How does an iconic special-occasion restaurant that opened its doors in 1950 and is renowned for its historic space and nostalgic luxury trappings find relevance today? It’s a question that the current owners, grandchildren of the founder, have addressed in recent years, as evidenced by their many accessible community-driven initiatives in the early part of the pandemic. In the past year, Canlis has been reinvigorated with a new executive chef, Aisha Ibrahim, and wine director, Linda Milagros Violago. They are the first women to run the famed eatery’s kitchen and internationally acclaimed wine program.