October 2022 Digtial Issue

TOP 30 UNDER 30 

SINCE 1968 

This year's KML 

Top-30-Under-30 

award winners have 

raised the bar for 

industry success 

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VOLUME 55, NO.7 | OCTOBER 2022 

THE EQUIPMENT ISSUE 

26 EQUIPMENT EVOLUTION 

Equipment suppliers are facing unique 

post-pandemic challenges 

30 

31 THE POWER OF POS 

Changes in the POS landscape help conquer 

operational challenges 

35 TAKING SHOTS 

Innovation can go a long way 

for bar operations 

37 BEHIND THE SCENES 

Technology is bringing efficiencies to 

back-of-house operations 

48 

10 

FEATURES 

10 SWEET TREATS 

Dessert demand continues to grow 

across Canadian foodservice 

14 TOP-30-UNDER-30 

Our KML Top-30-Under-30 award 

winners are projecting confidence and 

inspiring their generation 

38 GLOWBAL GOALS 

Glowbal Restaurant Group brings 

Black+Blue to Toronto 

40 CONNECTION TO RETENTION 

Leadership changes will improve 

management and staffing retention 

42 WRITE THIS DOWN 

Employment contracts help address 

labour challenges 

45 THE NIGHT SHIFT 

Today's nightclub operators cater 

to a new audience 

DEPARTMENTS 

2 FROM THE EDITOR 

5 FYI 

9 FROM THE DESK OF NPD GROUP 

48 CHEF'S CORNER 

Kevin Birch, The Dorian, Autograph 

Collection & Chef’s Earth Inc., 

Calgary 

FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM 

OCTOBER 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 1

FROM THE EDITOR 

At a time when the industry is suffering through one is its 

most challenging periods, it’s gratifying to see a new crop 

of young leaders emerge and come to the fore, poised to 

deliver their own brand of hospitality. Never has there 

been as much hope and expectations placed on a new generation of 

leaders and never has the need for change been as great. 

This year’s edition of the Top 30 Under 30 (see story on page 14) 

speaks to a new energy and an entirely new way of approaching 

challenges. While they are not intimidated by hard work — aware 

that hospitality has its own rhythm and pace — they also demand 

balance in their lives and are not willing to sacrifice their leisure 

pursuits – family, friends and fun — to work painstakingly hard. 

They’re also smart enough to know that a life based solely on 

work is simply not sustainable nor is it healthy. 

Today’s young leaders are equally passionate about hospitality 

— recognizing that it’s a special calling to call the hospitality 

industry home. But rather than working harder and 24-7, they 

are equally stoked by working smarter, willing to look at new 

ways of completing tasks and new approaches previously not 

explored. As a generation that grew up on technology, they are 

not intimidated by it. Instead, they welcome tech as an enabler, 

a way to help them work more efficiently so 

they have more time to spend elsewhere – 

whether it’s providing better customer service 

or allowing them additional time to take 

advantage of leisure pursuits. 

The next generation of leaders is looking 

for a caring and hospitable work environment. 

These special young leaders are passionate 

about eliminating race barriers, working 

creatively to make the workplace less toxic, less 

misogynstic and more diverse and inclusive. 

They’re genuinely concerned about saving the 

environment and the planet, committed to 

greening as part of their everyday reality to 

ensure a healthy planet. 

As we move into a new world fuelled by 

a lingering pandemic that has lasted almost 

three years, it’s clear the new landscape will 

look infinitely different from the previous 

one. Many of the changes brought on by the 

pandemic spoke to a foundational flaw in how 

the industry operated — clearly impacting the 

labour shortages we are now seeing take place 

across industry segments and around the world. If we are to solve 

these labour challenges, today’s leaders will need to work closer 

than ever with this new generation of leaders to be more aligned 

to their needs and their desire for change. That means efforts need 

to be expended on creating healthier work environments, where 

everyone can grow and succeed — where expectations are clear 

and where the mental wellbeing of employees is appreciated and 

support is provided wholeheartedly. 

These young leaders give us hope that the future of the 

industry is in good hands — now if the industry could only find 

more of them. FH 

ROSANNA CAIRA 

@foodservicemag 

A NEW 

BRAND OF 

HOSPITALITY 

facebook.com/foodservicehospitalitymagazine 

instagram.com/rosannacaira 

NICK WONG, LOCATION PROVIDED BY VIA CIBO 

2 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

EST. 1968 | VOLUME 55, NO 7 | OCTOBER 2022 

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MONTHLY NEWS AND UPDATES FOR THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY 

LOSS OF A LEADER 

Foodservice industry loses an industry icon with 

the passing of Peter Oliver 

The foodservice industry 

has lost an industry 

icon with the passing 

last month of Peter 

Oliver, co-founder of 

Oliver & Bonacini. 

Oliver was a respected 

leader who shaped and influenced the 

foodservice-and-hospitality industry in 

innumerable ways. He was diagnosed 

with stage IV cancer in May 2021, 

a challenge he faced head-on with 

strength and grace. Throughout his 

treatment, he maintained a positive 

spirit for which he will be forever 

remembered. He died peacefully on 

September 21, with his children and 

wife Maureen by his side. 

Oliver’s remarkable career in 

the hospitality industry spanned 

45 years, during which time he set 

the bar in Canada for high 

standards of quality, service 

and professionalism. Born in 

Cape Town, South Africa, he 

moved to Canada in 1967 to 

attend McGill University. In 

1978, following a successful 

career in stock brokerage and 

commercial real estate, he 

opened his first restaurant in 

Toronto: a small sandwich shop 

at Yonge and Eglinton named 

Oliver’s Old Fashioned Bakery. 

In 1993, he partnered with chef 

Michael Bonacini, thus marking 

the start of Oliver & Bonacini 

Hospitality. Oliver always 

recognized and appreciated his 

collaboration with Bonacini as being 

fateful. They were a team that worked 

well together, each bringing synergistic 

contributions to the company. 

A natural leader, Oliver’s greatest 

strength was his ability to inspire and 

excite others, rallying the team around 

his vision and goals. As a business 

leader, he valued people and positive 

company culture above all else. In his 

determination to have his employees 

share his vision, he would regularly 

host orientation sessions with teams of 

new recruits — servers, dishwashers, 

cooks, managers—to explain the 

company values first-hand and to share 

a wonderful meal with them. It was 

critical to Oliver that every member 

of the team understood not only what 

great hospitality meant intellectually, 

but also what it felt like to experience it. 

In 1992, Peter 

Oliver founded 

the Leacock 

Foundation, 

whose mission 

is rooted in 

the belief that 

all children, 

regardless 

of their 

circumstances, 

have limitless 

potential. The 

foundation 

supports 

children and 

youth in 

historically 

marginalized 

communities 

with educational 

programming 

locally in Toronto 

and globally in 

the Eastern Cape 

of South Africa. 

In lieu of flowers, 

Peter Oliver’s 

family gratefully 

requests that 

donations be 

directed to the 

JDRF $100M 

Campaign to 

Accelerate or 

to the Leacock 

Foundation 

Literacy and 

Leadership 

Program. 

Oliver approached his hospitality 

career with great pride and 

professionalism. He was an industry 

pioneer in providing his employees 

with training programs, benefit 

packages, educational funding, 

travel opportunities and career 

development. The expansion of 

O&B led to increased job creation, 

something he valued greatly, with 

thousands of people employed by the 

company since its inception. 

Giving back to the community 

was also a top priority. Following the 

diagnosis of his six-year-old daughter, 

Vanessa, with type-1 diabetes 

(T1D), he began volunteering with 

the Juvenile Diabetes Research 

Foundation (JDRF), founding the 

JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes in 1986, 

an event that has raised more than 

$70 million over the past 36 years. He 

went on to serve on JDRF’s National 

Board of Directors from 2004 to 2008 

and to co-chair the In Our Lifetime 

Campaign in 2015, helping to raise a 

total of more than $125 million. Even 

while battling cancer, Oliver devoted 

himself to the ambitious $100-million 

Campaign to Accelerate, for which he 

helped raise nearly 69 per cent of the 

goal in just over two years. 

Despite all of his professional 

accomplishments and philanthropic 

efforts, Oliver had no greater passion 

than his family. His large, growing 

family includes his loving wife of 

48 years, Maureen; his children 

and grandchildren, Vanessa (Jaysen 

Smalley, Scarlett, Connor, Owen), 

Jessica (Alain Brandon, Benjamin, 

Eliane, Nicholas), Andrew (Alana 

Oliver, Jack, Charles) and Marc 

(Christine Oliver, Victoria). FH 



IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE 

Chef John Higgins, director 

of Enterprises & Brand 

Ambassador, the Centre for 

Hospitality & Culinary Arts, 

at George Brown College 

has retired. In a Twitter post, 

Higgins announced August 

31 marked his last day in this 

position, which he had held 

since 2002. 

Higgins brought many years 

of experience to George Brown 

College, mentoring the next 

generation of chefs. He has cooked for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, 

on the Royal Yacht Britannia, for heads of state in Washington, D.C. and for 

celebrities worldwide. 

He began his culinary career as an apprentice at the Michelin-starred 

Malmaison restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland. He went on to work at the five-star 

luxury hotel Gleneagles. Upon immigrating to North America, Higgins worked at 

the Four Seasons Hotel in Canada and the U.S., before his final role in the hotel 

industry at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto. 

“Congratulations chef,” said David Lawrason, VP of Wine, WineAlign.com in 

a Twitter post. “You understand the power of knowledge and passing it on. Enjoy 

whatever comes next.” 

