Shirley's x BabyBaby

Renée Girard

SHIRLEY’S

Raised on a small farm south of Elie, Manitoba on Treaty 1 Territory, Renée Girard’s connection to food began early. Her first experience in the restaurant world came as a child, when her family transformed a barn on the farm into a café for customers visiting to pick berries. Surrounded by prairie ingredients, hospitality, and community from a young age, Renée developed a deep appreciation for food as a way to bring people together. Now based in Winnipeg, Renée remains closely connected to the farm she still calls home. Over the years, she has honed her craft in some of the city’s most celebrated cafés, bars, and kitchens, including Albert Street Cocktail, Forth Café, Harth Mozza & Wine Bar, and Segovia. During the pandemic, she launched Made by Paste, a handmade food and specialty gourmet project that quickly gained a devoted following and helped establish her distinctive voice in Winnipeg’s culinary scene. Today, as owner and Executive Chef of Shirley’s Restaurant in Osborne Village, Renée brings her signature style to every plate — comforting and familiar dishes thoughtfully elevated with creativity and care. Alongside Sous Chef Zac Chizda, she has created a warm, welcoming dining experience rooted in prairie hospitality, seasonal ingredients, and a genuine love of feeding people well.

Nick Gladu

BABYBABY

Born and raised in Winnipeg, without formal training, Nick honed his cooking at some legendary local establishments including Bonfire Bistro, Clementine, Segovia and Harth. While his influence is derived from the multifaceted culture of Winnipeg, most of his career was spent abroad. In Vancouver, Nick discovered his desire to work with the best seafood and local products, spending a considerable chapter at Wildebeest (since closed). He then jumped over to London, UK, where he worked at the very important neighbourhood restaurant, Brawn. A year later, he opened Two Lights as Sous Chef; a sister restaurant to The Clove Club in Shoreditch. Nick then came back to Canada to open a cafe and bakery called Oxeye on Galiano Island, BC, where he worked exclusively with products grown in the coastal region of the Southern Gulf Islands. Now at BabyBaby, in the role of Chef and Owner, he brings a fresh look to the diverse culinary landscape of Winnipeg, highlighting the best of Canadian bounty from coast to coast with influence from across the globe.

Chris Gama

BABYBABY

Chris Gama is a Winnipeg chef and restaurateur best known as chef and partner at Clementine Cafe and co-chef and partner at BabyBaby in Osborne Village. Both restaurants were recognized by Air Canada as among Canada’s Best New Restaurants. With more than 20 years of kitchen experience, Chris has worked under many of Manitoba’s most respected chefs. In 2008, he received a culinary scholarship that led to a month-long stage at Manresa, the acclaimed three-Michelin-star restaurant in California. Chris is known for his science-based approach to cooking, his drive to continually refine and develop new techniques, and his commitment to mentoring and elevating the teams at both restaurants.