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The Wild Rice Market Bistro along New Westminster's waterfront has been a hit ever since it opened nearly five years ago.

For the past three years, Georgia Straight readers have voted it as the best restaurant not only in the Royal City, but also for the area extending to Port Moody, Coquitlam, and Port Coquitlam.

Today, Wild Rice owner Andrew Wong announced that he's hired a new head chef, Dante Ramos, who formerly worked at Match Eatery & Public House in New West's Starlight Casino.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to head the kitchen of a restaurant I love and respect," Ramos said in a news release. "It allows me to further develop Wild Rice’s commitment to combining local, seasonal, organic ingredients with traditional Chinese techniques and dishes to create food that truly reflects Metro Vancouver’s unique Asian influences."

Ramos was raised in Winnipeg where his mother owns Gelyn's Bake Shop.

He was a pastry chef at Gotham Steakhouse before becoming executive chef and general manager at the Stone Grill in Metrotown.

Ramos is replacing Todd Bright as the head chef at Wild Rice, which is located in the River Market.

Bright, who's moving to Nova Scotia, has worked for the company for eight years, including at its former Vancouver location.