FH0320

EARLY 

EATS 

Breakfast and brunch 

operators are upping 

their game 

DEMAND 

DRIVEN 

Taking control of the 

digital-ordering experience 

CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT #40063470 

COOL 

OPERATORS 

Ice machines take centre 

stage in restaurants 

MARCH 2020 $4 

Sunset Grill draws 

on the past to build 

future success 

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

Find your 

Italian Inspiration 

Growing up in Torino, I was spoiled with authentic Italian cuisine. That’s why I insist on using 

Italy’s number one cheese brand, Galbani, for my creations at Johnny Rocco’s Italian Grill. My 

famous Margherita pizza, topped with slices of delicate and creamy Galbani Professionale 

Mozzarella Fresca, is every bit as flavourful and authentic as the pizza you’ll find in Italy. 

- Daniele Uccheddu, Chef and Pizzaiolo, Johnny Rocco’s Italian Grill 

Find more Italian Inspirations at parmalat-foodservice.ca 

Trademark owned or used under license by Lactalis Canada, Toronto, Ontario M9C 5J1

VOLUME 53, NO.3 | MARCH 2020 

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES: EXAMINING INDUSTRY DISRUPTION 

IN THIS ISSUE 

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES 

12 

30 STAND AND DELIVER Restaurateurs 

are grappling with the increased 

demand for third-party delivery 

32 GAINING GROUND Customer 

experience and convenience 

are driving the popularity of 

food-retail offerings 

14 

34 WASTE LAND The restaurant 

industry is putting its best foot 

forward to address food waste 

FEATURES 

36 LABOUR RELATIONS To attract 

and retain talent in today’s market, 

employers need to stand out from 

the crowd 

48 

DANIEL ALEXANDER [COVER: STELIOS LAZOS, COO OF SUNSET GRILL RESTAURANT LTD.] 

9 TOP CHOICE Shining the spotlight 

on the inaugural winner of F&H’s 

Employer of Choice Award 

12 HOT CONCEPTS Fishbone brings 

a taste of Portugal to GTA diners 

14 MORNING GLORY Changing 

demographics are causing a 

breakfast-and-brunch evolution 

27 TRIED AND TRUE Sunset Grill 

continues to find success by 

sticking with what works 

45 

38 SAFETY FIRST Food-safety remains 

a top priority for foodservice operators 

41 CHILL FACTOR New technology is 

making ice machines the stars of 

the show 

45 ORDER AHEAD Restaurant operators 

are taking control of the digital- 

ordering experience 

47 BREWING COMPETITION Big beer 

brands still dominate the market, 

but craft breweries are closing the gap 

DEPARTMENTS 

2 FROM THE EDITOR 

5 FYI 

11 FROM THE DESK OF NPD GROUP 

48 CHEF’S CORNER Greg Laird, 

The Tempered Room, Toronto 

FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM 

MARCH 2020 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 1

FROM THE EDITOR 

JACK BE 

NIMBLE, 

JACK BE 

QUICK 

In today’s marketplace, where change happens on a dime, 

resiliency and innovation are proving paramount to success. 

Certainly, the foodservice-and-hospitality industry is no 

stranger to challenges. Looking back on the past 50 years, 

one can see how the industry has been forced to evolve, due 

primarily to a number of challenges it’s had foisted on it. During 

that time, the industry has had to deal with labour shortages 

(minium-wage increases), no-smoking legislation as well as 

ingredient-labelling legislation. 

But as serious as those challenges were, they seem to pale 

in comparison to those that have hit the industry in the past 

decade. Perhaps they appear more serious because the rate of 

change is so much quicker, which means operators are barely 

able to deal with one challenge when yet another one hits them. 

What’s an operator to do? And, how can they find success 

in such a fluid marketplace where the rules change every day? 

The good news is that where there are challenges, there are also 

opportunities for growth (see story on p. 30) — partly because 

challenges have a way of forcing us to look at creative solutions. 

In talking to several operators recently, it’s clear many issues 

keep them awake at night — whether it’s the continuous labour 

shortages, the impact of changing demographics 

and the disruption it’s fuelling or the 

significant changes technology is creating for 

customers and businesses alike. 

At the end of the day, these challenges are 

forcing operators to get more creative and 

resilient — whether they want to or not — 

because the reality is, if you don’t change, 

and do it quickly, your company becomes 

irrelevant. As one Top-100 president told me 

recently, with the velocity of change so much 

more pronounced these days, operators are 

being forced to become more agile and adaptable. 

That spells good news for customers, who 

have more choices available to them than ever 

before. But from an operator point of view, as 

important as it is to be nimble and adaptable, 

any planned change has to make sense from a business point of 

view. After all, not every trend makes sense for every business. 

As Vince Sgabellone, foodservice industry analyst, The NPD 

Group, says in this month’s retail challenge story (see p. 32), 

restaurant operators walk a fine line between sticking with 

what they know and evolving to keep up with the competition. 

“Focusing on your core customer is key — who they are and 

why they’re coming to you. Stand out in the market, do what is 

best for you and your customers. If you’re not speaking to your 

customers, somebody else will.” 

ROSANNA CAIRA rcaira@kostuchmedia.com 

@foodservicemag 

facebook.com/foodservicehospitalitymagazine 

instagram.com/rosannacaira 

NICK WONG, LOCATION PROVIDED BY VIA CIBO 

2 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH 2020 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

EST. 1968 | VOLUME 53, NO. 3 | MARCH 2020 

EDITOR & PUBLISHER ROSANNA CAIRA 

ART DIRECTOR MARGARET MOORE 

MANAGING EDITOR AMY BOSTOCK 

ASSOCIATE EDITOR DANIELLE SCHALK 

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT NICK LAWS 

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PROFILE HOSPITALITY GROUP SCOTT BELLHOUSE 

SOTOS LLP ALLAN DICK 

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS JUDSON SIMPSON 

THE MCEWAN GROUP MARK MCEWAN 

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH, SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY 

& TOURISM MANAGEMENT BRUCE MCADAMS 

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MONTHLY NEWS AND UPDATES FOR THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY 

SIAL CANADA [PHOTOGRAPHY AND ADVERTISEMENT] 

BIENVENUE 

AUX GOURMETS 

SIAL Canada returns to Montreal 

The only event of its scale in 

Canada, SIAL’s 2020 event 

in Montreal will bring 

together more than 1,200 

national and international 

exhibitors from 50 countries and 

host more than 18,500 buyers from 

Canada, the U.S. and 60 other countries. 

The event runs from April 15 

to 17, 2020 at the Palais des congrès. 

The SIAL Montreal subsidiary 

of the global SIAL brand, launched 

in 2001, was the brainchild of three 

event shareholders — the ADAQ, the 

Agri-Food Export Group Quebec- 

Canada and Comexposium — and 

offers a complete range of food 

categories, including foodservice, 

retail, catering and food processing. 

SIAL also shines the spotlight regional 

specialties from around the world. 

In 2009, SIAL Montreal rebranded to 

SIAL Canada to reinforce its national 

and international position. 

During the three-day tradeshow, 

SIAL boasts more than 50 activities 

and events centred around market 

SIAL 

CANADA 

FAST|FACTS | 

240,000 

SQ. FT. 

OF EXHIBITOR 

SPACE 

25,000 

PROFESSIONAL 

VISITORS 

1,200+ 

EXHIBITORS 

50 

EXHIBITING 

COUNTRIES 

trends and the latest innovations. 

Conferences and panel discussions are 

held by industry experts to provide 

business inspiration. 

Events include The SIAL 

Innovation competition, an international 

competition that rewards the 

best innovations in food and nonfood 

related products. 

“The landscape of our industry has 

changed considerably,” says Xavier 

Poncin, executive director of SIAL 

Canada. “Whether you’re looking at 

market concentration, the arrival of 

new players, changes in consumption 

habits with increasing focus on digitization 

and personalization, or even 

developments in international trade, 

for manufacturers, it’s no mean feat 

finding the right solutions. With our 

buyer programs, series of conferences, 

product lines organized by type, central 

experts’ hub and special events, 

SIAL Canada is the ideal platform to 

help you understand and meet the 

challenges of tomorrow.” 

In 2010, SIAL Canada started alternating between an edition 

in Montreal and one in Toronto, Canada’s economic capital. 



COMING 

EVENTS 

BEYOND 

BE GONE 

MARCH 1-3 RC Show 2020, Enercare Centre, 

Toronto. Tel: 800-387-5649; email: theshow@ 

restaurantscanada.org; website: rcshow.com 

APRIL 1-2 16th Annual North American 

Summit on Food Safety, Old Mill, Toronto. Tel: 

416-236-2641; website: foodsafetycanada.com 

APRIL 21 Vision 20/20 Conference hosted by 

KML, Sheraton Centre Toronto. Tel: 416-447- 

0888, ext. 235; email: dpricoiu@kostuchmedia. 

com; website: kostuchmedia.com 

April 4-5 Franchise Expo Vancouver, 

Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver. 

Tel: 800-891-4859, ext. 231; email: danielle@ 

nationalevent.com; franchiseshowinfo.com/ 

vancouver 

FOR MORE EVENTS VISIT 

foodserviceandhospitalitycom/events/ 

TIM HORTONS has officially dropped 

all Beyond-Meat products from its 

menu. The announcement was made 

in late January — less than a year after 

the products debuted on its menu. In 

the summer of 2019, Tim Hortons 

began rolling out a number of plantbased 

menu options across its nearly 

4,000 Canadian restaurants, including 

the Beyond Meat sausage patty 

and Beyond Meat burger patty. A few 

months later, the company scaled 

back availability of its plant-based 

products, offering them exclusively in 

its B.C. and Ontario locations. A Tim 

Hortons spokesperson indicated the 

company may circle back to Beyond 

Meat and other plant-based products 

in the future, adding “the product 

was not embraced by our guests as we 

thought it would be.” 

COMPETITIVE EDGE 

iSTOCK.COM/MAXIMFESENKO [BARTENDAR WITH WINE] 

ALCOHOL NB LIQUOR 

(ANBL) announced a 

new rebate program 

for New Brunswick bar 

and restaurant licensees, 

which will come 

into effect April 1, 2020. 

“We’re very pleased 

to be able to offer this 

milestone program 

in response to the 

hospitality industry’s 

long-standing request 

for more competitive 

beverage-alcohol pricing,” says Patrick Parent, CEO, ANBL. “We value our partnership 

with all licensees — they’re significant contributors to the province’s economy with more 

than 25,000 related jobs — and we’re very supportive of efforts to help their industry 

grow.” The rebate program is part of ANBL’s new three-year plan to become more competitive 

with neighbouring jurisdictions. Once in effect, ANBL will offer a five- to 10-percent 

rebate on licensees’ wine and spirit purchases and a one-per-cent rebate on certain 

categories of beer products and ready-to-drink products. This program was developed 

alongside Restaurants Canada and the New Brunswick Restaurant Association (RANB/ 

ARNB). Further program details will be shared with licensees at a later date. 

FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

RESTOBUZZ 

A few months after the closure of Rose and Sons and Big Crow, Anthony Rose and his team have 

opened The Grand Elvis on Dupont Street. The menu boasts large appetizers such as Griddled 

Mac & Cheese ($15), ricotta dumplings ($16) and mains such as beef stew ($27), buttermilkfried 

half chicken ($25) and the Banquet Burger ($21)... Toronto’s La Fenice has announced a shift 

in ownership. Rita and Rocco Fosco have sold the restaurant to Toronto-based technology company, 

IN BRIEF 

Denny’s has added a Beyond Meat Burger 

to its core menu across Canada and the U.S. 

following a successful launch in the brand’s 

Los Angeles restaurants. The Denny’s Beyond 

Burger features a 100-per-cent plant-based 

Beyond Burger patty topped with tomatoes, 

onions, lettuce, pickles, American cheese and 

All-American sauce on a multigrain bun...Edo 

Japan, has announced it’s opening two new 

street-front locations in Winnipeg...Mr Mikes 

SteakhouseCasual has opened its new Portage 

La Prairie restaurant, marking the company’s 

45th national location...The Works Gourmet 

Burger Bistro has announced four new limitedtime 

menu items under its new “Burgertarians 

Unite” promotion...Starbucks Canada opened 

Givex, which has been a provider 

of point-of-sale technology 

for more than 20 years and has 

been an investor in La Fenice for 

the past two years...Gusto 501 

opened its doors February 4. The 

innovative Italian restaurant is 

a collaboration between Gusto 

54 executive chef Elio Zannoni 

and Gusto Green chef Michael 

Magliano. Gusto 501’s Trattoria 

menu will integrate muchloved 

favourites from Trattoria 

Nervosa and Gusto 101, as well as fresh takes on contemporary Southern Italian fare...Bar Biltmore 

and Osteria Rialto opened their doors in the Paradise Building in Toronto earlier this year. At the 

helm of the bar is Robin Goodfellow, formerly of Little Bones Beverage Company and Bar Raval, who 

will serve as bar director. Osteria Rialto is located on the first floor of the Paradise Building and 

boasts a traditional Italian menu, featuring dishes such as Triangoli alla Norma, Tuscan sausages, 

Bistecca alla Fiorentina and Semolina Polenta. The new restaurant will be helmed by executive 

chef Basilio Pesce, chef de cuisine Ryan Baddeley and executive pastry chef Jill Barber. 