COMING SOON: 

BLUE BOVINE 

STEAK AND 

SUSHI HOUSE 

Liberty Entertainment Group (LEG) has plans to open 

a new fine-dining destination in Toronto’s fabled 

Union Station. 

Blue Bovine Steak and Sushi House will riff 

on the classic steakhouse offerings seen 

at BlueBlood Steakhouse, in addition to a 

fresh seafood selection and premiumgrade 

sushi, providing both lunch and 

dinner service seven days a week. The 

large, windowed venue will juxtapose 

the iconic history of the original train 

station heritage building with a fresh 

contemporary feel as envisioned by 

LEG’s vice-president and creative 

director, Nadia Di Donato. The restaurant 

will also offer private dining 

spaces for special events. 

6 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2022 

ODDLY 

FAMOUS 

Odd Burger Corporation has signed four 

new franchise agreements. The new franchise 

locations will be in Surrey, B.C., Brampton, 

Ont., Oakville, Ont. and Regina, Sask. Overall, 

Odd Burger will see more than 76 additional 

locations opening in the next eight years in 

Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. In preparation 

for its U.S. launch, the company has also 

established a Delaware-based franchisor 

corporation and has largely completed its U.S. 

franchise agreement. 

Additionally, Odd Burger has launched its 

new mobile app, in partnership with Smooth 

Commerce, to provide customers with a loyalty 

program so they can receive and eventually 

redeem points for future purchases. Customers 

can also receive a free Famous Burger when 

they download the app and place their first 

order. The company also implemented a 

referral program, where both the customer 

and their friend receive $5 towards their next 

purchase. The mobile app was downloaded by 

nearly 1,000 users in the first 48 hours. 

“We are extremely excited to partner with 

the Odd Burger team to implement some of 

the most sophisticated mobile-app technology 

available for the restaurant industry,” says 

Brian Deck, CEO of Smooth Commerce. 

“Utilizing the Smooth Commerce platform 

reduces the technology burden for our partners 

and provides their customers with a seamless 

user experience that would otherwise take 

years to develop. We look forward to watching 

Odd Burger’s sales and customer base grow as 

a result of the new program.” 

Lastly, Francois Arbour has joined Odd 

Burger’s Board of Directors. 


PAULA WILSON [SEAFOOD TOWER]

REASONS TO CHOOSE 

U.S. RICE 

QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY: U.S. rice producers 

adhere to strong quality assurance and traceability 

rules and, cost per portion is low relative to other starches. 

RELIABILITY AND CONVENIENCE: The Canadian market 

is highly accessible and synchronous with that of the U.S. 

SUSTAINABILITY: American rice farmers are committed 

to sustainability. In the past 20 years they have decreased 

land (-35%), energy (-38%) and water (-53%) usage. 

GLUTEN FREE: U.S. rice is naturally free of sodium and gluten. 

“ 

I love the versatility U.S. rice offers 

my business. It provides a range of 

globally-inspired recipe options, 

along with a quality that you can 

taste. Sourcing local ingredients is 

also very important and U.S. rice is 

as local as it gets. I love knowing 

where our ingredients come from, 

the farmers responsible for growing 

it and how it’s grown is essential. 

“ 

Chef Erica Karbelnik, 

owner of Karbs Catering 

Photo courtesy of Daniella Koczur 

TO LEARN MORE CLICK HERE

BUYING LOCAL 

Chef Ned Bell, author 

of Lure: Sustainable 

Seafood Recipes from the 

West Coast, and partner, 

general manager and 

executive chef of 

Naramata Inn, has been 

appointed as Buy B.C. 

Chef Ambassador. 

First launched in 

the ’90s, Buy B.C. 

makes it easy for consumers to identify local ingredients and 

products by the presence of the Buy B.C. logo. The program 

was re-established by the provincial government in 2018 and 

is led by Minister of Agriculture and Food, Lana Popham. 

As chef ambassador, Bell will work alongside the team to 

promote the importance of buying local; to support ongoing 

farmer, producer and chef relations; and to act as a hyperlocal 

Buy B.C. advocate for all members of the province. 

“When we buy local ingredients and products, we 

celebrate nutritious meals grown in our own backyard, and 

support local farmers and producers, communities and the 

environment at the same time,” says Bell. “Food grown and 

raised in B.C. is picked at peak freshness. That means shorter 

travel time from farms to tables, which in turn creates fresher 

and tastier food and a reduced carbon footprint, all while 

maintaining farmland and green space in communities.” 

SLICE OF 

INNOVATION 

Pizza Pizza, in partnership with Captain AI, will soon be the first national QSR 

to offer customers real-time order tracking via the Pizza Pizza app and website. 

The new technology includes a management tool for restaurant owners, 

an AI-powered live dispatch app and a driver app, all of which leverage AI 

to optimize for efficiency, time and cost. The new order-tracking system is 

currently being introduced to markets across Canada, with dozens of Pizza 

Pizza restaurants already live. 

“We have a long history of leveraging technological innovation to 

optimize our best-in-class delivery offering. In addition to improving the 

customer experience, the efficiencies this new system brings will allow us 

to improve our environmental footprint by reducing paper receipts, reducing 

food waste and critically, saving fuel usage across thousands of deliveries 

every year. It’s a true win-win.” 

BEER 

ON 

DEMAND 

The Beer Store has expanded its 

partnership with SkipTheDishes to 

launch on-demand delivery across more 

than 250 store locations. Through this 

partnership, customers have access to 

all pack sizes carried by The Beer Store, 

including singles, 12s and 24s. 

“Given the positive feedback from 

consumers and high demand we 

experienced during our pilot project, 

we are excited to be expanding our 

number of store locations available 

through SkipTheDishes,” says Ted Moroz, 

president of The Beer Store. “Our goal 

is to provide customers access to more 

than a thousand beer brands and ease of 

shopping.” 

“We’re thrilled to launch this 

partnership with The Beer Store to 

bring customers products from over 

200 brewers around the world through 

quick and convenient delivery across 

the province,” says Howard Migdal, 

COO of SkipTheDishes. “It’s through 

partnerships like this that SkipTheDishes 

is able to deliver on-demand 

convenience to Canadians, saving them 

time to do more of the things they love.” 

MAKING 

MOVES 

Baskin-Robbins has signed its 

largest franchise-development 

agreement in 51 years with 

McMaster Group Holdings, with 

plans to open 25 new units in the 

Vancouver and Calgary markets, led 

by Adel Ashry. 

The first Baskin-Robbins 

location opened last month in 

Metropolis Metrotown, Burnaby, 

B.C. and the second opened last 

week at Guildford Town Centre, 

Surrey, B.C. These are the first two 

locations to have a new identity, 

including a refreshed logo, colours 

and branding suite that’s being 

rolled out over the next 18 months. 

“With a sweet legacy in Canada, 

Baskin-Robbins remains focused 

on growth across the country,” 

says Craig Walker, senior director 

of International Business, Baskin- 

Robbins Canada. “We’re delighted 

to work alongside Adel Ashry of 

McMaster Group Holdings to 

bring our full menu of flavours, 

innovation and treats to new guests 

in these important markets.” 

“I’ve been working in the 

franchise-operating business in 

the Middle East for the past 23 

years and in Canada for the past 

nine. In that time, I’ve become 

familiar with the type of brands 

that will resonate with Canadian 

consumers,” says Ashry. “I’m 

excited to join the Baskin-Robbins 

brand and lead its development in 

Vancouver and Calgary.” 


FROM THE DESK OF NPD 

COMING OF AGE 

Gen Z is the only cohort growing 

visits in Canadian foodservice 

BY VINCE SGABELLONE 

ISTOCK.COM/BLACKANDBRIGHTPH 

The millennial generation, born 

between 1981 and 1996, has 

captured the largest share of 

marketers’ attention for what seems 

like, well, a generation. Because 

it’s the largest cohort in terms of 

restaurant visits in Canada, this interest should 

continue in the years to come. Even so, I’m 

turning the page with this article to provide my 

first analysis of the next generation, Gen Z. Born 

between 1997 and 2012, this cohort represents 

21 per cent of all visits in Canada, trailing the 

millennials at 27 per cent, according to The 

NPD Group’s CREST® foodservice industry 

database. Gen Z is the only cohort growing visits 

in Canadian foodservice. 

Let’s focus on the “front end” of this cohort 

— young adults aged 18 to 24. Before diving 

into CREST data, I have a message directed at 

marketers who have always targeted this age 

group, regardless of the generation: Statistics 

Canada reports Gen Zs numbers are shrinking 

due to a dip in the Canadian aging curve. It’s 

worth noting this age cohort is smaller in 

terms of absolute numbers than it was five 

years ago. 

CREST reports this cohort’s share of 

foodservice visits is down by about a half 

share point since 2018, now just under 11 per 

cent. Making up for these lost visits is Gen Z 

consumers’ increased spending per visit at an 

above-average rate. They are holding steady at 

11-per-cent share of foodservice dollars. This 

growth can be attributed to their increasing 

use of full-service restaurants (FSRs), which 

has grown from 16 per cent in 2018 to almost 

19 per cent today. Sourced from quick-service 

restaurants (QSR), these consumers have 

upscaled their occasions in ways that previous 

generational cohorts may not have. Amid 

this segment shifting, the retail-foodservice 

segment continues to capture an outsized share 

of their visits, more than with any other cohort. 

The primary reason for the boost in FSR 

traffic is a search for places to socialize. 

NPD’s U.S. foodservice analysts, in their 

Winning Gen Z report, revealed getting out 

of the house and socializing are the two 

biggest reasons this age group dines out. 

