Ice Cream Innovator and VCC Alum Kebs Liu Shares His Journey

Kebs Liu's introduction to professional cooking in 2010 was far from glamorous. Following a friend's lead, the 18-year-old nervously approached the chef at Vancouver’s legendary Irish Heather pub. He landed the job on the spot, launching a career that has now unexpectedly turned him into one of the city’s most exciting ice cream makers.

 

Those early days in the kitchen were overwhelming. "I open the oven, it's 500 degrees. The knives are crazy sharp," Kebs recalled. "I remember thinking, I'm never staying in this industry." He pivoted toward game design but was eventually pulled back to the kitchen for good.

By 2014, while working at Cactus Club, Kebs recognized gaps in his understanding of fundamentals of flavour, texture, and technique. A Red Seal chef mentor encouraged him to formalize his training, leading him to enroll in VCC's Professional Cook 1 program.

"What was really good about VCC is that it got me in touch with every aspect of the industry," Kebs shared. "There is so much I never considered that is connected to cooking. Everything from butchery to serving, the lessons really stuck with me." The program's comprehensive, hands-on approach gave him the career-ready skills and real-world experience needed to excel in professional kitchens. Kebs also reflected on the chef-instructors who bring industry expertise directly into the classroom. "They will push you as much as they can because they trust and believe that their students will excel," he said.

Travel became Kebs' true education in flavour. In Taiwan, a soft-serve cone combining amaretto and grass jelly shattered his assumptions about what ingredients could do together. When he received an ice cream maker during the pandemic, he saw it as a challenge to recreate that sense of possibility.

His first attempts were humbling. The flavours worked, but the texture was terrible. Determined to master the craft, Kebs dove into dozens of experiments, eventually launching Kebs Makes Ice Cream with a logo designed by his sister and support from friends who believed in his vision.

What sets his ice cream apart is his storytelling approach. Kebs transforms unconventional ingredients—medicinal cough syrups, rare teas—into conversation starters that connect people to childhood memories and cultural touchstones. His most popular creation uses Pi Pa Gao, a centuries-old Chinese herbal syrup made from honey, loquat leaves, and liquorice. The ice cream base softens but doesn't eliminate the medicinal notes, sparking reactions and memories that turn each taste into a shared experience. "It's a great conversation starter," Kebs explained. "When I put cough syrup ice cream on the menu, people generally have a lot of questions.”

For an introvert, ice cream has become his medium for connection. "Ice cream has really brought me out of my shell. It allows me to share stories with others, which is what I really like to do."

VCC's culinary programs are designed to give students comprehensive, career-ready skills through hands-on learning. From butchery and baking to service and kitchen management, students gain real-world experience across every aspect of the industry, taught by chef-instructors who bring professional kitchen expertise directly into the classroom. This practical approach prepares graduates to excel in diverse culinary careers, whether in fine dining, catering, or innovative ventures like artisan ice cream making.