Opening a new restaurant? Let us in on the buzz 

Send a high-res image, menu and background information about the new 

establishment to nlaws@kostuchmedia.com 

Gusto 501 

its first Canadian Pickup store February 4 in 

Toronto’s Commerce Court. Designed for the 

on-the-go customer, the new pickup location 

is only the second of its kind in the world, 

following the concept’s debut at New York City’s 

Penn Plaza in November...Zaatar W Zeit — a 

name synonymous with Lebanese street food 

— is officially open in Canada. The first North- 

American outpost is located at 531 Granville 

St. in Vancouver. The brand boasts more than 

70 locations in five countries throughout the 

Middle East...McDonald’s Canada has partnered 

with First Book Canada to donate 400 brand new 

books in each province across Canada, 300 of 

which are to be donated to local community 

centres and 100 will be given away at McDonald’s 

Family Night...Fuwa Fuwa, Toronto’s first 

specialty soufflé pancake shop, has announced 

nationwide expansion could be on the horizon. 

The announcement comes after several new 

franchise groups have signed on with the brand. 

The company plans to expand across Canada 

in 2020, with 10 new stores planned for Ontario 

and Western Canada...Le Cathcart Restaurants 

et Biergarten at Montreal’s Place Ville Marie 

(PVM) opened January 23. The expansive 

35,000-sq.-ft. food hall features a range of 

culinary offerings, including three full-service 

restaurants, nine food kiosks, two cafés with 

a total of 1,000 seats and a biergarten located 

under the PVM’s 7,000-sq.-ft. glass pavilion. 

PEOPLE 

Katia Marquier has joined the board of directors 

of Sportscene Group Inc. Marquier is currently 

the Chief Financial Officer of marine carrier 

Fednav Ltd....Peter Van De Reep of Vancouver’s 

Campagnolo won Best Sommelier of B.C. 

competition, while Leagh Barkley of Toptable 

Group placed third. 

SUPPLY SIDE 

Egg Farmers of Canada has been named one 

of the country’s top youth employers. The 

award recognizes employers who offer some of 

the best workplaces and programs for young 

people looking to start their careers...Subway 

Restaurants has partnered with Adyen, a global 

payments platform. The partnership makes 

Adyen the exclusive payment platform for 

Subway restaurants across North America... 

Winston Industries’ board of directors has 

selected Shaun Tanner as president and Chief 

Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2020. Tanner, 

an 18-year veteran of the company, currently 

serves as its Chief Sales Officer, overseeing 

two of Winston’s three divisions — Winston 

Foodservice and Winston Manufacturing... 

Vulcan, provider of commercial cooking 

equipment, and parent company ITW Food 

Equipment Group (ITW FEG), has named Chris 

Stern as its vice-president and general manager 

of Cooking, North America, effective February 

10...Alto-Shaam has promoted Ryan Norman 

to director of Consultant Services as part of 

restructuring plans that focus the organization 

on strengthening its relationships and support 

for the consultant community. 


EMPLOYER OF CHOICE 

iSTOCK.COM/SARAWUTH702 [GOLD MEDAL], CHARU SHARMA [AWARD WINNERS] 

TOP 

CHOICE 

F&H crowns 

inaugural winner 

of Employer 

of Choice Award 

BY DANIELLE SCHALK 

As the first winner of the 

Foodservice and Hospitality Employer 

of Choice (FSHEOC) Award, Yummy 

Catering Services Ltd. has built a company 

culture based on communication, engagement, 

trust and respect. 

The Toronto-based company, which 

focuses on nutritious, home-style recipes 

for childcare centres and schools, is recognized 

as a leading catering company for 

children in the Greater Toronto Area. 

On its mission to create employee 

loyalty, Yummy Catering is focused on 

conveying its values, goals and strategies, 

while ensuring employees feel involved 

and their opinions valued. To achieve this, 

the company works to ensure all channels 

of communication are open to employees 

and management/department meetings 

are used as a platform for team building, 

brainstorming and communicating the 

company’s values and goals. 

Yummy Catering has positioned diversity 

and inclusion as the cornerstone of its 

culture and a fundamental component of 

the company’s overall growth strategy. This 

initiative is further supported by providing 

career development and job accessibility 

to new immigrants, as well as building and 

maintaining an inclusive supply chain. 

To build a culture of engagement, the 

company’s leadership has cultivated a 

sense of community, motivating employees 

with positivity and encouragement. It also 

leverages ongoing training to keep staff 

motivated and productive and provides 

opportunities for employees to test new 

skills. This effort is furthered by offerings 

such as rewards and recognition programs, 

employee-referral programs, competitive 

wages and flexible working arrangements. 

And, recognizing there’s always room for 

improvement, Yummy Catering is currently 

working to expand its benefits to incorporate 

initiatives such as pension plans, RRSP 

contributions, paid personal days, dental 

and eye-care coverage and mental-health 

support. FH 

The Foodservice and Hospitality Employer of Choice (FSHEOC) Award is the first national award to recognize Canadian 

hospitality and foodservice organizations as employers of choice. This program provides recognition and valuable insights to help build better places to 

work and strengthen corporate brands. By carefully analyzing an organization’s human-resources and leadership practices through a company profile and 

by anonymously surveying employees, the FSHEOC program comprehensively evaluates markers, including compensation and benefits, morale, employee 

engagement and more. The follow-up report and continuous-improvement action-plan worksheet help organizations build on best practices and address 

challenges, reducing turnover, attracting top talent and helping them build better, people-focused cultures. To achieve this award, companies must attain 

a minimum Employer of Choice score of 75 per cent. 



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FROM THE DESK OF NPD 

WHAT’S IN A (BRAND) NAME 

Branded products continue to be attractive to restaurant guests 

iSTOCK.COM/DILOK KLAISATAPORN [5-STAR RATING] 

There’s no shortage of icons in the 

foodservice industry. These include 

Colonel Sanders, Ronald McDonald 

and Canada’s own Tim Horton. 

Each of these names elicits a 

response from consumers — feelings of trust, 

respect, quality and many other emotions and 

behaviours — based on years of nurturing 

and promotion. 

Within this crowded restaurant universe, 

packaged-goods brands struggle to make their 

names heard. Restaurants — particularly 

those with well-established brand identities 

— don’t necessarily need or want the support 

of outside brands to help them tell their food 

stories and attract customers. But, according 

to the latest Omnibus Study from The NPD 

Group, this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, 

according to the survey, Canadian consumers 

are interested in accessing their favourite 

retail-food brands while dining out at their 

favourite foodservice establishments. 

Almost one quarter of all restaurant visitors 

are influenced to purchase items that are 

branded and offered as new or limited-time 

offers. The most common reasons for purchasing 

these branded items are perceptions 

of higher quality and good value. This is 

not at all surprising, since two of the fastestgrowing 

influencers for choosing a restaurant 

are food quality and price. Per-capita 

restaurant visits are flat this year, which 

means Canadians aren’t going out any more 

frequently than in prior years. Consumers 

are eager to maximize their value-for-money 

on every restaurant visit and purchase and 

ordering branded items off a menu helps 

provide a degree of reassurance. Or, as one 

quarter of survey respondents say, branded 

items can be trusted. Men, in particular, are 

even more likely to be influenced by branded 

menu items. 

Branded items aren’t new to the restaurant 

landscape — beverage brands in particular, 

such as soft drinks and alcohol, have always 

been displayed proudly by their host restaurants. 

And so, it’s not surprising respondents 

feel branded cold beverages are a suitable 

option when they dine out. Coffee is the only 

menu category that respondents say is even 

more suitable for a branding opportunity. 

Hot tea, condiments and salad dressings and 

cheese are the other menu categories where 

consumers can be expected to respond well 

to branded items. 

Product branding can help build trust in 

an item in the eyes of the consumer. This can 

be especially true when a restaurant is selling 

an item not necessarily associated with 

its core offerings. A prime example of this 

is evident in the proliferation of branded 

plant-based protein items on Canadian 

menus over the past 18 to 24 months. And 

yet, survey respondents say they don’t expect 

to see branded plant-based items on menus. 

This could be a factor of the unfamiliarity 

with the brands appearing in this space or 

maybe that these items continue to appeal 

to a niche audience. Clearly, the plant-based 

brands have a lot of work to do to build 

brand awareness and achieve widespread 

acceptance. It also means restaurants introducing 

these items may be just as successful 

in promoting their own brands, rather than 

these unfamiliar entities. 

From quick-serve coffee shops to casualdining 

restaurants, as much as half of all 

respondents say they feel branded menu 

items would be appropriate. The only restaurants 

where branded items might be less 

expected are high-end concepts, since consumers 

will have a greater expectation that 

their food items are prepared fresh. And yet, 

it’s higher-income Canadians who show a 

greater likelihood of ordering branded items 

when dining out. While the study didn’t 

delve into pricing for branded items, this 

does suggest branding will bring the possibility 

of premium pricing, along with the 

perceptions of quality, trust and value. FH 

Vince Sgabellone is 

a foodservice 

industry analyst with 

The NPD Group. He can 

be reached at vince. 

sgabellone@npd.com 



HOT CONCEPTS 

FISHBONE 

The Mediterranean seafood concept has set its sights on bigger ponds 

STORY BY NICK LAWS 

When Pedro Pereira emigrated from 

Portugal at 18 years old, becoming a chef 

and CEO wasn’t on his mind. In fact, it was 

soccer that brought him to Canada. 

Cooking was initially a means to supplement 

his income after his coach told him 

he needed to get a job, but he ultimately fell 

in love with food. Fast forward a few years 

and Pereira opened his first restaurant, 

Fishbone, in Stouffville, Ont. 

Humble beginnings characterize both 

restaurant and owner, as the now-booming 

restaurant started as “just another neighbourhood 

restaurant” simply known as 

“Pedro’s.” 

Fishbone is carving out a name for itself 

based on its high standards of hospitality. 

“Fishbone is a product of my many years 

in the business, working with some of the 

best in the industry — day in and day out 

— perfecting the craft of hospitality,” says 

Pereira. “Like painting or music, everyone 

can do it, but not necessarily well. It’s about 

making a guest feel like they would be coming 

into your own home; like they’ve know 

you forever.” 

Fishbone specializes in fresh seafood 

with the menu focused on what the nearby 

market has to offer. 

“It’s nice to know a fish shipment from 

New Zealand or Portugal was line caught 

24 hours ago,” Pereira says. “You need to 

stay connected to the source and heart of 

the product.” 

The catch of the day is displayed on ice, 

cooked fresh and deboned tableside — 

unique in Canadian dining. 

“Deboning fish tableside for as long 

as I did and being such a staple in 

Portuguese cuisine, I found the name 

Fishbone to be extremely fitting,” Pereira 

explains,” I knew I was ready to jump 

back into the upscale-dining scene with 

my own restaurant, with my own philosophy, 

standards and expectations.” 

Those standards are high, with the 

Fishbone restaurants focusing not just 

on the product, but the guest experience. 

“Our ability to create and foster relationships 

with our guests is a big component. 

The initial greeting, lighting, music choices 

and volume, our verbiage, pulling the 

chair out as they’re being seated… [it’s 

all important]. We don’t just look at it as 

a business transaction, it’s hospitality,” 

Pereira says. 

Nine years after the first restaurant 

opened its doors in Stouffville, Fishbone 

has five locations, two of them in the 

Stouffville area, with other locations in 

Aurora and Innisfil, Ont. One of the 

Stouffville locations, Fishbone-On-The- 

Lake, sits on the shores of Musselman’s 

Lake and boasts a spectacular patio. The 

restaurant is situated right on the water and 

is open only during the summer, averaging 

Quick Facts 

ESTABLISHED: 2010 in Stouffville, Ont., 

AVERAGE LOCATION SIZE: 2,975 sq. ft., 

averaging 90 seats per restaurant 

AVERAGE CHECK: $65 

EXPANSION PLANS: The brand recently 

opened in California and hopes to grow its 

presence in the U.S. and southern Ontario 

ARCHITECT: Den Bosch + Finchley, Toronto 

PARENT COMPANY: Peartree Holdings 

(clockwise from top) Pedro Pereira, owner of Fishbone; 

grilled octopus; fresh fish features prominently on all 

Fishbone locations’ menus; Fishbone restaurants boast a 

light and airy feel; Fishbone Kitchen & Bar in Aurora, Ont. 


Menu Sampler 

The menu is built around Portuguese flavours, 

while offering non-traditional items such as 

steak, Cornish hen and pizza. 