The Canadian data backs that up; CREST 

reports this cohort is the most likely to dine 

out with friends. NPD’s Future of Foodservice 

Canada consumer sentiment study reports 

this is true especially during afternoon or 

after-work occasions. And this cohort has 

travelled the least since the easing of COVID- 

19 restrictions. Instead, they are taking 

part in other social activities, like attending 

concerts and visiting museums, representing 

additional opportunities to reach these 

consumers and encourage incremental social 

foodservice visits. Finally, the CREST Dining 

Demands Consumer Segmentation model 

indicates Gen-Z consumers are more likely 

than millennials and Gen Xers to dine out 

for emotionally driven reasons, rather than 

functional ones. 

One habit Gen-Z consumers carried 

over from their youth is snacking. Almost 

one-quarter of their visits are at the p.m. 

snacking daypart (afternoon plus evening 

snack combined), which is four points 

higher than average. This connects directly 

back to the heightened share of retailfoodservice 

occasions, as this operator 

segment lends itself to these grab-and-go 

meal occasions. Equally, the morning daypart 

is underdeveloped among this cohort; these 

consumers have not yet aged into their 

workday lifestyles, which are key to driving 

morning visits in foodservice. And yet, Gen 

Z is overdeveloped for breakfast sandwiches 

at non-breakfast dayparts. 

One Gen-Z trait that likely goes without 

saying is high engagement with digital 

platforms. Some of their unique digital 

behaviours include high usage of text 

messaging and third-party aggregators (3PAs) 

to place their digital orders. But they are least 

likely to use restaurant-branded apps or join 

loyalty programs. 

The time is ripe to engage Gen Z diners 

as they age into a peak restaurant life stage. 

Providing a space where these increasingly 

important consumers feel welcomed to 

engage in the meal occasions they prefer, 

with a brand that is digitally connected, is an 

opportunity for restaurateurs to build some 

incremental brand allegiance and grow a 

stronger customer base for the future. FH 

Vince Sgabellone is a foodservice 

industry analyst with The NPD 

Group. He can be reached at 

vince.sgabellone@npd.com 



FOOD FILE 

Decadent 

Delights 

Dessert demand 

continues to grow 

across Canadian 

foodservice 

JESSICAEMIN [CHURROS FROM BAR SOFIA]; PAULINE YU [SEA SALT BROWNIE] 

BY DANIELLE SCHALK 

(l to r) Churros from Bar Sofia, Sea 

Salt Brownie from Drift, a piecuterie 

board of Sara Lee desserts 


FOOD FILE 

Shifts in ordering behaviour 

over the last three years have 

re-shaped both customers’ and 

operators’ relationship with 

sweet treats. 

Looking at data for the 12 

months ending June 2022, 

Vince Sgabellone, foodservice industry analyst at 

The NPD Group says, “It seems like when people are 

dining off premises, they’re more likely to order a 

dessert item — particularly from full service.” 

In fact, according to the DoorDash and 

Restaurants Canada report 2022 Restaurant Online 

Ordering Trends, baked goods were Canada’s most 

widely ordered delivery and pickup category in 2021. 

On the operational side, Steve Cohn, senior 

director, Foodservice Marketing at Sara Lee Frozen 

Bakery, notes the increase in off-premise dining 

has made the portability of dessert offerings an 

important consideration. 

Going forward, Cohn also expects to see operator 

demand for solutions that “require as little labour as 

possible,” as well as those that “drive as many usages 

of one product as possible.” And, he notes, Sara Lee 

has already seen a renaissance in demand for its 

pre-sliced offerings, which require limited labour 

investment while being takeout friendly. 

As highlighted in Technomic’s 2022 Canadian 

Foodservice Trends: Midyear Update, the current 

operating environment has also led operators to 

favour “creative menus that embrace flexibility.” The 

firm predicted continued supply-chain challenges 

would inspire “quirky preparations of familiar 

ingredients” in order to create new menu items using 

existing supply items. 

This style of menu innovation is intended to 

create buzz and drive interest while limiting the 

operational strain of introducing new offerings 

and has been seen filtering into dessert offerings. A 

prime example is Swiss Chalet’s Nashville Hot Crispy 

Chicken Ice Cream Sandwich. This recent dine-inonly 

LTO featured Nashville Hot glazed chicken on a 

toasted bun, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream 

and drizzled with honey. 

“They already serve ice cream, why not put them 

together?” Sgabellone says of the offering. “It costs 

them nothing to develop that menu item.” 

Similarly, Cohn notes a key trend he’s observed 

“is [operators] leveraging our classic products 

as a launching pad to create more-sophisticated 

recipes.” As examples he notes, “People are using 

our pumpkin pies to create namesake milkshakes. 

We’ve also seen great growth [for] our French Cream 

Cheesecake because [it offers the possibility] to add 



Drift's Nova Scotia Ice Wine 

& Honey Custard 

toppings, cut it into different 

shapes or scoop to create 

signature desserts.” 

In particular, ice cream and 

what Sgabellone refers to as 

the “frozen-sweets” category 

represents an ideal platform 

to build out unique offerings. 

“Frozen sweets remain one of the 

biggest dessert categories in both 

quick-service and full-service 

[restaurants], so that provides 

a huge template for innovation, 

new flavours and variations on a 

theme,” he explains. 

To that point, high-end 

restaurants across the country 

have added ice-cream creations 

that are anything but pedestrian. 

Rhubarb & Watermelon Sundae 

from Four Seasons Toronto’s 

d|bar 


Four Seasons Toronto’s d|bar 

featured the Rhubarb & 

Watermelon Sundae on its 

summer menu, featuring rhubarb 

and yogurt ice cream, yogurt 

foam, lime-infused watermelon 

and crunchy meringue ($14). 

The recently opened Alder at 

Ace Hotel Toronto offers an 

ice-cream sandwich made with 

miso and sesame cookie and 

sour-cherry jam ($12); B.C.’s 

Naramata Inn offers Liz’s Ice 

Cream Sundae with speltflour 

shortbread and seasonal 

flavours ($12); and Halifax-based 

Freehand Hospitality’s Peacock 

Wine Bar features the Tiramisu 

Affogato with fresh-pulled 

espresso, whipped sabayon and 

mascarpone ice cream ($10). 

However, other simple 

and familiar bases can also be 

leveraged to similar effect. “We’re 

seeing some dessert mashups 

show up on menus, including 

JOEY Restaurants’ Créme Brûlée 

Cheesecake and Red Robins’ 

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 

Milkshake,” Katie Belflower, 

associate editor, Technomic, 

believes “These indulgent desserts 

could be [seen as] an extension of 

the comfort-food trend we’ve been 

WELL 

EQUIPPED 

Cori Osborne, executive 

pastry chef for Halifax-based 

Freehand Hospitality, notes 

that pastry departments 

don’t often receive much 

investment compared to 

the rest of the kitchen. 

However, while building out 

Freehand Hospitality and its 

concepts, “because of the 

size of [the project] and the 

volume we are needing to 

produce, we must invest in 

good equipment that will 

provide better quality, and 

consistency allows us to 

produce more efficiently,” 

she explains. 

“[One example] of the 

specialized equipment we 

added to our kitchen was a 

dough sheeter, so we are able 

to produce our viennoiserie 

— and all doughs — more 

efficiently.” She also points to 

the proofer and confectionary 

guitar cutter as key pieces of 

equipment that help ensure 

Freehand’s dessert and pastry 

prep runs smoothly. 

Osborne also notes that 

there’s been a rise in 

custom equipment such as 

specialized moulds within the 

dessert space. “Customization 

has become a huge part 

of dessert trends in recent 

years. With the help of 3D 

printing, it’s easier than ever 

to get custom moulds made 

specifically for your project, 

event, et cetera. More and 

more companies are doing 

custom silicone molds, 

chocolate bars and even 

custom chocolate blends.” 

seeing over the last two years, or 

they could be a way for operators 

to cross-utilize ingredients, 

helping to save on costs.” 

Offering another example, 

Sgabellone notes, “In full service 

we see doughnuts trending, which 

is interesting.” This, he elaborates, 

is because it highlights “how an 

FSR can take a seemingly simple 

dessert like a piece of fried dough 

and turn it into an elevated, FSRworthy 

experience.” 

Both Montana’s and Swiss 

Chalet currently feature 

doughnut-based desserts on 

their menus, with Swiss Chalet 

offering Mini Cinnamon Sugar 

Donuts on its takeout menu and 

the indulgent Donut Funnel 

Cake on its dine-in menu. The 

latter features eight warm mini 

doughnuts topped with a scoop 

of vanilla ice cream, whipped 

topping and strawberries in 

syrup. JOEY Restaurants also 

serves up doughnuts, in the 

form of its Warm Italian Donuts, 

which are served with vanilla 

and mascarpone cream and 

lemon curd. 

Other deep-fried desserts 

have also been cropping up, with 

offerings such as the Funnel Cake 

Fries at Kelseys (topped with 

cinnamon sugar, French vanilla 

ice cream and choice of chocolate 

or caramel sauce) and Churro Tot 

Poutine at the Holy Shakes chain, 

which features churros dusted 

in cinnamon sugar, topped with 

chocolate, smoked marshmallows 

and ice cream. Freehand 

Hospitality’s Latin-inspired 

concept Bar Sophia also feature 

churros on its menu, serving up 

three pieces of the deep-fried 

treat with a spiced dark-chocolate 

dip ($10). 

