Restaurant Manager, Emily Kilby and Executive Chef, Prasad Chavan

By Kevin Rothwell

Manager & Executive Chef

New management for Vernon restaurant

Jul 22, 2023 | 6:00 AM

There have been some changes that have taken place at The Italian Kitchen including a new restaurant manager.

“Emma Kilby was recently added to the management team joining the new executive chef, Prasad Chavan, a media release from the company stated.

“Kilby has been in the hospitality industry for over 15 years, working in Australia, England, and Scotland. She brings with her significant experience in fine dining, catering and event management. Kilby is from Victoria, where she managed Truffles Catering. Her favorite Italian cocktail is a negroni.”

“We are very excited to have Emma running the show at The Italian Kitchen. She is first class and her and Chef Prasad are going to be welcomed by the Vernon dining community for sure. The food and service levels with this team is very high,” co-owner Katie Dahl stated.

Dahl encourages residents and visitors to learn and take in the local history including a stop at the restaurant.

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Vernon is the oldest community in the Okanagan. For thousands of years, the Interior Salish inhabited this beautiful area. They thrived here until the early 1800s, when big changes came to the valley. Cattle ranching and growing wheat were the two main industries here.

Then, in the 1890s, Lord Aberdeen introduced fruit farming to the area. More and more people moved to the area and Vernon’s first city hall was built in 1903. It was also a fire hall and a public reading room.

In 1904, Vernon was the largest town in the valley and the first to have a bank. Much of Vernon’s history can be seen on the 27 murals you’ll find gracing the downtown buildings.

The National Café in the 1940’s / Image submitted

The Italian Kitchen history goes back decades to The National Cafe in the 1940’s and Athens Pizza for many years after that. The historic Vernon restaurant location has survived for about 75 years. For nearly three decades now, The Italian Kitchen Company has been serving guests in downtown Vernon.