APPETIZERS 

Guests can choose from staples of 

Mediterranean cuisine, such as warm olives 

($8), or venture off and try some of the 

best-selling items such as deep-fried 

brussels sprouts ($14), seared crab cakes 

($18) and chicken croquettes ($12). 

FRANK CUTRARA [FISHBONE PHTOTOGRAPHY] 

more than 400 guests a day for lunch and 

dinner services during peak season. 

The restaurants’ design — the work of 

Toronto-based Den Bosch + Finchley — 

boasts a Portuguese motif, with elements 

from back home blending with the design 

elements of the restaurant’s location. 

Pereira explains he tries to align the restaurant 

with the scenery around it. “If it’s 

closer to water, I add more nautical themes; 

if more urban, then more intimate and dark 

themes are at play.” 

Portuguese and Mediterranean influence 

is evident in all the locations, whether 

it’s the general ambiance of the room, the 

tiles, the furniture or something as simple 

as a mural on the wall featuring Portuguese 

terminology. 

“This type of cuisine targets every demographic. 

We’re fortunate to cater to anyone 

and everyone from local residents, CEOs, 

professional athletes such as NHL player 

Steven Stamkos, to Hollywood, music or 

modelling icons such as Cindy Crawford,” 

Pereira says. 

While the menu includes Portuguese 

staples, such as Arroz a Valenciana and fresh 

seafood, Pereira says he doesn’t want to 

offer only traditional flavours. 

“Our menu is not traditional Portuguese, 

but we add that identity wherever and 

whenever possible. I love promoting my 

country,” Pereira says. “And just like back 

home, we emphasize the freshness of the 

product and then play with the five elements 

crucial to our food — acid, salt, 

spice, sweetness and texture.” 

Those five pillars are evident throughout 

Fishbone’s menu. From its starters to 

its entrées, each menu item boasts its own 

unique flavouring. Fishbone also features 

vast and flavourful wine cellars, with most 

of the selections being Portuguese. 

Despite not having formal culinary 

training, Pereira created the Fishbone menu 

and serves as executive chef for all his restaurants. 

His goal is to lay the foundation for 

more locations and says his restaurant concept 

could be at the forefront of the next 

big trend. 

“Portuguese cuisine is ready to be the 

next big trend; it just needs to be pushed 

through to the masses, especially in the 

U.S.,” Pereira says. 

The future looks bright for Fishbone 

as it continues to expand its presence. In 

fact, the concept opened its fifth and newest 

location in Laguna Beach, Calif. last 

September. 

“We wanted more consistency in 

our customer traffic and weather has a 

significant impact. California is the fifthlargest 

economy in the world and has a 

beautiful coastline, so it was a perfect fit,” 

explains Pereira. 

As the brand grows, Pereira plans to stick 

with the same fervent attitude towards food 

and hospitality he’s had since day one. 

“People can get food anywhere, but 

they’ll continue to choose places that offer 

them something more, an experience of 

sorts, like a great book, a great movie and a 

great concert. As they approach the restaurant, 

the stage curtain opens and it’s your 

show to perform,” Pereira said. FH 

PIZZAS 

If ordering off the lunch menu, guests can 

enjoy one of three pizzas: the classic 

Margherita, made with tomato, basil and 

fresh mozzarella ($16); the Veggie, topped 

with mushrooms, piquillo and arugula ($19); 

and the Picante made with red onion, 

Anaheim chilies, oregano and hot 

soppressata ($21). 

ENTRÉES 

The mains menu has tastes of Portugal 

throughout without offering many traditional 

dishes. Guests can chose from signature 

seafood dishes, such as shrimp and crab linguine 

($26), seared Itsumo tuna ($29), grilled 

Moroccan octopus ($27) and Arroz a Valenciana 

($29). Fishbone also offers its specialty, freshfrom-market 

fish at select locations, as well 

as a half Cornish hen ($23) and an eight-oz. 

chuck flat-iron steak ($29). 

Prices vary by location 



FOOD FILE 

Breakfast-and-brunch trends are shifting 

to meet the demands of a changing demographic 

STORY BY JANINE KENNEDY 

Anticipating the needs of an increasingly diverse population isn’t easy, but that’s 

exactly what breakfast and brunch operators need to focus on. Today’s diner wants high-tech 

user-friendliness with a homestyle feel; quick-service, on-the-go meals with local, ethically 

sourced ingredients; and satisfying health-forward menu items. 

Operators also need to be aware of generational shifts and the associated diner preferences. 

Packaging, ingredient sourcing and menu diversity have become paramount business 

and marketing decisions. Where once breakfast-and-brunch items consisted of pancakes, 

maple syrup and “two-eggs-any-style,” diet, lifestyle and increasingly adventurous appetites 

now demand consideration. 

“Gone are the days of mass production as we move to an era of mass personalization,” says 

Toronto-based Nourish Food Marketing’s 2020 Nourish Network Trend Report. Well-known 

brunch restaurant Lady Marmalade, with locations in Victoria, B.C. and Toronto, built a 

thriving business on this once-niche segment in 2005 by making personalization a part of 

its business model. 

Lamb Weston’s 

hash browns 

served with 

crispy bacon (left), 

eggs benedict from 

Lady Marmalade 

(opposite) 


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FOOD FILE 

Traditional bacon 

and eggs remain a 

breakfast favourite 

“While a large proportion of our guests 

still consume breakfast in the morning, 

the all-day breakfast offering has had 

a positive impact on McDonald’s” 

— CATHERINE CROZIER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING 

AT McCAFÉ AND McDONALD’S CANADA 

Focusing solely on brunch made with locally sourced ingredients, 

Lady Marmalade’s menu is extensive and varied, with a fully customizable 

eggs-benedict feature. Starting at $12.50, its Build-Your-Own- 

Benedict option includes an array of ingredients (including cured 

salmon, $5; mango salsa, $2; and queso fresco, $2.75) combined with 

Hollandaise sauce and served with home fries and salad. 

Lady Marmalade also forgoes alcoholic beverages. While many still 

consider brunch and cocktails — such as mimosas and Caesars — to 

go hand in hand, others, such as Nourish Marketing president Jo-Ann 

McArthur, beg to differ. 

“We know there’s a new generation of drinkers who 

are rethinking alcohol,” she explains. “That doesn’t 

mean they don’t want ‘drinks with benefits’ or aren’t 

willing to pay for them.” 

In fact, alcohol-free cocktails enhanced with nootropics 

— cognitive enhancers — such as caffeine or 

adaptogens (plant-based de-stressors such as turmeric) 

are becoming increasingly popular with today’s younger 

diners and Nourish’s 2020 report also shows “fun 

drinks,” such as soda, are making a comeback. 

In downtown Toronto, The Depanneur has been 

running pop-up-style food events for the past nine 

years — including its Newcomer Kitchen, which 

brought newly arrived Syrian-refugee families into the 

kitchen to share their culture, food and earn an income 

— as a non-profit social enterprise. 

“Brunch [at The Depanneur] is a little atypical in 

that we’re not licensed,” says founder and owner Len 

Senater. “It’s not a luxury experience and we’re not 

catering to the hungover crowd with heaping, greasy 

plates of food. Our brunch is more locally focused.” 

True to its pop-up image, The Depanneur’s brunches are run by 

different chefs-in-residence each year. For 2020, diners are invited to 

experience the Filipino flavours of Mama Linda’s chef Maria Polotan. 

Featuring traditional dishes such as silog (garlic-fried rice with sunnyside-up 

egg and green-papaya pickle, $8) and tocino (Filipino-style 

bacon, $5), as well as Filipino hot drinks salabat (ginger tea with 

honey and lemon, $3) and tsokolate eh (Filipino hot chocolate, $5), 

these are the brunch dishes modern Canadian diners crave — hearty 

and comforting, but with vibrant, global flavours, that offer a new 

food experience. 

“[Polotan] is a phenomenal cook,” Senater says. “I spent many years 

wondering why I couldn’t find great Filipino food. Everything I knew 

about the area — the location, the cultural influences — indicated to 

me that the food should be fantastic, but every time I encountered it, I 

was disappointed. Then I noticed a few different places that are doing 

something special.” 

“Mama Linda’s was at the Withrow Park Farmers Market when I 

asked [Polotan] to take on the brunch for 2020,” he continues. “She 

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FOOD FILE 

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I had invited her to host some one-off events and her food really blew 

me away.” 

While Canada’s changing breakfast-and-brunch climate may reveal 

alcohol-weary diners looking for exciting new food experiences, QSR 

breakfast-offerings remain popular as breakfast continues to be one 

of the few growth areas in the segment, according to research by 

Toronto-based NPD Group. 

At McDonald’s Canada, breakfast has been on the menu for more 

than 40 years. Catherine Crozier, senior director of Marketing at 

McCafé and McDonald’s Canada, says the key to its breakfast success 

over the years has been allowing the breakfast menu to evolve; adding 

small but impactful changes over the years while maintaining the 

older favourites. 

Since the launch of its McGriddle breakfast sandwiches in 2003, the 

past two decades have seen, perhaps, the most significant changes to 

McDonald’s breakfast menus. In 2011, it launched its McCafé brand, 

successfully introducing a full range of specialty coffee drinks. In 

2015, the company announced it would use only cage-free eggs in its 

breakfast-menu items and then, in 2017, breakfast-menu items were 

made available throughout the day. 

“While a large proportion of our guests still consume breakfast in 

the morning, the all-day-breakfast offering has had a positive impact 

on McDonald’s,” Crozier says. “Our classic Egg McMuffin sandwiches 

continue to be our most preferred item on our breakfast menu, with 

breakfast-bagel sandwiches also generating strong [sales]. While 

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FRANCIS FONTAINE [CHEZ MUFFY] 

breakfast is typically associated with savoury, 

the gap to fill at McDonald’s is its sweet menu 

offerings. For example, the expansion of our 

bakery menu with new McCafé L’il Donuts 

has seen early success, tapping into previously 

unmet demand in this space.” 

“Our own consumer research also reinforces 

the importance of loyalty programs for coffee 

and breakfast among our guests,” she adds. 

“McCafé Rewards is one of the top programs 

in Canada, [whereby] our guests can earn and 

redeem in-restaurant, at drive-thru and even 

when ordering ahead on the My McD’s app. 

McDonald’s is currently testing two new 

limited-time menu items in Alberta, Northwest 

Territories and Lloydminster, Sask. The Chicken McMuffin and 

Chicken McGriddle both feature peppery, seasoned Canadian chicken, 

while the McGriddle takes on the classic flavour profile of chicken 

and waffles. McCafé L’il Donuts, recently tested in B.C. and Atlantic 

Canada, are available in five flavours and boast 180 calories or less. 

“Both are something our guests have been asking for and the tests 

in market are going well,” Crozier says. 

In Quebec City, Chez Muffy, located in the award-winning Auberge 

Saint-Antoine Hotel, is a family-friendly, farm-to-fork restaurant in 

a historic warehouse, which dates back to 1822. While the ambiance 

Chez Muffy in Quebec City’s 

Auberge Saint-Antoine Hotel 

Bunn_FoodserviceHospitality_Spring2020.pdf 1 2020-02-13 9:19 AM 

is classic Québécois comfort — original wooden beams and a warm, 

inviting atmosphere featuring views of the St. Lawrence River — the 

menu highlights the best available local products. 

Boasting its own organic vegetable garden on Île d’Orléans, located 

20 kms from the restaurant, chef Romaine Devanneaux works closely 

with garden manager Alexandre Faille to plan for seasonal-vegetable 

use year-round — even during Quebec’s harsher winter months. 

While the growing season runs from April to December, 

Devanneaux and Faille work to ensure the food grown can be used 

throughout the year through methods of fermentation and preserva- 

TM

FOOD FILE 

(at left) Lamb 

Weston’s hash 

brown with 

avocado, the 

brioche bagel 

breakfast sandwich 

tion, among others. “We work with techniques like lacto-fermentation 

so we can preserve many of the vegetables from our garden,” 

Devanneaux explains. 

Chez Muffy’s offers a full-service menu and valet parking for all 

hotel and restaurant guests — a rarity in Old Quebec — and its 

Sunday brunch buffet, with its unusual array of foods, has become 

popular with local and visiting diners. 

“It’s not a typical brunch; our menu is not just [centred on] eggs,” 

general manager Guy Lombard says. “Ours is an epic buffet. We prepare 

the food fresh and our offerings include homemade pastries and 

tarts, vegetables from the garden, duck confit, maple-glazed ham and 

salmon with béchamel. We plan to continue working with the vegetables 

from the garden.” 

At $50 per adult ($20 per child), the expansive buffet also features 

an eggs-benedict station with the choice of toppings, local cheeses and 

other Québécois specialties such as cretons. Buffet food quality can be 

difficult to maintain, but Chez Muffy has it down to a science. 

“[We’re offering] a high-end brunch buffet,” says Lombard. 