Menu Making 

As Belflower shares, “Overall, 

desserts are on the rise on Canadian 

menus, up 3.4 per cent in the last 

year. The fastest-growing desserts 

in the last year include lemon cake 

(up 175 per cent), macaron (up 50 

per cent), profiteroles (up 30.4 per 

cent), carrot cake (up 23.8 per cent) 

and flavoured cheesecake (up 15.4 

per cent).” 

Notably, each of these desserts 

on the rise can translate well into 

an off-premise experience. 

However, while off-premise 

occasions and transportability 

can’t be ignored, Freehand 

Hospitality’s executive pastry 

chef, Cori Osborne, believes 

there’s value in offering an 


PAULINE YU [ICEWINE & HONEY CUSTARD]

JESSICA EMIN [MILLE FEUILLE] 

Mille Feuille from Peacock 

Wine Bar 

experience that can only be 

achieved in a restaurant. 

“We haven’t tailored all 

of our dessert menus to 

be 100-per-cent takeaway,” 

Osborne says of Freehand’s 

concepts, which include Muir 

Hotel’s Drift, Café Lunette, Bar 

Sofia and Peacock Wine Bar. 

“Some of the desserts that are 

meant to be warm, or have 

frozen elements do not work 

so well for this.” And, she adds, 

“It’s still nice for guests in the 

restaurants to have the options 

of a plated dessert when they 

come to dine in.” 

There are also a number 

of other considerations when 

designing dessert menus. As 

Cohn points out, “Consumers 

think first in terms of flavour 

(chocolate, strawberry, vanilla) 

before they think in terms 

of format (cookie, cake, 

ice cream). Therefore, it’s 

important to not just think 

about variety, but consider 

dessert flavour profiles that 

today’s consumers are craving.” 

“We have quite a few 

different concepts going on 

with Freehand so it keeps 

things interesting,” Osborne 

says of designing dishes. “On 

each menu, I try to always 

have one for the chocolate 

lovers, one for the fruit lovers 

and [we] always have a vegan 

and gluten-free option on 

hand. I find most people are 

looking for something light 

to finish off their meal, and 

most tables like to share a 

dessert, [so] I try not to make 

my desserts too sweet or too 

heavy, which a lot of guests 

appreciate,” she adds. 

Looking ahead, it’s expected 

global flavours and recipes will 

likely gain a stronger presence 

on dessert menus. Technomic’s 

Ignite Menu data already 

shows year-over-year growth in 

French (up 15 per cent), Latin- 

American (up 12.8 per cent) 

and Indian flavours (up 9.3 

per cent) on Canadian dessert 

menus between Q2 2021 and 

Q2 2022. 

“There’s growth in ethnicoriented 

global flavours, like 

Indian and Asian and Middle- 

Eastern cuisines,” agrees 

Sgabellone. “I expect we will 

see more things like baklava 

in non-Middle Eastern 

restaurants as more and 

more of these global desserts 

become more mainstream.” 

This could also see more 

global flavours presented 

in familiar forms, such as 

Wall’s Bubble Tea, Ube and 

Malai Kulfi ice creams, which 

were introduced in Canada 

this spring. In May, Baskin- 

Robbins Canada also launched 

an Ube Coconut Swirl flavour. 

Finally, in the face of 

economic pressures, we could 

see consumer behaviours 

change once again. “During 

an economic slowdown 

or downturn…people do 

rationalize their spending. 

And one of the things 

they do is they pull back 

on things like beverages, 

desserts and appetizers,” 

says Sgabellone.“Operators 

will have to respond to that 

and figure out a way to 

get consumers to continue 

ordering desserts,” he notes. 

And, with dessert 

incidences already down 

slightly from the small gains 

made during the pandemic 

— when consumers were 

breaking the monotony of 

restricted living with sweet 

indulgences — Sgabellone 

suggests that bundling deals 

and combo meals may be 

leveraged more if Canadians 

pull back spending on desserts 

and other meal add-ons. FH 

Ingredient 

Spotlight 

Technomic’s Ignite Menu data 

identifies pineapple (up 38.2 per 

cent) and pistachio (up 33.3 per 

cent) among the fastest-growing 

ingredients on Canadian dessert 

menus (Q2 2021 to Q2 2022). Milk 

chocolate is also up 25.6 per cent. 

Several less specific ingredients/ 

terms also achieved top growth, 

with compotes and glazes increasing 

by 39.4 per cent and 26.7 per cent 

respectively. 

Katie Belflower, 

associate editor at 

Technomic, notes, 

“Other ingredients on the rise in the 

last year include some more healthforward 

options such as dates (up 

23.8 per cent), often being featured 

in dessert bars or squares, and carrot 

(up 23.6 per cent), being spotlighted 

in carrot cakes.” 

Looking at trendy 

ingredients gaining in 

popularity within the 

category, Cori Osborne, 

executive pastry chef of Freehand 

Hospitality, points to ube, matcha, 

yuzu and rhubarb. “Also, more and 

more pastry chefs are thinking 

outside of typical ‘sweet flavours’ and 

are leaning into adding more savoury 

elements, like root vegetables, herbs, 

spices, et cetera, in their desserts,” 

she adds. 

And, while not a specific ingredient, 

Belflower adds that “Vegan is the 

fastest-growing healthy claim in 

desserts, up 6.6 per cent in the past 

year. Some of these options include 

vegan ice cream, vegan cookies, 

vegan cakes and vegan brownies.” 



TOP 30 UNDER 30 

This year's KML 

Top-30-Under-30 award 

winners have raised the 

bar for industry success 

BY AMY BOSTOCK AND NICOLE DI TOMASSO 

Emre Ergun 30 

Director of Room Operations, Muskoka Bay Resort 

Gravenhurst, ONt 

With more than five years of management experience 

in the hospitality industry, Emre Ergun is known for 

attaining excellent results, motivating employees and 

strengthening the community. In his current role as 

director of Room Operations at Muskoka Bay Resort, 

Ergun strives to improve service levels and guest and 

employee satisfaction while maximizing the financial 

performance of various departments. 

“Emre is an exemplary hospitality professional, and 

his contributions to Muskoka Bay Resort have been 

outstanding, both as an employee and as a manager. 

His dedication and unwavering professionalism are second to none, and because 

of this, he is well-respected by his team members and colleagues,” says Brendon 

Ainscow, general manager, Muskoka Bay Resort. “Emre is a servant leader and a 

team player, who is always willing to step in and help out, regardless of whether 

it falls within his department or job description, and he works tirelessly to 

ensure that his team (and his department) are set up for success at all times.” 

Meaghan Cooper 28 

Social Media Manager, Fairmont 

Royal York, Toronto 

With a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, 

Meaghan Cooper is poised for success as a leading 

executive in luxury hotel management. Her ability to 

build relationships and tenacity to move up has earned 

her two promotions at Fairmont Royal York, the second 

being an entirely new role created for the hotel — Food 

& Beverage Marketing and Administration manager. 

Co-workers describe her as an exceptional project manager, 

skilled in creating marketing plans and leading successful 

promotional campaigns through content creation and social 

media strategy. 

A graduate of Niagara College’s Bachelor of Business 

Administration (Hospitality Management) program in 2016, 

Cooper began her hospitality journey as marketing manager 

at the Fairmont Royal York in 2017 and was soon promoted 

to F&B Marketing & Administration Manager at the hotel. 

In her current role, Cooper plans and schedules social 

content including posts, stories and reels across nine socialmedia 

channels. She’s achieved audience growth across all 

social channels to more than 95,000 followers; increased 

engagement rate YTD 2022 to 5.1 per cent compared to 3.9 

per cent in 2021 and 3.4 per cent in 2020; and enhanced the 

art direction and brand storytelling through the creative 

direction of photo shoots, used for the aesthetic on socialmedia 

pages. 

“Meaghan is hyper-organized, detail-oriented, and brings 

a creative flair to any task,” says Rus Yessenov, director of 

Beverage, Fairmont Royal York. “A multi-media guru, she’s 

able to quickly connect the dots and find the best approach 

for optimal digital results. She supports her colleagues 

unconditionally and effortlessly brings the best out of those 

around her.” 



Gabrielle Arvanitis 28 

Director of Operations, Score Pizza, Newmarket, ONt. 

At the onset of the pandemic, Gabrielle Arvanitis sprang into action at newly 

opened Score Pizza to set up delivery and online-ordering systems and lead 

the company’s franchisees through the transition. She has exceeded 

expectations and demonstrated her ability to adapt and innovate, 

creating loyalty and brand-wide marketing programs and assisting 

in the recruitment of franchisees, in addition to her operational 

responsibilities. 

At only 28, Arvanitis has directed the openings of 10 new 

restaurants, bars and nightclubs from start to finish, with each 

location generating more than $1.3 million in revenue. Her 

accomplishments haven’t gone unnoticed. This year, Arvanitis 

was recognized by Nation’s Restaurant News editors for The 

Power List, comprised of influential industry insiders. 

An industry trailblazer, Arvanitis has proven problemsolving 

and communication skills. Her ability to develop 

and sustain high-performance work teams will ensure 

the continued growth and success of the company. 

Mackenzie 

Clemens 27 

Regional Digital 

Marketing Manager, 

Fairmont Hotels & 

Resorts, Toronto 

Mackenzie Clemens’ young career has been solely focused 

on improving the guest experience in various roles in luxury 

hospitality. From her first role with Fairmont as a seasonal 

tour-operations agent, to her current role as Regional Digital 

Marketing Manager for Fairmont’s Mountain Region, Mackenzie 

has grown into a capable and well-respected leader in hospitality. 

