A little bit about us...
Get to know Josh
Josh moved from Winnipeg to Vancouver in 2017 and went through a season of loneliness and isolation—partly because he didn’t know many people and partly because Vancouver can be a city where people tend to stick to their own cliques. After a year of feeling isolated, he decided to step outside his comfort zone and actively join social events and community groups at his local church, where he finally met (and continually meets) the friends he’s been searching for.
Josh is the chef of the Mendoza household. He has worked in both culinary and pastry kitchens, including Manitoba Club, Fairmont Waterfront, and Thomas Haas Patisserie. After spending several years in the industry, he experienced a quarter-life crisis, realizing that it wasn’t the most sustainable long-term career for him. After a year at Thomas Haas, he left the industry on good terms and took a part-time job at a coffee shop while figuring out his next steps. He eventually returned to school to complete a Marketing diploma and now works in social media within the hospitality industry.
In his free time, Josh loves to bake, explore local events, try new restaurants, spend summer days at the lake, and enjoy quality time with his wife, Cynthia.
Get to know Cynthia
Cynthia was born in Venezuela, grew up in Hong Kong, and moved to Vancouver when she was 10. In 2018, she returned to Hong Kong to experience a year of living independently but went through a season of isolation. She eventually found a community in Hong Kong and came to appreciate the importance of purposeful friendships, especially in a large city. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt called to return to Vancouver—unaware, like the rest of the world, of what was to come. Looking back, she’s grateful for that decision, as she realized it would have been a difficult and isolating time to be in Hong Kong during the pandemic.
Cynthia leads everything design-related in the Mendoza household, including all the gatherings they host. She finds inspiration on Pinterest and loves to DIY most of the décor and party favours. She works as a graphic designer at Coastal Church—the church where she and Josh first met. With experience working in coffee shops, she is also a master of latte art.
In her free time, Cynthia enjoys crafting, experimenting with different styles of photography, watching Korean variety shows, and spending quality time with her husband, Josh.