“Everything has to look brand new at all times. Heat source is 

very important. Using traditional chaffing dishes often means 

you cannot regulate the temperature, so we’ve invested in induction 

chaffing dishes for consistent heat distribution. [Overall], we achieve 

a cozy ambiance. We want our guests to have a relaxed and enjoyable 

dining experience.” FH 

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PROFILE 

TRIED 

AND 

TRUE 

Sticking with tradition is 

driving Sunset Grill’s success 

STORY BY NICK LAWS 

DANIEL ALEXANDER [STELIOS LAZOS OF SUNSET GRILL RESTAURANT LTD.] 

Stelios Lazos, COO 

of Sunset Grill Restaurant 

Ltd., says the chain 

attributes its success 

to sticking with 

the classics 



PROFILE 

Sunset Grill recently 

updated its design to 

incorporate open kitchens 

and warm, pine 

interiors, (middle) the 

chains original location 

in Toronto’s Beaches 

neighbourhood 

hile we’re used to 

hearing that breakfast 

is the most 

important meal of 

the day, data from 

Toronto-based NDP Group proves 

that regardless of category (QSR, FSR 

or total commercial foodservice), 

breakfast has been, and continues 

to be, a strong growth driver — and 

Sunset Grill is cashing in on the 

exploding popularity of the daypart. 

When it concerns breakfast, 

Sunset Grill is setting the pace, doing 

business the same way it did when 

founder Angelo Christou launched 

the concept in 1985. The first location 

— named after the Don Henley song, 

Sunset Grill — started as a one-shift 

breakfast-and-lunch restaurant in the 

Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto. 

And although the concept has 

evolved, the business philosophy — 

and menu — have remained almost 

the same. 

“The menu hasn’t changed much 

in 35 years,” says Stelios Lazos, COO 

of Sunset Grill Restaurant Ltd., adding 

“if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” 

And Sunset Grill’s business model 

is far from broken — the company 

has grown exponentially over the 

past 10 years. In 2009, there were 30 

franchised units across the country. 

At the beginning of 2020, there were 

200 — a growth rate of 666.7 per 

cent over the course of the decade. 

The chain is showing no signs 

of slowing down, with another 15 

locations in the pipeline for 2020. 

How does it continue this torrid 

pace? Lazos says it’s simple, “while 

others try to keep up with trends, we 

stick with the classics.” 

“[This is what makes] us unique 

from other [breakfast restaurants],” 

he says. “We stick to a traditional 

breakfast. Bacon and eggs go hand 

in hand — they have for a hundred 

years. You’ve got to stick to what 

you know.” 

Almost all of Sunset Grill’s 

signature menu items fall under 

the all-day-breakfast category, with 

close to 90 per cent of its sales 

being attributed to these items. The 

brand is known for its home-style 

breakfasts, such as three eggs with 

bacon, home fries and toast ($9.75); 

the Sunset Super with sausage, two 

pancakes, three eggs and home fries 

($11.75); and Eggs Sunset — three 

eggs over easy with peameal-style 

bacon on English muffins served 

with Hollandaise sauce and home 

fries ($13.25). 

The brand also offers a few select 

lunch offerings, such as the Sunset 

Sandwich made with peameal-style 

bacon, egg and cheddar cheese, 

served with home fries and vegetables 

with dip ($8.25); the Sunset Western 

Sandwich with ham, onion and two 

eggs ($7.75); and the Banquet Burger 

— an eight-ounce patty with bacon 

and cheddar cheese ($12.75). 

Despite the trend towards veganism, 

Sunset Grill offers only a few 

vegan options — such as Southwest 

Vegan Breakfast Hash ($9.99) — 

choosing to focus on its traditional 

dishes instead. “We don’t have a huge 

demand for vegan food,” says Lazos. 

“There’s only so much you can do 

and it’s based on demand.” 

RISE AND SHINE 

NPD Group foodservice analyst 

Vince Sgabellone says over the past 

five years, the breakfast daypart has 

grown by approximately five per cent 

per year and operators such as Sunset 

Grill are reaping the rewards. 

“[Its] menu is the perfect fit — 

breakfast is trendy and brunch is on 

trend in full service,” says Sgabellone. 

“Canadians also love their coffee, 

and breakfast and coffee go perfectly 

together. In Canada, when 

we roll together all those morning 

coffee occasions, our morning meal 

— which is breakfast, brunch and 

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FEE 

$55,000 

ADVERTISING 

FEE 

1% 

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UBER EATS 

snacking lumped together — is the 

biggest, most-popular daypart. It’s 

in only two countries in the world 

where that’s the case.” 

Sunset Grill also differentiates itself 

with its focus on fresh ingredients, 

commitment to detail and excellent 

customer service — all factors Lazos 

says are instrumental in keeping the 

company thriving. 

“Everything we do is five-star 

inspired — no preservatives in our 

orange juice, our potatoes and fruit 

salad are prepped daily. We have 

an emphasis on high-quality fresh 

products and commitment to detail,” 

Lazos says. “There’s no singular thing 

you do to be successful — it’s all 

about the little things.” 

That meticulous attention to 

detail is reflected throughout every 

facet of Sunset Grill’s operation. 

From store location — the company 

prefers to be near thoroughfares and 

main roads in order to attract more 

customers — to the design of its 

restaurants, where function is just as 

important as style. 

“We’re a California-style 1970s 

breakfast restaurant,” says Lazos. 

“We like to incorporate pine to keep 

things relaxing; we want it to be 

warm. People who go to restaurants 

want to be around people, there’s 

a certain experience to it, but at 

the same time, you want your own 

space with a certain level of coziness. 

We try to find the fine line between 

the two.” 

Most Sunset Grill locations are 

located in the Greater Toronto 

Area, with the majority found in 

Mississauga, Brampton and Vaughan, 

but expansion throughout Ontario 

is on the books in the coming year. 

The company also plans to reach as 

far as Calgary and Los Angeles for its 

upcoming ventures. 

The units average 100 seats with 

a footprint of approximately 2,200 

sq. ft. — a large portion of which is 

devoted to the brand new signature 

Traditional breakfast fare such as bacon and eggs 

are still big sellers on the Sunset Grill menu 

AVERAGE 

CHECK 

$15 

AVERAGE 

RESTAURANT 

SIZE 

2,200 

SQ. FT. 

AVERAGE 

NUMBER 

OF SEATS 

100 

open-concept kitchens. The kitchens 

are meant to give customers a 

window into the behind-the-scenes 

operations, but also to reduce frontof-house 

labour by giving servers and 

hosts a better idea of what’s going on 

in the back of the house. 

While the menu has remained 

relatively unchanged throughout its 

35-year history, the chain’s hours 

of operation have evolved to meet 

changing demands. When the first 

restaurant originally opened, it was 

open until the early evening and 

did not serve all-day breakfast. But, 

when late-afternoon sales didn’t 

pack as big a punch as anticipated, it 

began opening at 7 a.m. and closing 

between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. 

While the future is bright for 

Sunset Grill, no company succeeds 

without overcoming some adversity 

and, for the breakfast chain, Lazos 

says adversity came in the form of 

trying to get its fresh ingredients 

to its restaurants. When the 

company expanded nationwide, 

its original supplier found it hard 

to ensure ingredients reached all 

of the new locations. 

“We were with a smaller distributor 

who couldn’t reach some of our 

restaurants, but then it was bought 

by Gordon Food Service, which 

ended up simplifying operations for 

us on the supply side,” explains Lazos. 

All of Sunset Grill’s 200 locations 

are franchised, which places the 

commitment to quality in the hands 

of its franchisees. Lazos says the 

company takes pride in choosing 

franchisees who work hard and feel 

the same passion for quality that’s 

inherent throughout the company. 

“Just because you’re buying a 

franchise doesn’t mean cheques 

are going to start rolling in. It’s a 

business — it’s your business — 

and you have to make your money. 

On Monday when the fridges are 

empty, get in there and check it out, 

smell it, touch it — only serve food 

to your customers you would serve 

to your kids.” FH 



STAND 

A N D 

DELIVER 

OPERATORS ARE GRAPPLING WITH THE DYNAMICS CREATED 

BY DEMAND FOR THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY BY DANIELLE SCHALK 

The Challenge | 

Much has been written about the proliferation 

of third-party restaurant delivery and 

its impact — actual, perceived and potential 

— on the foodservice industry. As a young, 

evolving market segment, it poses a number 

of challenges for operators. “It’s not necessarily 

a mature market,” says Sylvain Charlebois, 

professor, Food Distribution and Policy, 

Faculties of Management and Agriculture at 

Dalhousie University. “Technology is affecting 

all sectors within foodservice. This is a disruptive 

phenomenon and it’s going to be interesting 

to see how things go.” 

As operators attempt to navigate this 

disruption, there are concerns about putting 

elements of quality and guest experience into 

the hands of couriers. In fact, “quality/service 

control” was identified among the top-three 

negative aspects of doing business with thirdparty 

delivery services in Restaurants Canada’s 

Q1 2019 Restaurant Outlook Survey. 

However, Alan Bekerman, founder and 

CEO of Toronto-based iQ Food Co., feels 

customers understand the compromise they’re 

making in order to benefit from the convenience 

of delivery. 

“We recognize there’s an element of trust 

and, ultimately, risk [involved] when you have 

somebody you don’t know delivering food 

and representing your brand…[But,] customers 

understand this courier is just doing their 

job…they’re running around the city dropping 

things off.” 

On the other side of the delivery-courier 

coin, the growing pains associated with the 

gig economy as a whole are also impacting 

third-party restaurant delivery. 

As the couriers working under these 

companies are classified as independent 

contractors, they don’t fall under traditional 

labour laws and aren’t ensured standards such 

a minimum wage and health benefits. This 

has resulted in app-based workers around 

the world launching protests and pushing to 

unionize. 

“People are concerned about the rights 

iSTOCK.COM/DVULIKAIA 


CHALLENGES & 

OPPORTUNITIES 

of contract workers — or workers, depending 

on how they’re defined in the law,” says 

Charlebois. “[We’re] still at the beginning 

of this movement and it will probably 

impact how the model becomes, or remains, 

competitive, because it will eventually have an 

impact on cost.” 

And, ultimately, the cost of taking part in 

the third-party-delivery market is a chief challenge 

facing restaurants. 

“I’ve never met a restaurateur who’s 

unhappy with the volume delivery represents, 

but I’ve also never met a restaurateur who’s 

happy with the economics,” says Bekerman. 

“Servicing delivery orders that represent 

lower-margin business, at peak times, out of 

expensive real estate, isn’t a particularly 

sustainable strategy.” 

In an industry where margins are already 

tight, paying a commission of 30 per cent or 

more on delivery orders is a taxing endeavour. 

But, many operators don’t feel they can afford 

to ignore demand for delivery. 

“The reality is, it’s not a story of delivery 

companies gouging restaurants, the story is 

that delivery is just expensive,” says Ray Reddy, 

CEO and co-founder of the Toronto-based 

mobile-ordering platform Ritual. “If you’re 

going to pay [someone] to move something 

from point-A to point-B in less than 20 minutes, 

that’s going to cost you a lot of money 

in North America, where people have a lot of 

choices and minimum wage is not low.” 

And, with the increasing popularity of 

these services, the challenge of integrating 

these third-party platforms into a restaurant’s 

operations is only exacerbated. There are an 

increasing number of platforms available and 

restaurants are feeling pressure to have a presence 

on multiple platforms to maximize their 

reach. But this also means added channels 

to maintain and update and, if a restaurant’s 

POS system doesn’t support the integration 

of these platforms, it can result in multiple 

devices that need to be actively monitored. 

Not to mention the majority of restaurants 

weren’t designed to accommodate high 

volumes of order-ahead meals, with limited 

counter space for completed orders and a 

structure that often forces couriers to cut 

through lines to reach the order-pickup area. 

The Opportunity | 

There’s no doubt delivery is a convenience 

that resonates with customers. According to 

Ipsos Foodservice Monitor, Canadians spent 

$1 billion on meal-delivery apps in 2018, and 

Charlebois says this number is now near $2 

billion. 

Restaurants Canada’s Foodservice Industry 

Forecast 2018-2022 also indicated off-premise 

sales increased at both quick-service and fullservice 

restaurants in the first half of 2018, 

driven by demand for delivery. During the 

same period, on-premise visits declined at 

QSRs, with off-premise orders accounting for 

71 per cent of this segment’s traffic. 

Having a presence on third-party platforms 

can expand a restaurant’s visibility and customer 

base. And, as Charlebois points out, can 

even help mitigate the industry’s sensitivity to 

weather conditions. 

“You have the potential to connect with 

somebody who otherwise would never have 

entered your restaurant,” says Bekerman, noting 

this requires a bit of a balancing act. “[It 

requires] figuring out how to connect with 

people who otherwise wouldn’t come to your 

restaurants [without] cannibalizing yourself 

by turning your loyal walk-in customers into 

delivery-only customers.” 