Clemens graduated with a MSc Business Administration with 

specialization in Digital Marketing from Amsterdam Business 

School, University of Amsterdam in 2020 and joined the team at 

The Bruce Hotel in Stratford, Ont. where she moved up the ranks 

to become director of Operations. While at The Bruce, she doubled 

revenue from pre-pandemic years for annual hotel campaigns 

(Christmas dining, Mother’s Day Dining, Black Friday Sale). 

“To say multitasking and surpassing goals are in her nature, 

would be an understatement,” says Nicolas Mourier, restaurant 

general manager, Maybourne Hotel Group, who worked with 

Clemens at The Bruce, as well as at the Fairmont Le Montreux 

Palace, Switzerland in 2017. 

In February 2022 she joined Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, 

where she oversees website, brand activation, social-media 

strategy and digital campaigns for the regional brand, 

representing four hotel properties in Banff, Jasper, 

Lake Louise and Whistler. 

“Mackenzie’s enthusiasm and sense of teamwork 

is remarkable. She knows how to bring out the best 

in her team members and always motivates them to 

strive for achievement,” says Mourier. 

David 

Bennett 28 

General Manager, Jack 

Astor’s Bar & Grill, 

Kingston, ONt. 

David Bennett is a loyal employee 

who works hard and is committed 

to the success of Jack Astor’s Bar & 

Grill. Since joining the restaurant as a 

server in 2015, Bennett has undergone 

tremendous personal and professional 

growth after being promoted to 

supervisor/service manager, beverage 

manager, assistant general manager 

and most recently general manager. 

With more than 10 years of 

experience, Bennett is dedicated to 

providing quality customer service 

and managing daily operations, 

maximizing company profits and 

leading a successful team. 

Recently, Bennett’s team beat its 

weekly sales record in Kingston, Ont. 

“This is quite an accomplishment 

as we’re still dealing with many 

challenges as an industry,” says 

Martin Mazur, regional director of 

Operations, Jack Astor’s. 

Bennett is respected for facing 

challenges head on and making 

concrete decisions that drive profit 

to the restaurant’s bottom line. His 

friends, family and colleagues are 

excited to see what his future holds 

within the food-and-beverage industry. 



Brenda Pais 27 

Key Account Manager - Eastern 

U.S. and Canada, Hotelbeds, 

Mississauga, ONt. 

Brenda Pais is recognized for being organized, 

enthusiastic and hardworking. She obtained 

her Bachelor of Commerce, Hospitality and 

Tourism Management from the Ted Rogers 

School of Hospitality and Tourism Management 

(formerly Ryerson University) and minored 

in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. While 

completing her undergraduate studies, Pais was 

involved in extracurricular activities, becoming 

president of the Hospitality & Tourism Student 

Society and planning for TMU’s first-ever 

Hospitality & Tourism Conference. She was also 

a contributor to several TMU case competition 

groups, earning the Champion title at the Young 

Hotelier Summit for outperforming 80 students 

from 40 schools in a case presented by Four Seasons 

Hotels in 2016, among other wins. 

Currently, Pais is the Key Account Manager – 

Eastern U.S. and Canada at Hotelbeds, where she 

develops and grows commercial partnership with 

trade partners, analyzes client productivity to grow 

total account value and revenue and manages 

technical API implementation strategies. Last year, 

Pais was recognized as the Top Performer 

at Hotelbeds. 

“In her short time in the position, she has 

increased our market share with all her top 

clients by more than five per cent, got a 

few exclusivities and does a fantastic job 

onboarding our top new clients,” says 

Danielle Von, regional manager, U.S. and 

Canada at Hotelbeds. 

Prior to her role at Hotelbeds, 

Pais spent time at Bedsonline, a 

division of Hotelbeds, where she 

was named Top Performer 2019, 

and Expedia Group, earning the 

title of Associate Marketing 

Manager of the Year in 2017; 

Market Associate of the 

Quarter in 2016 and the 

Internship Project 

Award in 2015. 

Sophia Darling 30 

Executive Meeting Manager, Catering, 

Fairmont Royal York, Toronto 

Sophia Darling grew up in the small city of Peterborough Ont., surrounded by and 

immersed in arts and hospitality. She attended George Brown College for Baking 

& Pastry Arts in 2010, but quickly learned that her true passion for hospitality 

would be found in the front-of-house, rather than the kitchen. Once realized, it 

was clear that the ever-bustling environment of hotels was the place for her. 

In 2014, Darling attended Fleming College for Hotel & Restaurant Management, 

completing a two-year diploma from the School of Business before transferring 

to the University of Guelph to finish her Bachelor of Commerce in Hotel and 

Food Administration. Simultaneously, she completed Level 1 & 2 sommelier 

certifications from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). She completed 

the Student Work Experience Program (SWEP) at Fairmont Banff Springs, which 

inspired her to pursue a career with Fairmont Hotels. She was accepted into 

Accor’s SUMMIT Leadership Development Program, where she completed an 

18-month rotational journey exploring food-and-beverage leadership at Toronto’s 

prestigious Library Bar, before expressing an interest in Sales & Events. 

Upon graduation, Darling joined the team at Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, 

where she has held the roles of Catering sales manager, Executive Meeting manager 

and, most recently, Events sales manager. 

“Sophia has consistently approached her work with colleagues and clients with 

a great breadth of generosity,” says Edwin Frizzell, Regional VP, Central Canada for 

Accor and GM of the Fairmont Royal York. “Resourceful and courteous, Sophia is 

a meticulous and dedicated team player.” 

16 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2022

AMGUY[ MIGUEL BRITO]; PATRICK ANADA [MONIKA KRUZSKA] 

Monika Kruzska 23 

Co-Founder/Pastry Chef, Wall-fl 

FLOWer Doughnuts, Oakville, Ont. 

After completing her Honours Bachelor of Commerce 

in Hotel & Food Administration from University of 

Guelph – Gordon S. Lang School of Business, Monika 

Kruzska completed her Ontario College Certificate in 

Baking & Pastry Arts at Niagara College – Canadian 

Food & Wine Institute. 

She worked as Operations manager for Tribeca Coffee Co. in Oakville, Ont. 

before launching Wallflower Doughnuts, a co-brand of Tribeca housed in the same space. 

As the co-founder and pastry chef for the fledgling company, Kruzska trained and led a 

team of three bakers while planning, costing, and executing seasonal menu changes; Creating 

strategies to expand the wholesale and special event catering programs; and Coordinating 

promotional and networking events to showcase the brand. 

“As a young student, Monika immediately showed true hospitality spirit and enthusiasm, 

standing out in her class both for her work and extremely positive attitude,” recalls William 

Murray, associate professor in the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, 

Lang School of Business. “She just naturally had/has the intangible characteristics that 

hospitality leaders look for in up-and-coming talent, and it was easy to see that she had 

real potential in our field.” 

Simon Pierre Picard 28 

Breakfast, Banquet and Meetings Manager, Hotel 

Escad Quartier DIX30, Brossard, Que. 

A graduate of the Hotel and Tourism Institute of Québec (ITHQ), Simon Pierre 

Picard has honed his hospitality skills with a number of internships both in Canada 

and internationally. He also worked in a variety of restaurants, learning the F&B 

side of the business. 

In 2014 he joined the Hotel Fairmont, Le Manoir Richelieu as a customer service 

co-ordinator, where his hotel journey began. Today, Picard is 

the Breakfast, Banquets and Meetings manager at Germain 

Hotels’ Hotel Escad Quartier DIX30, where he manages a 

team of more than 10 people comprised of supervisors, 

servers and cooks. Since taking on the role in 2021, he has 

surpassed sales objectives month over month, bringing the 

department to top quartile for the Germain Group. 

“Driven by passion and with the desire to re-build the 

department greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, 

Simon-Pierre jumped quickly into his new role and got 

to work as the tasks at hand were not small,” says 

Jean-Philip Dupré, GM, Hotel Escad Quartier 

DIX30. “He quickly stood out from the team 

by his ability to learn quickly, his dedication 

and his determination.” 

Miguel Brito 29 

Director of Banquets, Park 

Hyatt, Toronto 

Miguel Brito has been described by those 

who have worked with as a valued colleague 

and exemplary leader. “His commitment 

to our industry was apparent from his 

eagerness to learn as much as possible from 

his colleagues, as well as the different projects 

and events entrusted to him,” says David 

Robitaille, GM of the Four Seasons Centre 

for the Performing Arts, who has worked 

with Brito at both the Four Seasons and Park 

Hyatt Toronto Hotels. “He was well respected 

for the high level of attention, energy and 

time he invested in ensuring his complete 

understanding of the work and could make 

the appropriate decisions.” 

After graduating with a PG in International 

Hotel Management, from Les Roches Marbella 

International School of Hotel Management in 

Marbella, Spain, Brito joined Hoti Hoteis in his 

home country of Portugal in the accounting, 

finance and purchase department. He then 

held positions at InterContinental Chicago 

Magnificent Mile in Illinois, Four Seasons 

Hotel at Park Lane in London U.K. and Four 

Seasons Hotel Toronto before joining Park 

Hyatt Toronto in 2021 as director of Banquets. 

“Miguel joined the Park Hyatt team on 

the heels of the re-opening and has been 

an integral leader establishing the banquet 

operation for the hotel,” says Bonnie Strome, 

GM, Park Hyatt Hotel Toronto. “He is a 

wonderful example of a true luxury hospitality 

leader that has a great future ahead.” 



Nick Chindamo 29 

Head Cheesemaker/Ecological guide/chef/ 

forager, Nick of North, Charlottetown, P.E.I. 

