment in our fabrication capacity and in Canadian-made kitchen solutions that operators can rely on.”

Beyond restaurants

Foundry’s expanded team supports projects beyond restaurants, including healthcare, education, hotels, grocery, commissary kitchens, and marine galleys, all of which rely on custom stainless steel and coordinated teams.

These environments demand more than standard solutions. They need teams that stay involved, ask the right questions early, and understand how design decisions affect fabrication, installation, and long-term performance.

That approach also sets Foundry apart as parts of the industry move toward simplified e-commerce, stainless, and lower-touch purchasing models. Many operators and general contractors, particularly those managing complex or multi-site projects, continue to value a partner that is accountable from start to finish. This choice benefits from fewer errors, predictable outcomes, and ongoing support.

Built on long-term relationships

Foundry’s integrated approach has supported long-standing relationships with some of the region’s most recognized dining brands, including Cactus Club Cafe, Nook, Tacofino, A-OK Cafe, Nightingale, Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar, and JJ Bean. Several of these kitchens continue to anchor Vancouver’s dining landscape, which saw new Michelin distinctions this season.

For Foundry Kitchens, growth is closely tied to how relationships are built and maintained throughout a project. Worsley points to the importance of staying involved from the earliest conversations through fabrication and installation.

“That one-on-one relationship goes a long way,” he says. “When clients can call, talk through an idea, and see that vision carried all the way through, it builds trust. They feel heard, and they know they’re getting what they hoped for.”