He points to in-restaurant incentives and 

limiting the modifications available on delivery 

orders as strategies put in place at iQ to 

help ensure such a balance. “Limiting modifications 

for delivery helps simplify order preparation 

and reduces the potential for errors, 

which are a lot easier to solve in restaurant, 

versus somebody who’s waited 45 minutes for 

their food to come to their doorstep.” 

The nimble nature of digital platforms 

also makes them an ideal avenue for menu 

testing. “It’s a soft way to experiment,” says 

Charlebois. “You can do promotions, for 

example, much more [easily] with digital.” 

Virtual- or “ghost-restaurant” concepts 

are also being examined as a way to make the 

most of the delivery boom. This deliveryonly 

operating model allows restaurants to 

maximize existing real-estate and labour costs 

by delivering a secondary concept/menu on 

delivery platforms. This also provides an 

opportunity for low-risk experimentation and 

a chance to capitalize on diverse segments. 

Toronto-based Hero Certified Burgers 

offers Hero Certified Seafood and Hero 

Certified Chicken menus exclusively on thirdparty 

platforms. And, while these brands were 

originally run out of Hero Burger locations, 

they’re now being made available to outside 

operators across the country to operate as 

virtual delivery-only concepts. 

Some companies — such as U.S.-based 

Cloud Kitchens and Toronto-based Ghost 

Kitchens Canada — have even chosen to 

go fully virtual, taking advantage of lessexpensive 

real estate and operating multiple 

concepts out of a single kitchen. 

“Ghost kitchens are a very interesting 

phenomena,” says Charlebois. “We have 50 or 

60 now in Canada and it’s growing.” 

And, Bekerman adds, “[these concepts] 

have an opportunity to solve a part of 

the problem.” 

iQ and others have gone yet another route, 

building small-footprint take-out focused 

concepts with very limited or no seating. 

There are also brands that have placed their 

focus on removing pain points associated 

with third-party delivery through in-restaurant 

features such as pickup portals. 

All the opportunities and solutions related 

to third-party delivery are not yet clear — and 

that in itself is a source of opportunity. Those 

nimble businesses that can discover and successfully 

implement optimal operating models 

stand to reap the greatest rewards. 

“We’re at an assessment stage,” Bekerman 

says. “The dynamic and the relationship has 

to change, but we’re [not] going to know 

what that really looks like for another 12 or 

18 months.” FH 



GAINING 

G R O U N D 

THE EXPERIENCE FACTOR IS HELPING 

GROCERANT CONCEPTS STEAL SHARE BY NICK LAWS 


A decade ago, a ‘grocerant’ — a hybrid grocery/restaurant 

offering — was rare and the 

concept of grocery delivery and meal kits was 

almost unheard of. Today, the global meal-kit 

market is estimated at approximately $2.2 

billion, according to Time magazine, and grocerants 

represent approximately four per cent 

of total commercial foodservice dollars (six 

per cent of total visits) according to Torontobased 

NPD Group. 

Billy Arvanitis is vice-president of 

Operations at Foodtastic, but his industry 

experience spans decades. He says at the 

beginning of the food-retail uprising, there 

was a common concern. 

“Initially, when [grocery stores] introduced 

our core products, there was a lot of fear, 

wondering if the two would ever intersect or 

if would we cannibalize our own market.” 

iSTOCK.COM/TOMWANG112 


CHALLENGES & 

OPPORTUNITIES 

There are four pillars linked to the success 

of both meal kits and grocerants: flexibility of 

offerings, freshness of products, the experience 

factor and convenience. 

But Vince Sgabellone, foodservice analyst 

at NPD Group, says one pillar trumps them 

all. “Convenience. People who are buying food 

through grocerants are time strapped, so it’s 

all [about making it] quick and easy,” says 

Sgabellone. “They’ve found a niche for themselves 

between QSR and FSR — full-service 

quality with quick-service convenience.” 

This convenience applies not only to customers 

grabbing a quick bite to eat in grocerants 

while doing their weekly grocery shopping, 

it also extends beyond the supermarket. 

Meal kits provide the much-needed convenience, 

with the added luxury of not having 

to leave your house — a key factor helping 

the segment steal share from restaurants, says 

Sgabellone. 

“One third of all meal-kit customers [we 

surveyed] said they would have purchased 

food from a restaurant that night had they 

not had a meal kit,” says Sgabellone. 

George Bachoumis is the general manager 

of The McEwan Group — the largest 

independent grocerant in Canada — and has 

worked in the foodservice industry for more 

than 30 years. He says while convenience 

plays a role, the real driving force behind the 

success of grocerants is their flexibility and 

freshness. 

“Our chefs will come down to the grocery 

level, shop all the fresh ingredients they 

need and then bring them to the [in-house] 

restaurant and create these dishes,” says 

Bachoumis. “There’s variety — within our 

space we have Asian-inspired, Indian-inspired 

and Mediterranean — whereas restaurants are 

limited in what they can offer. Every customer 

that comes into our store has a different need 

and the added flexibility of being a hybrid 

store allows us to meet most of those needs, 

with chef-inspired foods.” 

This freshness and quality of food is another 

reason why Sgabellone thinks we saw a sudden 

rise in grocerant traffic a few years ago. 

“Grocery stores have been upping their 

game in terms of quality, breadth and types of 

offerings. It was no longer just convenient, it 

was good. It was restaurant-quality food that 

you could grab at the grocery store,” he says. 

According to Jessica Rodrigues, director of 

Communications at The McEwan Group, the 

next logical step for grocerants is to expand 

into the event sector. 

“Instead of having a Christmas dinner at a 

restaurant, you come to a hybrid like McEwan 

and have that sit-down meal, but also get 

cooking demos and a shopping night with 

discounts,” says Rodrigues. 

It’s these after-hours events that pose a real 

challenge to restaurants, many of which lack 

the space to host them. And, while most holiday 

parties start at a restaurant and conclude 

elsewhere, grocerants are able to accommodate 

the entire event. 

Ennio Perrone, vice-president of Marketing 

and Business Strategy at Eataly, a European 

grocerant concept that recently entered 

Toronto, cites customer experience as a reason 

for the brand’s success. 

“Being able to create an experience where 

guests can eat, shop and learn about authentic 

Italian ingredients and regional Italian dishes 

has been an important part of every Eataly 

location since we opened our first location in 

Torino 13 years ago,” says Perrone. “Moving 

from a purely transactional food-retailer 

model of products stacked on shelves to offering 

the opportunity for customers to experience 

more — to see the food they’re buying 

being turned into delicious dishes in the 

hands of experienced chefs, in a space where 

they feel comfortable and can learn and do 

new exciting things in every visit while having 

fun — are fundamental pillars,” says Perrone. 


While the challenges arising from food-retail 

competition have caused some restaurateurs 

to lose sleep, the sky is not falling just yet. 

NPD Group reports growth of the meal-kit 

and grocerant segments has slowed in the past 

few years. “[The segments] were trending up 

in 2016 to 2017, but the last two years it’s flat 

lined a bit,” says Sgabellone. 

This has created new opportunities for restaurants, 

such as branded meal kits — a partnership 

between meal-kit-delivery programs 

and restaurants — or advanced restaurant 

loyalty programs that reach beyond the 

traditional coffee shop to larger chains. 

Branding products seems to be the biggest 

opportunity for restaurants looking to combat 

the rise of retail, as Arvanitis puts it, “if you 

can’t beat them, brand them.” 

“Marketing dollars are stretched very thin, 

so when I see branded product in stores readily 

available, it creates a lot of brand awareness,” 

says Arvanitis. “When it’s done responsibly, 

it’s a good marriage.” 

And, while a study conducted by NPD 

Group and Nielsen showed 38 per cent of 

surveyed Canadians had purchased some 

type of meal kit for dinner in the past year, 

attracted by the convenience of the offering, 

delivery — the great equalizer — is now 

giving restaurant operators a leg up on the 

competition. Whether through a third-party 

or in-house, delivery systems are the Achilles 

heel of the meal-kit and grocerant segments, 

says Sgabellone. 

“What’s easier than a few taps on your 

phone and ordering delivery to your door? 

Delivery has taken away some of that convenience 

aspect that was the calling card of 

grocerants,” he explains. 

“If you’re not on board with delivery services, 

you’re missing the boat. That’s the way 

we’re trending. Whether its mobile apps or 

other players, it’s here to stay,” adds Arvanitis. 

But, Sgabellone warns, restaurants walk 

a fine line between sticking with what they 

know and evolving to keep up with the competition. 

“Focusing on your core customer is 

key — who they are and why they’re coming 

to you. Stand out in the market, do what’s 

best for your customers. If you’re not speaking 

to your customers, somebody else will.” 

“A brand needs to embark on new trends 

when it makes sense for their brand to do so. 

Eataly shines in the store, where you get to 

live the experience in its entirety. That’s the 

entry point for people to get to know and 

interact with our brand,” says Perrone. 

“You have to keep evolving, because everyone 

else around you is changing all the time,” 

adds Bachoumis. 

Looking forward, the market will continue 

to evolve and, when it does, operators on both 

sides of the coin need to be ready to collaborate 

or be left by the wayside. FH 



WASTE 

LAND 

FOOD-WASTE SOLUTIONS ARE NOT 

A ONE-SIZE-FITS ALL PROPOSITION 

BY DENISE DEVEAU 

iSTOCK.COM/TATIANA 


CHALLENGES & 

OPPORTUNITIES 


You’d be hard pressed to find any foodservice 

operator who isn’t looking at their food-waste 

practices — from delivery and prep processes 

to serving sizes and disposal. Some are well 

entrenched in tackling their food-waste issues, 

while others are just starting to take a serious 

look at what can be done. There are common 

concerns every operator faces; however, 

strategies can vary considerably. A vegan 

restaurant or fast-food chain would have a 

different perspective than a steakhouse or 

institutional cafeteria. 

Location can also factor into the decision. 

Urban operations can easily tap into local 

services, such as food banks and composting 

programs, to support their efforts. Those in 

more remote locations or smaller municipalities 

may have to rely more heavily on inhouse 

resources. 

Budget limitations are another differentiator, 

as solutions can range from basic 

recycling programs and local donations to 

advanced analytics and POS integration. 

Tackling food waste isn’t a one-size-fits-all 

proposition, says Chris Knight, consultant 

at The Fifteen Group in Toronto. “Everyone 

has a food-waste problem, from QSR to fast 

casual to full service.” 

The constant in the equation, however, is 

food waste is not only an important social 

and environmental concern, it’s also a drain 

on the bottom line in a world where margins 

are tighter than ever. 

“Everything wasted is money out of our 

pockets,” says James Rilett, vice-president, 

Central Canada for Restaurants Canada 

in Toronto. 

A contributor to those shrinking margins 

and renewed examination is the rising minimum 

wage, he adds. “That’s when waste really 

started [appearing] on their radar. There 

might have been a time when profit margins 

were high enough to absorb some costs, 

so they didn’t get too microscopic on their 

operations. Now they’re looking at everything 

relating to costs.” 

Key pain points that come up in Rilett’s 

food-waste discussions with restaurants are 

ordering and preparing the right amount 

of meals. “Most waste comes from having 

too much food that has to be thrown out. 

Obviously that’s lost profits. But it’s a hard 

line to walk between having too much and 

running out too soon.” 

Bruce McAdams, associate professor, 

School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism 

Management at the University of Guelph, 

says when it comes to food waste, operators 

are clearly willing to make changes. “Chefs 

and kitchen managers are highly motivated 

to minimize the amount of spoilage and 

products going out of rotation and most do a 

pretty good job of that.” 

In his mind, one of the biggest generators 

of food waste is serving overly large portion 

sizes to convey value, particularly at mid-scale 

and full-service restaurants. The other is disposal 

at closing time. “We speak to many chefs 

who end up throwing out unused product at 

the end of the day when they could make better 

use of it.” 

An important challenge being overlooked 

is organic waste going to landfill, McAdams 

notes. “People talk about reusing and donating 

food, which is great, but a lot of plate and 

food waste is still going to landfill and not 

being composted.” 

A 2019 Second Harvest report, The 

Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste notes food in 

landfill produces methane, which is more than 

25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in 

terms of greenhouse-gas emissions. 

“It has an incredible impact on our 

carbon footprint,” McAdams says. “When 

we do create food waste, we need to make 

sure it never goes to landfill. We lost our way 

a bit there.” 


Sending waste food to landfill is a non-starter 

at Fox Harb’r Resort in Wallace, N.S., says 

Shane Robilliard, executive chef and director 

of Food & Beverage. “We’re a medium-size 

operation so there’s going to be food waste. 

The biggest challenge for us is our remote 

location, so there are only certain opportunities 

available to deal with that.” 

As such, all food waste is managed internally, 

which is relatively easy given the resort 

has acres of gardens and greenhouse facilities. 

