Joni Martinson
Event Coordinator (Wedding & Banquet)
Joni is a local, born and raised in the Vancouver area (how rare is that these days). She has been in the Food and Beverage industry for over 35 years and has spent much of that time at University Golf Club as a member of the F & B team having worked in a variety of roles but most currently as our Event Coordinator for Banquets and Weddings. Joni has her WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits and enjoys wine and wine education (aka ‘market research’). When not working she can be found spending quality time with family and friends, traveling as time permits and playing the occasional round of golf.
Andy Scharfetter
Executive Chef
Andy’s passion for food is legendary. Whether he’s creating a cup of hot chocolate for heli skiing guests, fresh from the sea lobster for resort guests in the Seychelles, or perfecting a recipe for beer soup at a brew pub, Andy’s passion for food and cooking infuses every dish he creates. When he’s not in the kitchen Andy enjoys photography, particularly photographing vintage cars and the colours and textures that make Vancouver an amazing city.
Steve (Seve) Sheridan
Restaurant Manager, Westward Ho! Bar & Grill
Steve was given the name Seve by the door crew at Kits Pub in 1988 after he got all excited after his first game of golf and has been known as Seve ever since. Seve has over 30 years experience in the hospitality business as an owner and General Manager in Vancouver and Calgary pubs, night clubs and restaurants. His interests include all sports, especially golf and NFL, and he has a passion for fine food and wine. For the record, his name does not reflect his golf game.
Al Price
Banquet Manager
Growing up in the lower mainland, amid the family business, Al has been working in the Food and Beverage/Hospitality industry for 20+ years. An avid snowboarder, Al moved to Whistler BC at the age of 18 years old to hit the slopes whilst expanding his culinary knowledge. Once the snow melted each year, Al discovered a new passion, hitting the links. Learning to swing the clubs amongst some of BC’s best backdrops, Al was hooked. He moved back to Vancouver to own and operate his own Sports Pub in Yaletown for 5 years forging new relationships and experiences he will never forget. Al’s current chapter in his biography is as the Banquet Manager at the University Golf Club. A loyal Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco 49’ers fan, you can currently find Al with his wife Paulina either on the slopes in Whistler, on the golf course, at a bar stool watching his favourite teams or, at University Golf Club executing events that range from weddings to golf tournaments to corporate retreats.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
TESTIMONIALS
Your satisfaction is our goal
Hi Joni, I appreciate all the hard work that UGC put into making our wedding a special day. We were very impressed by the professionalism of the whole staff, the beverages, and the food - everyone complimented us on the food and said it was truly amazing! If I could have rated the UGC's staff work and the food a 6 over 5 I would have done so (but the highest was 5 lol). Staff was very on point on keeping our guests happy, were extremely friendly, professional and available. The whole night ran quite smoothly. Thank you very much and I won't hesitate in recommending UGC to future brides and grooms and people who are looking to have great events! We have nothing but amazing things to say about UGC. Kind regards, Paola & Chris, July 2019
Thank you Joni. It was a beautiful wedding. Thank you and your team for everything. You all did a fantastic job. Great food! Thank you! Casey, Bride July 2019 Joni, thanks for going above and beyond, I am beyond grateful. Thank you so much for all your work in making Casey's wedding so wonderful. The venue, the food, the staff. Everything was above and beyond! Guests are saying "BEST WEDDING EVER". Thanks for all your work, Missy & Vic (Bride's parents) July 2019
Your staff are AWESOME! Each one! Thank you for being so great! Appreciated the easy and free parking, service. Everyone LOVED the lamb and everyone LOVED the variety of meat, salad, sides, dessert, ice cream especially! People were pleasantly surprised about the food-thank you! Michelle & Matt 2018
Hi Joni. We really enjoyed working with you for the past few months. You have been super helpful. The location was gorgeous and the food was beyond what we expected. Thank you. Take Care! Jessica & Peter, June 2018
Dear Joni: Thank you so much for your help! We are so lucky to have you helped us all the way when planning for the wedding. You've been very helpful, and our wedding won't be so perfect without your help. Thank you again. Luna & Wallace, March 2018
Hello Joni, thank you so much for everything. We had a black last night and all the guests left the reception happy. Ben and I are blown away by the staff's attentive service and professional attitude. Everyone had gone above and beyond our expectations. I would really like to thank the staff who helped me with the food and carried my long train and offered us drinks throughout the evening. We would definitely recommend this venue to our friends and family. Thank you. Yvonne & Ben July 2018
5 Star Review on Wedding Wire: Big 'thank you' to Joni and the staff at UGC! Our April 2018 wedding was absolutely perfect! We couldn't have chosen a better venue. All the staff we dealt with were so helpful and friendly. The food was excellent! The Salons room made for a beautiful reception room and we loved the gazebo and the beautiful path/walkway down to it, and the bridge. It was a very picturesque and romantic spot to get married. Sarah & Derek April 2018
Wedding Wire 5 star review: When we first saw the ceremony site at UGC we knew it was the perfect venue for us with the cute gazebo, little bride over a stream and the beautiful gardens. Joni, UGC's Event Coordinator was always quick to respond to our emails whether it was by email or phone. She was organized and always provided clear information, whether its was for our wedding specifically or the wedding tasting event. The Banquet Team, led by Naser and Tom, was also splendid. They were polite and efficient at our wedding reception and Tom in particular was very friendly to us and our guests. The quality of food was exceptional! Everything from the canapes to the prime rib to the late night tacos was delicious. Overall, we're very please with the beautiful venue and the wonderful staff - highly recommended! Emily & Tudor June 2019
Hi Joni, It has been an absolute pleasure working with you over the last several months, and the rest of the UGC staff that were in attendance Sunday evening. We really appreciated your patience for answering all our questions and being flexible with our schedule. We definitely made the right choice in UGC. Thank you for your cooperation and hard work! Take Care! Warm Regards, Cindya & Wilson July 2019
Hi Joni. We had a wonderful time. Our guests were so impressed by the venue and especially by the food (lots of compliments on the halibut). Thanks so much to you and your capable staff for making this celebration such a memorable evening. We will certainly recommend your facility to any of your friends who are looking for a wonderful location for a special occasion. Groom's Mom August 2019