Drawing inspiration from cultural 

traditions and the intricacies of the 

landscape, Nick Chindamo uses 

food education and a philosophical 

approach to catalyze communities 

and foster human development. 

In 2022, he launched Nick of North, 

an educational platform built around 

gathering wild edibles from across P.E.I. 

and teaching small groups of chefs 

about their greater ecological purpose, 

how to prepare them for consumption, 

and about much of the area’s natural 

history and food traditions. 

With extensive experience in 

professional restaurants around the world, he also aims to bring forth 

a regenerative approach to fine dining through a zero-waste mentality, 

a collaborative outlook, and region-specific ecological knowledge. 

He believes that the future of food extends far beyond the 

restaurant setting and that by blurring the lines between foragers, 

farmers, fishermen, chefs, scientists, and teachers, we can help to build 

a sustainable future for generations to come. 

“[Nick] is a superb role model for chefs… his creativity will 

help bring Canada even more so into the culinary spotlight,” says 

Chef Imrun Texiera, who nominated Chindamo for the Top 30 

Under 30. “Chef Nick has a passion for foraging and sustainability 

and his creative dishes show a true depth of technique and 

knowledge of the land.” 

Hannah Harradine 29 

Owner/Operator, Sumac & Sal, Markdale Ont. 

Hannah Harradine’s work ethic, leadership qualities and positive 

attitude fuel her entrepreneurial spirit. In 2019, she launched 

Sumac & Salt with her partner, Joel Gray, to showcase local, 

seasonal and foraged ingredients from Grey, Bruce and Simcoe 

Counties through multi-course, tasting-style menus. When COVID 

hit, Sumac & Salt transitioned into a catering company. While 

the duo develops recipes, Harradine manages all aspects of the 

business, from booking clients to social media to finances. 

Harradine’s passion for local food and natural wines is evident 

in her willingness to learn and strengthen her skills. After earning 

her Winery and Viticulture Technician Diploma from Niagara 

College, Harradine worked a harvest at Rosehall Run Vineyards, 

helping to sort grapes and performing various winemaking tasks. 

She also spent three years at Bruce Wine 

Bar/Crow Bar and Variety as a floor 

manager and marketer. 

Harradine’s focus on eating local 

is inspiring and her commitment 

to partnering with local farmers 

and producers is creating more 

vibrant communities. Undoubtedly, 

Harradine and her partner will 

be leading figures in the buy-local 

movement for years to come. 

Sam Clark 28 

Bar Manager, Hello Sunshine/Banff 

Hospitality Collective, Banff, Alta. 

When Hello Sunshine, a contemporary Japanese 

restaurant in Banff, Alta., opened in June 2021, it 

had an immensely successful launch, establishing 

the restaurant as the best place to grab a cocktail 

in Banff. According to Hello Sunshine’s 

GM, Annika Hame, Sam Clark single 

handedly created and managed the 

bar programming from scratch and 

dedicated himself “wholeheartedly to 

recruiting and training and educating 

the team.” 

During his time in Banff, Clark 

has organized countless training 

programs, all on his own time, to 

share his knowledge and passion 

for mixology and the hospitality 

industry. He has been sought out by many 

individuals within our hospitality driven town for 

advisory and oversight on beverage programming. 

This year, Clark competed in Diageo World 

Class Canada bartending competition, where he 

finished in the top three. “World Class is the most 

prestigious and difficult bartending competition in 

the world, and tests competitors in every aspect of 

their craft,” says bartender and judge James Grant. 

“From menu development and service to community 

and hospitality, each stage of the competition puts 

bartenders through their paces to help determine the 

best of the best in our industry.” 

Clark not only represented himself well enough to 

place in the top 3 nationally, but won the Tanqueray 

No. Ten Tableside Service Challenge, in which he 

was tasked with serving two original cocktails to a 

very intimidating panel of judges including Agostino 

Perrone (beverage director for the iconic Connaught 

Bar in London), author and actor Stanley Tucci, and 

two World Class Global Winners. 



Samantha Medeiros 27 

Chef de Cuisine, La Palma Restaurant, Toronto 

Alexandre 

Lepage 26 

Executive Chef, 

ClubLink, Mont- 

Tremblant, Que. 

Alexandre Lepage has climbed 

the culinary career ladder 

with patience, passion and 

consistency. In his current role 

as executive chef with ClubLink 

for its two golf courses, Le 

Maître and La Bête de Mont- 

Tremblant, Lepage pushes 

the boundaries of food and 

motivates his team to learn. 

Previously, Lepage was chef de 

partie at Choux Gras Brasserie 

Culinaire and AXE Lounge Bar 

at Fairmont Mont-Tremblant, 

working alongside executive chef 

Jonathan Legris for two years. 

“During these two years, 

Alexandre was able to showcase 

his leadership, his creativity 

and his passion,” says Jonathan 

Legris, executive chef at Fairmont 

Mont-Tremblant. “With his 

presence and his dedication, 

we were able to put Fairmont 

Tremblant’s flagship restaurant 

at the forefront of the region’s 

gastronomy. It’s a great pleasure 

to have had him as a colleague, 

and now to consider him an 

accomplished chef.” 

Lepage has also worked for 

Lee Restaurant by Iron Chef 

Susur Lee as chef de partie garde 

manger; Le Cheval de Jade as 

apprentice sous-chef; and Joey 

Restaurants Toronto as a line 

coach and closing coach. Since 

completing hands-on training in 

the Culinary Skills Program at 

George Brown College in 2018, 

Lepage had exactly what he 

needed for a flourishing career. 


Shruti Kukreja 22 

Associate, Consultancy and Valuation, 

HVS, Vancouver, BC. 

After completing a Bachelor of Commerce, Hospitality and 

Tourism Management from University of Guelph — along 

with Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) by 

Smith Travel Research and a scholarship from InnVest Hotels 

— Shruti Kukreja joined the team at Hospitality Valuation 

Services (HVS), performing economic feasibility, market 

study and appraisals for lodging assets in the Western Canada 

market. 

“Shruti Kukreja is a fantastic example of the young 

and enthusiastic talent coming into the hospitality field,” 

says William Murray, associate professor in the School of 

Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, Lang School 

of Business. 

During her time at U of G, Kukreja was president of the 

Hospitality & Tourism Management Student Association as 

well as president of the Hotel Association of Canada’s Guelph 

Student Chapter. She was also co-director of Charitable and 

Academic Events for the university. 

Lisa Pileggi of Marriott International says “As a senior 

sales leader, with over 24 years of experience working in the 

hospitality and tourism industry, I have seen many young 

professionals come and go. Shruti Kukrejais one individual I 

have worked with who uniquely stands out.” 

Billy Alexander, director of Programs (he/him) Culinary Tourism 

Alliance, describes Samantha Medeiros as “a fantastic chef who is 

methodical in her approach in everything from origin of ingredients 

to cultural inspirations, creating dishes that resonate on the pallet 

and the heart at the same time.” 

Medeiros’ culinary journey began in 2013 as FOH staff at 

Mercatto College Street in Toronto. When she approached Mercatto’s 

chef, asking to participate in kitchen tasks/part time BOH, just for 

the desire of learning, she was rejected, says executive chef and longtime 

friend Miriam Echeverria, “being told that she was too pretty 

to be part of the kitchen team and she should stay as FOH. I believe 

that this episode changed her career goals completely.” 

Since then, says Echeverria, Medeiros “eagerly started her way into 

the culinary world, travelling around the world, staging at different 

restaurants and gaining all kind of kitchen skills, motivated to be the 

best chef possible — and here she is, one of the best chefs in the city.” 

She attended George Brown College where she obtained her 

diploma in Culinary Management. She also completed a diploma in 

Pastry Arts at École Nationale Supérieure de la Patisserie in France. 

With her desire to give back to the community, Samantha 

participated in several fundraising dinner events including Chefs 

for Change in 2020 and Tribe Five Dinner in 2018 and has done 

several speaking engagements. 


Tyler Nicklin 28 

Chef de Cuisine, The Other Bird, Hamilton, Ont. 

“Tyler Nicklin is not a boss, she is a leader,” says Travis Blaesing, who 

worked under Nicklin at Rapscallion and Co. “She puts an incredible 

amount of effort into helping grow the people around her.” 

Nicklin graduated from Niagara College’s Culinary Management 

program in 2012 and steadily worked up the ranks at restaurants across 

Ontario. In her current role as Chef de Cuisine at The Other Bird’s 

Hamilton, Ont.-based Rapscallion Rogue Eatery, she collaborates on 

menus with the executive chef, monitors food/labour costs and organizes 

both onsite and off-site services. 

“Even as a young female chef in a time when it wasn’t easy to be a young 

female chef, she handled herself with grace, dignity and professionalism,” 

says Matt Johnny, VP Operation, The Other Bird. “Her story through The 

Other Bird starts at The Alex, then on to The Mule, Rapscallion Rogue 

Eatery, Burro, ODDS, and finally lands now at Rapscallion and Co. …her 

first position in a leadership role in our company.” 

During COVID-19, Nicklin had the task of opening Rapscallion and Co 

during the height of an epidemic. She and her team had the challenging 

opportunity of making a restaurant relevant during this period. She led 

and executed countless pop-ups and had to navigate hiring and training 

a team during numerous lockdowns and business restrictions. 

Brooke Husband 28 

Assistant Winemaker, Domaine Queylus 

/ Mason Vineyards / Honsberger Estate 

Jordan Station, Ont. 