“We compost it all and turn it into fertilizer 

for our golf course, gardens and greenhouse,” 

he says. “All of it is done using natural processes. 

The only challenge is when there’s a 

bounty, we have to adapt and get creative. 

In tomato season, we do a lot of canning 

and freezing.” 

Composting is a natural fit for a plantforward 

operation such as Copper Branch. 

“We do have a lot of scraps from prep, but 

all that easily goes into composting,” says 

Rio Infantino, president and CEO. Because it 

operates in urban locations, the chain works 

with composting services, since its restaurant 

don’t have the space to manage their own. 

The brand has also been able to get its 

ordering processes down to a fine art. Core 

items are ordered flash frozen so they can be 

defrosted on demand. 

“It ensures food stays intact, gives us better 

control at the store level and minimizes 

waste,” says Infantino. Fruits and vegetables 

are ordered four times a week to help mitigate 

potential food loss. 

The key for any restaurant seeking the right 

food-waste solutions is having the right tools 

in hand. These can range from basic recycling 

and staff training, to more complex exercises, 

including analytics, Knight says. 

One critical metric that’s often ignored 

in targeting food-waste issues is calculating 

actual versus theoretical usage, he says. 

“There’s often a difference between the two. 

If you find out someone is hacking an inch 

off the end of an onion and two layers of peel 

for example, you now have 50 per cent versus 

a 70- to 80-per-cent yield. It’s surprising how 

quickly your margins start disappearing. In 

some cases, operators discover there can be as 

much as a five- or six-per-cent swing between 

the two.” 

There are also advanced systems that can 

help operators with available budgets and 

time, from POS integration to inventorymanagement 

software, Knight adds. “Really, 

you can take costing [and analysis] to the 

ends of the earth.” 

Ultimately, planning should start with 

three important basics, he adds. “Skills training, 

recipe costing and portion control can 

make massive differences in controlling food 

waste overall.” FH 



L A B O U R 

RELATIONS 

TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT IN TODAY’S MARKET, 

EMPLOYERS NEED TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD 

BY AMY BOSTOCK 


According to Restaurants Canada, labour 

issues remain the top challenge for foodservice 

operators, with 59 per cent of those surveyed 

reporting the shortage of good talent is 

keeping them up at night. 

Ryan Smolkin, founder & CEO, Smoke’s 

Poutinerie Inc., says staff turnover, along with 

the higher minimum wage, “has been a big 

hit to our entire industry. Our labour costs 

increased by 30 per cent and we also find 

ourselves competing with more players [for 

staff].” 

Restaurants Canada’s Restaurant Outlook 

Survey Q3 2019 states “turnover is also a 

constant problem for restaurants, especially 

with a low unemployment rate. While some 

roles have a low annual turnover rate, it can 

be as high as 300 per cent for some positions. 

There are also the hidden costs around 

finding and replacing employees that must 

be considered.” 

“That puts pressure on management 

— especially in quick-service operations — 

to be more operationally involved in the 

business than I’ve ever seen in my 30 years 

[as a recruiter],” says Michael Sherwood, 

VP Recruitment Lead (Consumer Goods/ 

Foodservice) at Toronto-based Anything Is 

Possible (AIP). 

Smolkin agrees, saying managers need to 

be even more self-aware in today’s climate, 

ensuring employees feel nurtured and valued. 

“We should be doing that anyway,” he clarifies, 

“but it’s even more evident now because 

there’s zero loyalty [among staff] these days as 

[employees] are always looking for the next, 

better job.” 

And, while smaller operators are hit even 

harder by the labour challenge than larger 

chains with the budgets to invest heavily in 

iSTOCK.COM/GUIDOVROLA 


CHALLENGES & 

OPPORTUNITIES 

hiring and human resources, Smolkin says the 

entire foodservice industry is facing the same 

challenge — with competition coming from 

within the industry, as well as from outside 

competitors, including retail chains and 

grocery stores. 

“[Restaurant operators] realize everybody’s 

up against the same [labour] challenge,” he 

says, noting hiring practises need to change to 

address the problem. 

Sherwood agrees. “The days of posting a 

job on a whiteboard and expecting to find 

that individual — especially in the restaurant 

space — is impossible.” 


While better benefits, work/life balance and 

increased employee engagement are all key 

to keeping staff, finding them to begin with 

is another matter entirely. For some outsidethe-box 

thinkers, the shortage of home-grown 

talent has offered up the opportunity to look 

farther afield for qualified labour pools. 

Starbucks, which has a long-standing history 

of working with social agencies and 

government bodies to create hiring programs, 

developed the Opportunity For All Youth 

coalition. In Canada, the company announced 

in November of last year it would hold a firstof-its-kind 

refugee hiring event. “Starbucks 

is the leading employer of refugees and made 

a commitment to hire 1,000 refugees by 

2020,” says Luisa Girotto, VP Public Affairs 

for Starbucks Canada. “We’re currently ahead 

of our five-year goal, having hired about 500 

refugees in less than three years.” 

Closer to home, word of mouth and using 

your existing team as recruiters can also be a 

good way to attract new staff, says Sherwood. 

“If your organization is successful, vibrant 

and doing all the right things, then it goes 

without saying you’re going to have referrals 

[from existing staff]. They become your 

brand ambassadors.” 

Post-hiring, Smolkin says it all comes 

down to training — and doing it in a way 

that appeals to your staff. Gone are the days 

of training manuals and written tests. Today’s 

foodservice workforce is younger, more tech 

savvy and has been raised on digital. 

At Smoke’s, management is seizing the 

opportunity speak to their employees in new 

ways by introducing online training modules. 

“It’s not standing up with a PowerPoint slide 

— it’s all interactive. They’re on the [iPad], 

passing modules and tests. We can grade them 

and give them [online] badges for doing well,” 

explains Smolkin. 

Kevin Hulbert, recruitment specialist at 

AIP, agrees recognizing the current generation 

of people entering the workforce is drastically 

different in terms of how they communicate 

with one another is key to keeping your staff 

engaged. He says operators need to find ways 

to incorporate technology into the workplace 

to engage staff. 

“It sounds trite, but their cell phones are 

their world,” he says. “There’s vastly different 

approaches to how people communicate and 

the way they connect with one another.” 

Smoke’s has also incorporated Winnipegbased 

7shifts into its operations to manage its 

labour across its franchise network. 

With the 7shifts app, staff can communicate 

with each other directly to swap shifts 

or managers can leave notes about tasks needing 

to be completed. Smolkin says it goes 

beyond just a scheduling and labourmanagement 

system. 

“It also has the engagement and communication 

that demographic loves. They love 

to voice their opinion, they love messaging 

back and forth. But the underlying part of it is 

their manager/franchisee will be using it as an 

instructional tool as well.” 

Beyond engagement, Smolkin says it’s 

important for operators to understand 

employee goals and help them achieve them. 

“What [do your employees] want to get 

out of [the job]? What was their goal on day 

one — do they want to be a supervisor or 

a manager? Do they want to own their own 

franchise someday? Our employee demographic 

wants to see that you genuinely care 

about them and want to see them advance. 

You’re not going to be naive and think they’re 

going to be there for five years — it’s a stepping 

stone to put themselves through school a 

lot of times. You need to show them you want 

to help them get there and there’s no hard 

feelings when they’re ready to go.” 

Hulbert agrees clear opportunities for 

growth or “even something as simple as a title 

change — some sort of responsibility shift — 

can be motivating for some people.” He also 

notes the importance of “not just leaving staff 

in a position forever so they feel they have to 

go somewhere else to advance.” 

He says chains such as Joey and Earls have 

really embraced this philosophy, offering 

training, advancement opportunities and 

even the chance to relocate to new parts of the 

country to work in their different restaurants. 

“They’re moving their people around, 

they look after them as well,” says Hulbert. 

“They’re impacting the industry — 

that’s the bar they’ve set [for the rest of the 

foodservice industry].” FH 



S A F E 

PASSAGE 

STAFF TRAINING IS KEY TO MAINTAINING FOOD-SAFETY 

STANDARDS IN FOODSERVICE BY NICK LAWS 


The road from farm to fork is a long one, 

with food passing through many hands before 

landing on customers’ plates. And when food 

is travelling along the supply chain, safety is 

top-of-mind at every touch point. 

Billy Arvanitis, vice-president of 

Operations at Montreal-based Foodtastic, 

says food doesn’t make it into his restaurants 

unless it’s passed safety tests at every step. 

“[Food safety] is paramount. Where you’re 

sourcing products from a supplier, the companies 

they partner with have to be federally 

licensed and inspected by a reputable corporation. 

The safety of the product when it 

comes in is first and foremost,” says Arvanitis. 

“I know there’s a lot that goes into running a 

restaurant, but it all starts there.” 

Ensuring restaurant food is safe is a lengthy 

and meticulous process, but as Domenic 

Pedulla, president of the Calgary-based 

Canadian Food Safety Group says, it’s a 

necessary one. 

“Not meeting safety standards could be 

devastating to your business; it could sink a 

lot of small businesses,” says Pedulla. 

While the logistics behind keeping food 

safe varies at every level — from supplier 

to restaurant operator — the one constant 

is training. 

Ruth Pertran, Ph.D. is a senior corporate 

scientist of Food Safety and Public Health at 

Ecolab and in her experience, it’s about the 

people, not the equipment. 

“Food safety is all about behaviours performed 

by everyone along the food supply 

chain, from farm to fork,” says Pertran. 

This need for intense attention to detail at 

every step is compounded by the fact food 

is being shipped from companies scattered 

across the globe, she adds. 

“Today’s long, globalized food supply 

chain creates many opportunities for food 

to become contaminated. And large-scale 

production and distribution can lead to broad 

infection, potentially affecting foods served at 

your restaurant.” 

Experts agree training is the best way to 

mitigate most, if any, food-safety concerns at 

any facility. Whether in the distribution ware- 

iSTOCK.COM/DIMA_SIDELNIKOV 


CHALLENGES & 

OPPORTUNITIES 

house or the restaurant kitchen, it all comes 

down to staff. 

However, this can cause problems, as staff 

training can be costly, with Pedulla saying services 

can cost up to $100 per staff member. 

This puts a crunch on many small businesses, 

forcing them to cut corners in some 

situations — something Pedulla knows hangs 

over the industry like a dark cloud. 

“Money is a barrier for a lot of companies 

since margins are notoriously thin in foodservice. 

It’s a barrier to the smaller businesses 

that have to do it on their own.” 

Arvanitis sees the choice as an easier 

one — money is only a problem if you make 

it one. 

“It’s pretty easy. A lot of the [practices] 

that truly help keep your guests safe don’t 

cost very much. It just takes discipline to follow 

procedures put in place,” says Arvanitis. 

“Equipment comes into play eventually, but 

training and tools come into play first.” 

“Smart” equipment has become trendy in 

the industry, with some larger, more financially 

capable companies opting for the newest 

technology but, according to Arvanitis, the 

best solution to the problem — with a few 

exceptions — is training the people 

who operate the equipment, not replacing 

the equipment. 

“There are exceptions where foodservice 

equipment is not up to par or not working, 

but most of the time the things that help keep 

you safe are about the discipline of the staff,” 

says Arvanitis. “You hope everybody follows 

suit, but when there’s proper training in place, 

it become automatic.” 

The challenges associated with food safety 

extend beyond equipment and training costs. 

For those who don’t meet the standards put in 

place across the country, an intangible penalty 

is laid down — and it could be harsher than 

any fine. 

“There’s no question, we won’t talk to 

somebody that has a questionable reputation 

for food safety — that would be completely 

illogical. We want to partner up with reputable 

companies so we have traceability,” 

says Arvanitis. 

“For companies focused on food safety, 

protecting their reputations and reducing the 

risk of losing customers is how they capitalize 

on the issue. Ensuring they’re protecting 

customers from foodborne illnesses or food 

contamination is critical to staying in business, 

building their reputation and maintaining 

repeat customers,” adds Pertran. 


On one side of the proverbial food-safety 

coin is staff training and habits, which are at 

the forefront of food safety in the restaurant 

industry. And with more certification programs 

available, restaurant operators have a 

chance to stand out from the crowd by going 

above and beyond the call of duty. 

Ontario recently passed a law mandating 

restaurants have at least one person on each 

shift who is safe-food-handling certified. 

Pedulla’s company does training for these 

certificates and, while he says it’s a step in the 

right direction, he doesn’t believe it’s enough. 

“That doesn’t seem high enough, right? We 

want to make training affordable for everyone, 

not just managers and supervisors.” 

The Canadian Food Safety Group is 

addressing the gap by offering certification 

at a lower cost. High-school students can 

become fully certified for just $15 and other 

members of the industry pay only $25. 

“We don’t make a lot of money at this, but 

it’s not about that — what’s important is that 

it’s accessible for everyone,” says Pedulla. 

The other side of the coin is equipment 

and technology and how operators incorporate 

innovation into their operations to promote 

a healthier, safer foodservice industry. 

Practices as simple as having a hygienic 

design on meat processors, which allows for 

employees to easily dismantle and clean the 

machine without using extra tools, or installing 

an automatic door bottom — a rodentproof 

auto-retracting door bottom to keep 

pests out — will help eliminate problems. 

More intricate equipment offerings include 

the Steam Infusion Vaction Pump, a device 

that sits within a cooking vessel and uses 

steam to simultaneously heat, mix and pump 

liquids without particulates, or the HFPC 120 

robotic food-handling system, which uses a 

modular approach to match the requirements 

of operators’ food-processing line. 

While efficient equipment can help 

operators save money and time and training 

can help stave off bad habits in employees, 

food safety in and of itself is non-negotiable. 

“As a restaurant owner or manager, 

preventing foodborne illnesses is perhaps 

your most serious responsibility. Not only is 

it important to your customers’ safety and 

satisfaction, it’s critical to your business,” says 

Pertran. “The many federal and provincial 

regulations aimed at protecting consumers 

from tainted foods can be used to hold restaurateurs 

strictly liable for serving contaminated 

foods that make someone sick. Failure to take 

food safety seriously can result in negative 

publicity, expensive lawsuits and, in some 

cases, criminal charges.” FH 



INTRODUCING 

TUESDAY, APRIL 21 ST , 2020 

THE SHERATON CENTRE 

TORONTO HOTEL 

SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE 

A day-long summit that brings together today’s and 

tomorrow’s foodservice and hospitality leaders to shift the 

narrative and shape a new landscape. Find out how they’re 

tackling the economic and social challenges of the day while 

focusing on the future. 

HIGHLIGHTS: 

Icons & Innovators Panel 

Keynote by Mark Brand, Social Entrepreneur/ 

Restaurateur 

Luncheon Keynote Address by award-winning chef 

Daniel Hadida, Pearl Morisette, Niagara-on-the-Lake 

Panels featuring a mix of Top 100 leaders who 

examine the challenges of the day, and Top 

30-under-30 leaders who discuss how they plan to 

elevate the industry and change the world. 

And, breakout sessions featuring industry leaders 

speaking on important issues such as: 

• Sustainability 

• Gender Equality & Diversity 

• Future Trends 

• Mental Health & Wellness 

• Generational Shifts 

• The Changing Face of Work 

• Food Waste 

• Innovation 

Presentation of the Top 30 Under 30 Awards, now 

under the KML umbrella. 

Heather McCrory 

CEO, North and Central 

America, Accor 

KEYNOTE ADDRESS 

Mark Brand 

Social Entrepreneur/ 

Restaurateur 

Don Cleary 

President, Marriott 

Hotels of Canada 

Michael Smith 

Chef and TV Personality 

LUNCHEON SPEAKER 

Daniel Hadida 

Chef, Pearl Morisette 

To register, or for more information, visit 

kostuchmedia.com/shop/vision-2020/ 

foodserviceandhospitality.com 

hoteliermagazine.com

EQUIPMENT 

ICE AGE 

New technology allows 

ice machines to evolve 

from behind-the-scenes 

heroes to the 

stars of the show 

STORY BY JESSICA HURAS 

t first glance, an ice machine may seem like a 

straightforward piece of restaurant equipment. 

But, from cooling ingredients to complementing 

a cocktail’s presentation, ice performs a diverse 

variety of functions in the kitchen and behind 

the bar. As the technology behind these foodservice foot 

soldiers advances, operators are looking for machines that 

don’t just perform the requisite cooling, but allow them to 

enhance customer experience. 

BAR KISMET/HOSHIZAKI CANADA 

CHILL FACTOR 

The three basic types of ice produced by ice machines are 

cube, nugget and flaked — each of which offer different 

characteristics for operators to leverage. Cube-ice melts 

slowly, making it ideal for minimizing dilution in cold 

drinks and cocktails. Nugget-ice can also be used in drinks, 

offering slow-melting qualities along with a softer texture 

that makes it easy to chew. Flaked or shaved ice is moldable 

and soft, so it’s well suited to displaying chilled meats and 

seafood. 

“Nugget ice is super cool and is going to be one of the 

emerging [varieties] of ice you’re going to see more of,” says 

Josh Wolfe, director of Sales in Ontario for Food Service 

Solutions. “It has more to it than just cooling effect; it has 

great texture and is fun to chew. It soaks up the flavour.” 



EQUIPMENT 

Nugget ice was first popularized 

by U.S. fast-food chain Sonic, 

with “Sonic ice” garnering a cult 

following for its crunchy, chewable 

texture. 

“The overall trend is toward 

nugget ice,” agrees Trey Hoffman, 

Hoshizaki America Inc.’s product 

manager for Ice and Water. 

Hoffman notes nugget-ice 

machines are more expensive and 

require more maintenance than 

cube-ice machines, but also offer 

a way for operators to stand out 

in a competitive market. “If you 

have four people in a car and, 

all things are equal, one of those 

people is an ice chewer, they’re 

going to say ‘let’s go to Sonic’ 

because they have that chewable 

ice,” explains Hoffman. “Those 

little differences can make a big 

difference overall.” 

Both Wolfe and Hoffman agree 

the ability of nugget ice to absorb 

the flavour of its surrounding 

liquid has potential beyond 

quick-service chains. “I’ve begun 

playing around a little bit with 

cocktails [served] with nugget 

ice,” says Wolfe. “After you drink 

your cocktail on the rocks, you 

can spend a few minutes chewing 

on this ice to have a secondary 

experience.” 

Wolfe adds there are now 

various small-sized nugget-ice 

machines on the market that 

can easily fit under the counter 

in most bar set-ups — a smart 

choice for bars interested in producing 

a small volume of nugget 

ice to complement a few select 

drinks in their cocktail program. 

Ice is a key part of the drink 

program at Braven, Oliver & 

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Bonacini Hospitality’s (O&B) 

steakhouse in the JW Marriott 

Edmonton ICE District. Julien 

Lavoie, O&B’s director of 

Operations in Alberta, says the 

restaurant uses a combination of 

ice machines and hand-chipped 

ice for its cocktail menu. “The ice 

actually changes the dynamic of 

the drink,” he explains. “You mix 

the same ingredients over a large 

cube, rather than in a shaker with 

an ounce of shaved ice, and it’s 

going to taste very different.” 

In addition to its current cubeice 

machine, Lavoie says Braven 

will soon be adding a flaked-ice 

machine to its arsenal. “We’re 

going to be introducing a cocktail 

with shaved ice and champagne 

— almost like a champagne snow 

cone,” he says. 

Like most bars and restaurants, 

Braven makes its large-format 

ice cubes (cubes that are bigger 

than about one inch) by hand; 

however, Hoffman says Hoshizaki 

is aiming to change that. “Right 

now, the large-format-ice market 

is not served by machines; it’s 

served by people hand-making 

this ice with molds or presses,” 

explains Hoffman. 

In Q2 of 2020, Hoffman says 

Hoshizaki will be introducing 

a sphere-ice machine that can 

produce balls of ice around 1.8 

inches in diameter. Marketed 

toward bars and restaurants with 

high-end cocktail programs, the 

sphere-ice machine aims to automate 

the time-consuming process 

of making large-format ice by 

hand. 

At a projected list price 

of US$12,000, the sphere-ice 

machine is a bigger investment 

than most ice machines, but 

Hoffman says it could be a gamechanger 

for the right operators. 

KEEP ON KEEPING ON 

New technology is making it 

easier for operators to detect 

From the 

Supply Side 

ICE-O-MATIC’S GEM2006 

PearlStorm ice machine 

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the ice with flavour. The spacesaving 

GEM2006 has no required 

side clearance with front and 

rear air exchanges allowing 

side-by-side installation. It 

also features a stainless-steel 

evaporator and SystemSafe, 

a load-monitoring system for 

increased reliability. 

and solve problems with their 

ice machines. Many Hoshizaki 

ice machines now incorporate 

remote monitoring, allowing 

operators to check on the status 

of their machines in real-time via 

an app. 

“You can see how much ice it’s 

making and, if there’s an error, 

you’ll get a notification,” says 

Hoffman. “Remote monitoring 

gives you the ability to do predictive 

maintenance. You can find 

out there’s a problem when it 

occurs and respond accordingly, 

so it’s going to prevent downtime,” 

he adds. 

In spite of technological 

advances, cleaning continues to 

be one of the biggest maintenance 

challenges for operators. “[Ice 

machines] have all the magic 

qualities you need for biological 

growth,” explains Hoffman. 

Goodfellas_QV.indd 1 

2020-02-11 10:19 AM 


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EQUIPMENT 

“They have water and they have 

oxygen; if they’re [located] in a 

restaurant, especially a pizza or 

a fried-chicken restaurant, they 

have plenty of nutrition in terms 

of flour.” 

Hoffman says while most ice 

machines need to be cleaned 

every six months, machines set 

in restaurants where a lot of 

flour is used are at particular risk 

for developing mould and need 

to be cleaned more frequently. 

Cleaning and maintenance routines 

for ice machines are not 

one-size-fits-all; they vary based 

on the environment in which the 

ice machine is located. 

“I’m looking for that magic 

bullet of a technology that prevents 

biological growth in ice 

machines so you don’t ever have 

to clean it or you have to clean it 

very infrequently,” says Hoffman. 

“But of all the technologies available 

to us right now — none of 

them do it 100 per cent.” 

As Wolfe points out, regular 

cleaning and maintenance may 

be a short-term inconvenience 

but, in addition to preventing 

potentially unhealthy conditions, 

they ultimately save operators 

money over the long-term. “The 

better you clean the machine, the 

more efficiently it will run,” says 

Wolfe. “That means environmentally, 

the cost goes down and, 

to the operator, it also means 

the operating cost goes down. 

It means more money in their 

pocket.” 

OLD RELIABLE 

While new technology opens up 

opportunities for operators to get 

creative with ice, many continue 

to be satisfied with basic, wellmade 

ice machines that can hold 

up to the wear-and-tear of highvolume 

service. 

Zac Woo, head bartender at 

Toronto restaurant Baro, says 

the restaurant uses three ice 

Big Little Ice 

Josh Wolfe, director of Sales 

in Ontario for Food Service 

Solutions, says the introduction 

of small, entry-level-priced 

ice machines — such as the 

Simag by Lancaster, Pa.-based 

Scotsman — has been one of 

the most innovative developments 

in the ice-machine market 

in the past few years. 

These models have allowed 

smaller foodservice establishments 

that previously may 

not have had the money or 

retail space to invest in an ice 

machine to enter the market. 

“For the smaller mom-andpop 

shop — people who, in the 

past, were used to buying ice 

— they can put a 50-or 60-lbs. 

machine in and, over the course 

of the lifetime of the machine, 

save a huge amount of money 

over buying ice,” says Wolfe. 

“They’re looking at a 15-inch, 

small footprint they can count 

on. No more running to the 

store, no more waiting for an ice 

delivery and no more paying for 

ice every day.” 

machines (two Kold-Drafts and a 

Hoshizaki) across its four floors 

to keep up with its large demand 

for ice. “As a bar manager or just 

an operator, things that matter 

to me about an ice machine are: 

Is it reliable? Does it produce 

enough ice? Is the ice consistent?” 

says Woo. 

He says for busy establishments 

such as Baro, the most 

important feature of an ice 

machine is its dependability 

during busy service times. 

Ultimately, the best ice 

machines offer consistent cooling 

as well as the ability to elevate an 

operator’s offerings, adding new 

textures and dimensions. FH 

FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

TECHNOLOGY 

iSTOCK.COM/RIDOFRANZ [YOUNG MAN USING PHONE]; RIDOFRANZ [YOUNG GUY WITH A BACKPACK AND CAP]; M-IMAGEPHOTOGRAPHY [YOUNG MAN WITH PHONE] 

RESTAURANT OPERATORS 

ARE TAKING CONTROL 

OF THE DIGITAL-ORDERING 

EXPERIENCE BY DANIELLE SCHALK 

Digital ordering is top of mind 

for many industry players, with brands 

striving to take control of their customers’ 

digital-ordering experience. 

Starbucks is often looked to as a 

leader within the mobile-order and 

pickup space, having entered the game 

early (launching across the U.S. in 2015) 

and investing significant resources into 

the development of its “digital-flywheel” 

approach, which incorporates rewards, 

personalization, payment and ordering. 

“Over the past five years, we’ve 

invested significantly and systematically 

to build a powerful digital flywheel that 

today enables more than one-billion 

digital customer occasions a year,” Kevin 

Johnson, president and CEO, Starbucks, 

explained during the company’s Q3 2019 

earnings call. “The digital strategy we’re 

executing against ensures we maintain a 

direct relationship with our customers 

and avoid getting disintermediated by 

third-party ordering apps. It also enables 

us to deliver personalized marketing 

directly to our most loyal customers in 

an efficient manner.” 