A graduate of Niagara College, Brooke Husband is a driven, 

passionate winemaker, whose talents are only growing. Currently, 

she is assistant winemaker at not one, but at three wineries in the 

Niagara region, managing 55 wines from harvest to bottle. Since 

Husband joined Honsberger Estate in 2020, she has helped expand 

their portfolio to include two sparkling wines, Blanc de Blancs 

and Cabernet Franc Brut, and three table wines, Sauvignon Blanc, 

Sauvignon Blanc Skin Fermented and Chardonnay Musqué. At 

Domaine Queylus, she actively mentors and teaches interns about 

winemaking processes. 

Husband is the co-winemaker on a Viognier and Rosé on the 

Mason Vineyard collab series and she won gold at the Ontario Wine 

Awards 2022 in the categories Chardonnay Oaked over $20, Pinot 

Noir, Cabernet Franc and White Wine of the Year. She also won 

two Lieutenant Governor Awards for Excellence in Ontario 

Wine in 2022. 

“She has come so far in a short period of time,” says Kelly 

Mason, owner and head winemaker at Mason Vineyard, 

who also works for The Farm, Domaine Queylus and 

Honsberger Estate wineries. “She is a rising star in the 

industry and will leave a mark that will be noteworthy 

to Niagara if not only in her wines, but also in the 

trail of amazing talent she will have had a hand in 

mentoring and encouraging.” 


Ivan Bekcic 28 

Executive Chef, The Wine Academy, Toronto 

Patrick 

Jones 27 

Sustainability Manager 

& Capital Projects 

Co-ordinator, Fairmont 

Jasper Park Lodge, 

Jasper, Alta. 

Named as one of Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 

Leaders in Sustainability, Patrick Jones’ success 

is backed by a world-class education at six 

prestigious institutions and demonstrated 

industry experience in hospitality, advanced 

education and civil society. In his role at 

Jasper Park Lodge, he chairs the Sustainability 

Committee and leads all environmental 

initiatives at the 700-acre, 450+ room luxury 

resort and three adjacent communities 

comprising of 500+ Heartists & families. 

With the direction of the ownership 

group, Jones has successfully co-ordinated 

a number of multi-million-dollar capital 

upgrades across the property, including 

the refurbishment of 300 guest bathrooms, 

landscape re-development and critical 

infrastructure upgrades. 

“There is no doubt Patrick has significantly 

contributed to the visible improvement of the 

resort’s operations and guest experience,” says 

Wayne Hnatyshin, director of Engineering, 

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. “Patrick has also 

reduced the resort’s environmental impact 

and helped to protect the pristine mountain 

environment for generations to come.” 


Running a private enterprise while maintaining full-time employment as an 

executive chef is not an easy feat, but Ivan Bekcic has proven himself to be 

capable of culinary excellence. 

For the last 17 years, Bekcic has been working in the restaurant industry in 

executive and sous chef positions in Toronto. He trained 

in Italy, France and the U.K., which has allowed him to 

bring a unique perspective on fine-dining and avantgarde 

cuisine to Toronto’s culinary scene. 

Currently, Bekcic is the executive chef at Wine 

Academy where he develops bespoke tasting menus 

for private member events, among other things. 

His level of expertise, commitment to quality and 

exceptional customer service is widely recognized. 

In fact, Bekcic was credited with increasing average 

monthly food sales by 17 per cent over his 

predecessor at Wine Academy. As a private 

chef, some of his standout Canadian 

creations include pinecone preserves, 

pickled spruce tips and lilac cordial. 

Bekcic’s devotion to his career 

is admirable, and he will continue 

to expand his reach and 

develop new relationships with 

clients, peers and other industry 

professionals. 

Liezle Espejo 28 

Sous Chef, The Ritz-Carlton, 

Toronto, Ont. 

Liezle Espejo studied at Humber College, earning 

her Culinary Management Diploma in 2013. She also 

received the Cecile Girard – Hicks Memorial Award 

and the president’s Medal Award for the School of 

Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism. In 2018, Espejo 

completed her Red Seal certificate. 

She began her culinary career working at several 

restaurants in Toronto, such as Bymark by Mark 

McEwan Group and Alba Restaurant, before re-locating to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in 

Alberta to work as chef de partie of banquets, Moose’s Nook Grill House and Orso Trattoria. 

In 2019, Espejo joined The Ritz-Carlton Toronto as a senior cook in its banquet operations. 

She also pioneered the grand opening of EPOCH Bar & Kitchen Terrace in August 2021. 

“Over these past two years and a very challenging period, Liezle has proven to be very 

dedicated, highly efficient, stress resistant and adaptable,” says Guillaume Benezech, general 

manager, The Ritz-Carlton Toronto. “Her knowledgeable and solution-oriented assistance was 

highly valued…and she has earned a very high esteem amongst our food-and-beverage team 

and guests. We were all impressed by the dedication Liezle has shown for our business and 

especially its guest relation, teamwork and technical components.” 


Courtney Jenkins 29 

Art Director, Kostuch Media Limited, Toronto 

Courtney Jenkins joined Kostuch Media Ltd. in 2014 as a co-op intern, 

enrolled in Durham College’s Graphics Program, producing both paid 

and house ads, sourcing photography and illustrations, making editorial 

copy changes and more. She was instantly liked by the team, as well as 

advertisers, and quickly became a full-time employee to assist in the 

Production/Design department. 

Jenkins possesses many admirable qualities. She has proven herself to be 

reliable, hard-working and is willing to take on whatever needs to be done, 

whenever it needs to be done. 

In 2020, Jenkins was promoted to art director to assume the 

responsibility of producing Foodservice and Hospitality and Hotelier 

magazines internally. “Not only has she been able to handle the increase 

in workload, her creativity has soared and she’s helped create and produce 

wonderful cover art for both magazines, as well as creative magazine 

layouts,” says Rosanna Caira, editor and publisher of Foodservice and 

Hospitality and Hotelier magazines. 

“Courtney is an extremely skilled designer with great creative instinct 

and her pleasant personality and diverse range of expertise make her 

a true professional,” adds Jennifer O’Neill, freelance creative graphic 

designer. “She insists on quality work and is liked, as well as 

respected, by staff and colleagues.” 

Corbin Staniloff 30 

VP, Development, MasterBUILT Hotels, Calgary 

Corbin Staniloff is highly respected by his colleagues and his energetic 

personality is one that people can easily gravitate toward. Since joining 

MasterBUILT Hotels, Staniloff has assisted in the opening of four Microtel 

hotels, bringing the total to 24 across the country. Additionally, he has formed 

relationships with three First Nations groups, with plans to open another four 

new-build projects in 2022 and 2023. 

“Corbin has excelled in his role,” says Jeremy Thal, president & CEO, 

Royop Development Corporation. “His ability to identify a site, convince the 

owners to sell, navigate the entitlements through the municipality and ensure 

successful completion all the way through opening and beyond is uncanny.” 

Prior to his role at MasterBUILT Hotels, Staniloff was the senior associate of 

Hotel Investments, Western Canada at CBRE Hotels, advising clients on shortand 

long-term investment goals and working with private investors and sellers 

for hotel assets under $25 million from primary to tertiary markets. 

When Staniloff isn’t securing deals, he’s busy supporting community 

initiatives. He has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, sat on the board 

with Urban Land Institute and is an active member of real-estate groups 

NAIOP and CREW, which supports women in the workplace. 

TANVI MADKAIKER [COURTNEY JENKINS] 


Austin Granados 28 

Co-owner/Pastry Chef, Cake-ology, 

Winnipeg, Man. 

Admired for his positive attitude and willingness to learn new 

things, Austin Granados is a valuable addition to any team that he is 

a part of. After earning his Professional Cook Certification – Level 

1 and Professional Baker Certification – Level 2 from Vancouver 

Community College, Granados went on to channel his creativity into 

the baking processes at Dominique Ansel Bakery in Manhattan, Hotel 

X in Toronto and one-Michelin-Star VEA Restaurant in Hong Kong. 

“Granados is a reliable and an extensively skilled chef who portrays 

his art in his baking,” says Vicky Cheng, executive chef and co-owner, 

VEA Restaurant, Tastings Group Limited. “He also excels at leveraging 

his thorough knowledge of pastry equipment and preparation to 

provide an exceptional level of customer service and satisfaction 

which have earned him quite a reputation amongst his peers.” 

Most recently, Granados became the co-owner and pastry chef of 

Cake-ology, a small bakery known for its Kouign-Amann located in 

the heart of the Exchange District in Winnipeg. Granados manages 

a small team to produce custom cakes, cupcakes, French pastries, 

chocolates, viennoiserie and beverages and develops new concepts for 

flavours, textures and designs. 

Additionally, Cake-ology was the 2022 winner of Sugar Rush Vegan 

Festival for Granados’ Pink Peppercorn Pavlova, as well as the 2021 

winners of The Exchange District Biz Hot Beverage Week and Best 

“X” Coffee’s Perfect Match, Best Local Food Creative, Favourite Local 

Biz. Undoubtedly, Granados’ career will be filled with many more 

outstanding achievements. 

Omar Karim 29 

Executive Director, Alka Holdings Ltd., 

Consultant, Carpedia International 

Oakville, Ont. 

Early on, Omar Karim’s manager at 

Carpedia Hospitality Ltd. identified him 

as a high potential employee, in large 

part due to his work ethic and eagerness 

to learn. These skills coupled with his 

strong focus on building team culture 

made Karim one of the top consultants 

amongst his peers. 

"His relentless pursuit of client and 

team member satisfaction gives him the drive to produce work of the 

highest quality,” says Shaan Ghai, director at Carpedia Hospitality Ltd. 