Other large franchise leaders — 

including Tim Hortons and McDonald’s 

— have since launched their own digital 

infrastructure to support this offering, 

as have brands such as Swiss Chalet, 

Smoke’s Poutinerie and Blaze Pizza. 

Rather than develop their own 

platform, a range of foodservice 

establishments have opted to partner 

with third-party order-ahead services 

such as Ritual and ClickDishes. Big 

third-party delivery players, including 

Uber Eats, DoorDash and foodora, have 

also started offering pickup through 

their platforms in recent years. 

“Whether it’s first party or third party, 

people love the ability to order ahead 

and skip the wait — and they don’t 

want to pay extra for that convenience,” 

says Ray Reddy, CEO and co-founder 

of Toronto-based Ritual, which boasts 

a presence across Canada, the U.S. and 

additional international markets. 

As Reddy explains, it makes sense that 

order-ahead is an in-demand service in 

urban centres. “Drive-thru sales in the 



TECHNOLOGY 

suburbs make up [about] 70 per cent of store 

sales, but that’s true because they’re free to 

use,” he says. “We think about mobile order 

ahead as the equivalent of what the drive thru 

is in the suburbs.” 

Reddy’s comparison may prove an increasingly 

apt one, as Chipotle Mexican Grill 

announced plans in December to begin testing 

a new restaurant design featuring walk-up 

windows to better support its billion-dollar 

digital business. 

Beyond the convenience of skipping the 

line, mobile-ordering platforms also have the 

added benefits of easy order customization 

and allowing customers to save their favourite 

orders to simplify future purchases. 

Ritual goes a step further to facilitate what 

Reddy refers to as a “peer-to-peer delivery 

network” within office environments through 

the platform’s “Piggyback” feature. The social 

group-ordering feature allows a user to offer 

pickup for their team when they place an 

order and notifies team members so that they 

can join. Ritual even incentivizes those who 

pickup orders for their team members by 

offering them extra rewards points, which can 

be used towards future purchases. 

For operators, digital-ordering platforms also 

unlock insights and marketing opportunities, 

including direct marketing and personalized 

offers/incentives. 

“We can finally answer questions for restaurants, 

such as how many new customers 

do you get every week, how many of them 

return and, for those who return, how often 

do they return? Also, what makes them 

return?” says Reddy. “That’s invaluable data 

for merchants.” 

As with any new technology, its introduction 

has resulted in a unique set of challenges. 

“Many legacy POS systems don’t 

have integration ability,” Reddy 

notes. In these cases, the company 

provides restaurants with a device 

for managing orders. “And, they can 

either input [orders] into their POS 

in real time or download monthend 

or week-end reporting for 

accounting purposes,” says Reddy. 

Efforts are also being made to 

streamline the pickup experience 

in restaurants. 

“Menus become pointless when 

60 to 80 per cent of people have 

already ordered; what you need is 

traffic control,” says Reddy. “You see 

a lot of people coming into stores 

wondering, where’s my order? 

When is it going to be ready?” 

The solution: displays detailing 

orders in progress. These can 

already be found in many McDonald’s locations 

and Ritual retrofits restaurant partners 

with tablets that serve the same purpose. 

There are also a number of low-tech 

restaurant features being rethought, including 

store layouts and the design of order-pickup 

areas. “The reality is most stores weren’t 

designed for a mobile-pickup experience,” 

says Reddy. “When you enter a 

store…typically the first thing you do 

is wait in line to order and then move 

over to the pickup area. But, when 

you have a lot of people coming in 

that have already ordered, making 

them cut through a busy line doesn’t 

make sense.” 

Some brands have developed 

innovative in-restaurant solutions to 

streamline the pickup experience. For 

example, Little Caesars introduced 

the industry’s first heated, self-service 

mobile-order pickup portal in 2018, which 

it launched in Canada in October. The 

brand’s Pizza Portal pickup has attracted 

attention as an innovative technology and 

received accolades from the International 

Franchise Association. 

Customers who order through Little 

Caesars’ app or website can bypass the line 

when arriving at the restaurant and retrieve 

their orders from the Pizza Portal’s secured 

compartments using a provided three-digit 

pin and QR code. 

Last December, Chipotle began testing new walk-up windows, 

Little Caesars’ Pizza Portal Pick-up (below) 

Independent brands have also been developing 

their own strategies to accommodate 

demand for mobile orders. Vancouver-based 

Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods launched a 

new pick-up-only concept — Tractor Digital 

— in June 2019, developed in partnership 

with digital-product studio Apply Digital. 

Leveraging intuitive design and AI, the Tractor 

Digital platform offers advice and incentives 

during the ordering process, optimizes menu 

options and tracks customer satisfaction and 

quality control. 

“It’s an interesting time because we’re asking 

ourselves where we think customers see 

value and how people prioritize their purchases 

for quick-service food,” says Meghan 

Clarke, the company’s co-founder. “In the 

heart of urban centres, the [Tractor Digital] 

concept will probably, over time, be the format 

that will really sing with customers.” 

“My sense is that [digital ordering] is going 

to become one of the most important dimensions 

for restaurants to win on,” agrees Reddy, 

pointing to the shifts that have taken place in 

retail over the last decade as a road map of 

what’s to come. 

“It’s not about who ran the best store, it’s 

about who embraced digital and understood 

the game has changed. The same thing is 

going to be true in the restaurant world. 

Winners and losers are now going to be dictated 

by those who understand and optimize for 

digital versus those who don’t.” FH 


POURING FOR PROFITS 

BREWING COMPETITION 

Big beer brands still dominate the market, 

but craft beer continues to gain ground BY NICK LAWS 

RAWPIXEL [CRAFT BEER] 

The Canadian beer 

industry continues 

to be dominated 

by a select 

few large players, 

but as customers’ palates 

diversify, the market is 

seeing a rise in smaller 

craft breweries. 

In 2016, the craft-beer 

segment represented six 

per cent of total beer 

market share in Ontario, 

but over the past three 

years, it’s shown continuous 

growth — reaching 

8.9 per cent in 2018 — 

and forecasts show the 

segment was expected 

to grow by 10 per cent 

or more through 2019, 

according to Torontobased 

Ontario Craft 

Brewers (OCB). 

A number of factors, 

including advancements 

in technology and the 

introduction of beer in 

grocery stores, have given 

craft beer a much-needed 

boost. There are currently 

375 grocery stores 

selling beer in Ontario, 

NEW BREWS 

Strong Patrick 

Beau’s Brewing 

The luscious and malty ale pours 

brilliant red with a creamy head. Its 

aroma conjures notes of caramel, 

whiskey, oak and malts. 

with 15 per cent of beer 

sales being attributed to 

craft products, according 

to OCB. 

There is, however, 

concern surrounding the 

potential for over saturation 

of the craft-beer 

market, as more local 

operations seek to ride 

the wave of its new-found 

popularity. 

But Jeff Dornan, president 

of All or Nothing 

— a craft brewery located 

in Oshawa, Ont. — and 

chairman of the OCB, 

says while some may have 

a gloomy outlook on the 

state of craft beer, he sees 

a bright future ahead. 

“I still see nothing but 

growth. When you look 

at our volume in percentage 

of market share 

in Ontario, we’re barely 

scratching the surface. 

There’s a lot of excitement 

and growth yet to occur,” 

he explains. 

For now, national 

brands are controlling the 

Canadian beer market, 

with two breweries — 

Molson Coors Brewing 

Company and Anheuser- 

Clementine White IPA 

Field House Brewing 

Inspired by the flavour of the citrus fruit, 

this Northeast-style IPA pairs citrus-forward 

hops with freshly zested clementines 

for a bright and bold beer. 

Busch InBev SA/NV — 

representing just under 

half of the Canadian beer 

market. According to a 

2019 study done by U.S.- 

based IBIS World, the two 

brewing behemoths control 

49.8 per cent of the 

Canadian beer market. 

The Molson Canadian 

and Coors Light brands 

currently hold a 33.3 per 

cent share of the entire 

Snooze You Lose Brown Ale 

All or Nothing Brewery 

market, while Anheuser- 

Busch controls 16.5 per 

cent of the market with 

popular brands such as 

Budweiser, Stella Artois 

and Labatt. The thirdhighest 

market share of 

any brewery in Canada 

belongs to Moosehead 

Breweries — Canada’s 

oldest independent brewery 

— with a 3.9-per-cent 

market share. 

This offering from the Oshawa-based craft 

brewery uses Ontario wildflower honey. It’s 

medium-brown in colour and has notes of caramel, 

chocolate, coffee, malt and sweet honey. 

While these big names 

continue to lead the pack, 

craft breweries continue 

to forge ahead, aided by 

each beer’s distinct flavour 

and each brewery’s 

unique feel. 

“There’s a sense 

of adventure, says 

Dornan. “We get people 

constantly coming in as a 

tourist attraction. Every 

brewery has its own kind 

of flavour profile — you 

could taste two lagers 

from two different 

breweries and they taste 

completely different — 

and that adds a sense 

of adventure.” FH 



CHEF’S CORNER 

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH 

Chef Greg Laird’s culinary talent is as layered as his croissants 

BY NICK LAWS 

“ 

Rough, stupid and funny,” are three words chef 

Greg Laird uses to describe his 19-year-old 

self. From a kid who started at McDonald’s, to 

becoming the owner and head chef of a popular 

Toronto pâtisserie, Laird has a come a long way. 

His culinary journey started after high school, when 

he left McDonald’s with no plan for the future. “I was a 

bit of a delinquent. I finished high school and didn’t have 

much direction in my life,” says the 29-year-old chef. 

Ultimately, he decided to go back to what he knew 

— cooking. As a line cook at a Tilted Kilt location in 

Toronto, he learned to make “real food, in a real kitchen, 

working with a real chef,” and the experience triggered 

something in Laird. 

“When I started at the gastro pub, I stepped back 

and thought maybe I could become a chef,” says the 

Scarborough, Ont. native, who quickly climbed the restaurant 

ladder, eventually ending up at The Tempered 

Room with then owner, Bertrand Alépée. 

The pâtisserie had been looking for a chef de cuisine 

and, while Laird had been offered a job as head chef at 

BITS & BITES 

WHAT WOULD 

YOUR LAST MEAL BE? 

“My mother-in-law’s 

dum kebab. It’s the 

most delicious thing 

I’ve ever had.” 

FAVOURITE 

COUNTRY TO EAT IN 

Japan: Tokyo or Osaka. 

“I love Japanese food 

and culture; the 

respect they put into 

every dish is amazing.” 

FAVOURITE 

INGREDIENT 

“I love using liqueurs 

in my pastries; 

they add a depth 

to your food that many 

ingredients can’t bring.” 

FAVOURITE DISH 

“Any sort of braise — 

beef cheek, short ribs, 

pork belly.” 

another Toronto restaurant, he 

wanted to broaden his horizons and 

learn the pastry side of the kitchen. 

The Tempered Room had gained 

notoriety for its light, flaky and 

perfectly layered croissants — which 

are the result of a long and arduous 

process. “The croissants are our figurative 

and literal bread and butter,” 

says Laird. “Bert started me on the 

croissants and, to be honest, I [was 

nervous] in the beginning.” 

The croissant became the crux 

of Laird’s learning and he wanted 

to master it. Alépée also taught him 

various French techniques on the 

savoury side “and I learned through 

osmosis.” 

Under the tutelage of Alépée, 

Laird began to grow as a chef. 

“Bert’s been a true mentor, he took 

me under his wing from the time I 

got here,” he says. “He’s one of the 

most impressive chefs I’ve ever worked with.” 

Laird’s approach to cooking is clinical and methodical. 

“There are two aspects to cooking — the art and the science. 

The art is apparent in the final product and it’s what 

attracts customers. The presentation is how it looks on 

the menu, how it’s plated, but before you can get to that 

step, you need to understand the science,” he explains. 

“Everything from emulsifying an aioli, to the ratio of the 

butter to the acid to the eggs. It may look great on the 

plate, but when you start to eat it, if the science wasn’t 

there, the taste won’t be either.” 

Today, his culinary philosophy is a delicate balance 

between the art, science and love of food. 

“I want to create something approachable, yet elevated. 

It comes down to caring — you want to put that attention 

to detail in everything you do,” says Laird. “I feel 

like a lot of the time people want to be mad scientists and 

they lose that homey, lovely feeling of just sitting down to 

a meal and enjoying it.” 

So how does Laird describe himself now? 

“Rough, a little less stupid and caring.” FH 

THE TEMPERED ROOM 


It’s time to celebrate the care that goes into every Canadian egg. 

The new Egg Quality Assurance (EQA) program shows your 

customers, right on the menu, that their eggs are produced by 

Canadian farmers dedicated to delivering a top-quality product 

that meets national food safety and animal care standards. 

Visit eggquality.ca and add the EQA symbol to your menus today!

Ventless 

Convection 

Ovens

FH0320

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