Karim first joined Carpedia in 2019 but decided to go 

back to school to obtain his Accelerated Masters in Business 

Administration from Queen’s University. He re-joined the company 

in upon graduation in 2022, where he analyzed work process 

and management systems using interviews, data analysis, field 

observations, and client collaboration to increase profitability by 

four per cent on average. 

At the same time, Karim is the executive director of Best Western 

Plus Gatineau-Ottawa, managing the the operations of the hotel. 

“I have had the privledge to watch Omar grow into a leading 

force in the hospitality industry,” says Paul Lefebvre, president of 

PNL Hospitality Ltd. 

DAVID CHANG [OMAR KARIM] 

Kudos 

to Courtney Jenkins, 

our fabulous Art 

Director, on being 

named as one of 

this year’s Top 30 

Under 30. We are 

so proud of your 

achievements 

and look forward 

to many more 

accolades to come! 



Kirsten-Jean Kerpel 26 

Suite Sales Administrator, Canucks Sports 

and Entertainment, Vancouver 

At only 26, Kirsten-Jean Kerpel already has 

significant accomplishments under her belt. 

She attended renowned hospitality school ROC 

Mondriaan in The Hague, The Netherlands and 

obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality, as well 

as Sales and Marketing. 

From there, Kerpel has gained robust handson 

experience in various roles in Canada and 

the U.S. Hailing from the east coast of Canada, 

she completed an internship at the Halifax 

Harbourfront Marriott; managed a restaurant at 

Digby Pines Resort; assumed a sales and marketing 

position at Algonquin Resort Autograph Collection 

in St. Andrews, N.B.; travelled to Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise to become banquet manager 

and front-desk agent; and joined the pre-opening team of Courtyard and Residence Inn by 

Marriott in Jekyll Island, Georgia as assistant food-and-beverage manager. 

Today, Kerpel is the suites sales administrator at Canucks Sports and Entertainment in Vancouver. 

She was promoted from private suites and catering coordinator at the company in just six months. 

"Kirsten oversees the complete experience of 81 private suites and the respective fan base 

ensuring their experience is second to none," says Robert Bartley, executive chef at Canucks 

Sports and Entertainment. "This is no small feat and a role that is extremely important to the 

overall financial health of the premium client fan base. Kirsten's foodand-beverage 

knowledge from all her past experiences at restaurants, 

events and school has benefitted our guest experience." 

During her first month in this role, she made $13,000 in 

wine sales. Kerpel’s future in the hospitality industry burns 

bright as she continues to reach her full potential. 

Janet Roper 28 

Executive Housekeeper, Vintage Hotels, 

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. 

Janet Roper fell in love with the hospitality industry as a teenager 

working on Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, Ont. greeting guests at the Great Canadian Midway. 

Her passion for the industry grew stronger, driving her to earn her Bachelor of Business 

Administration – Hospitality from Niagara College in 2016. While completing her studies, 

she became a Certified Niagara Ambassador through the Tourism Partnership of Niagara. 

With a desire to advance her career further, Roper also became certified in Hotel Industry 

Analytics from the American Hotel & Educational Institute. In fact, she was one of the first 

25 Canadians to receive this title. 

Today, Roper is the executive housekeeper at the Pillar and Post Inn owned by Vintage 

Hotels. There, she recruits, trains and coaches employees in a department of more than 30 

team members; monitors budgets, inventory, operating costs and preparations for payroll; 

and organizes safety-training initiatives with cleaning staff through Joint Health and Safety 

committee. Roper first joined Vintage Hotels in 2015 as a lead room attendant and has 

received three promotions since. 

“Janet regularly shows great leadership skills and strong work ethic,” says Ryan Murray, 

GM, Pillar and Post Hotel, Conference Centre and Spa. “She is an exemplary team member 

who careers deeply about her team and the happiness of our guests.” 

Rachelle 

Boutin 28 

Director of Lodging, 

Hotel Le Germain 

Montreal 

Rachelle Boutin has been a part of the 

Germain Hotels family since 2018 when 

she assumed the role of guest services 

supervisor at the Alt Montreal Hotel. 

She quickly moved up the ranks and in 

May 2021 was named Room Division 

Manager at Hotel le Germain Montreal. 

“Rachelle is a true hotelier at 

heart, an excellent team leader and a 

workhorse in her passion for service,” 

says Marie Pier Germain, VP Sales 

and Marketing at Germain Hotels. 

“Many people in our industry have 

those qualities, but I have never 

met anyone who embodies them as 

intensely as Rachelle.” 

Boutin graduated from Universite 

du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) in 

2016 and quickly dove into her passion, 

joining Groupe Antonopoulos as the 

reservation supervisor at Hotel Nelligan 

in Montreal before moving to Alt Hotel 

Montreal in June 2018. 

She is a member of Germain Hotels’ 

circle of ‘Ambassador Employees,’ 

which she sees as an opportunity to 

pass on her knowledge and advice 

“Rachelle exudes the company’s 

values loud and clear. She shines with 

positivity, empathy and humor. She is 

witty, bubbly, and has great ambitions 

for her team members, who she works 

very hard at developing.” says Germain. 


HUBERT CHANGE [EMILIO MONTENGRO] 

Spencer Smith’s entire professional life has been spent 

working in hospitality. The Aurora, Ont.-native enrolled 

in a high-school co-op program washing dishes and 

making salad dressings at a local caterer and though 

the work was not glamorous, this first peak behind the 

curtain into kitchen life had him hooked. 

He spent the next seven years working in backof-house 

for various restaurants across North 

America before returning to Ontario to enroll in the 

Advanced Wine & Beverage Business Management 

program at George Brown College in Toronto. 

In 2020, Smith began working at Andrew Peller 

Limited as the assistant Retail & Experience 

manager at Peller Estates. He was soon promoted 

to Retail & Experience manager at Wayne Gretzky 

Estates in January 2020. 

“Spencer re-invented many of the guest experiences 

at Wayne Gretzky Estates and successfully managed 

his department through the many challenges that the 

COVID-19 pandemic presented,” says Mark Vaiana, 

Estate Manager, Wayne Gretzky Estates. “His vast 

wine, whisky and beer knowledge and passion for the 

hospitality industry is exceptional. He has helped to 

create a team that shares his passion with each guest 

who visits Wayne Gretzky Estates.” 

Emilio 

Montenegro 27 

Executive Chef, Fonda Fora, 

Calgary 

Emilio Montenegro started cooking when he 

was 17 years old. Today, he’s executive chef at 

contemporary Mexican restaurant Fonda Fora, a 

concept by Thank You Hospitality located inside 

The Westley Calgary Downtown. 

Montenegro’s interests in live-fire cooking, 

butchering and foraging, as well as his zero-waste 

mentality, have allowed him to excel as a leader in 

his new role. 

“Emilio has started bringing in whole hogs and 

utilizing all its parts in dishes across our 

menu and running features on some parts 

of the animal that most chefs throw 

away,” says Tyson Duben, manager 

of Operations, Fonda Fora. “The 

philosophy that Emilio has brought 

to this restaurant is truly the future of 

modern cuisine.” 

Previously, Montenegro spent time 

honing his skills and gaining 

experience at Brunelleschi 

Hotel Florence in Italy, 

Chou Chou in Taipei 

City, Taiwan. and Logy 

in Taiwan. 

CONGRATULATIONS 

KIRSTEN KERPEL 

on winning KML’s 

Top-30-Under-30 

award. We are so 

proud and grateful 

to work alongside 

you as we create life 

long memories that 

inspire our fans! 

Spencer Smith 28 

Retail & Experience Manager, 

Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery 

& Distillery, Niagara-on-the- 

Lake, Ont. 



BY AMY BOSTOCK 

EQUIPMENT 

EVOLUTION 

Equipment suppliers are facing 

unique challenges as the industry 

emerges from the pandemic 

DASHA ZOLTA VIA MAISON ZOLTS 


When it comes to restaurant kitchen equipment, 

flexibility and automation have been on the minds of 

operators in recent years, mainly to curb staff shortages 

and optimize restaurant operations. And with these 

trends predicted to continue moving forward, equipment 

suppliers are having to re-examine how they do business. 

“The trend towards automation with regard to 

foodservice equipment will continue and the feeling in the 

industry is that we’re just starting to see significant changes 

that every restaurateur can afford and apply to their 

organization,” says Andrew Rodricks, vice-president, Sales 

& Marketing at Newmarket, Ont.-based R.E.D. Canada. 

“Our company supports this automation and are looking 

to ensure that restaurant equipment dealers and enduser 

customers alike are educated in what the market has 

available, as well as what automation is on the horizon.” 

But capturing the attention of end-users is difficult in 

an industry still facing daily post-pandemic challenges, 

says Danny Collis, principal, Collis Group Inc. “It’s very 

hard to get the attention of an operator. My colleague has 

family who own a restaurant. He spends his day looking 

for chicken, takeout containers and trying to keep staff, 

[not thinking of ways] to save money [on equipment]. 

We’re hoping now that the fall has hit that [operators] will 

start to look more closely at their operations.” 

For example, Collis says his company’s oil-filtration 

pads can double a restaurant’s oil life and a number of 

large chains are starting to take notice. “That is huge when 

the price of oil has increased dramatically since COVID. 

Hopefully, operators will give us more of their time so we 

can prove we can save them money.” 

CASH IS KING 

As the restaurant industry moves into the new normal 

of doing business, cost savings are becoming even more 

important, which means on the equipment side, suppliers 

need offer products to help these operators do more with less. 

Rodricks says quite a few manufacturers have focused 

on multi-purpose equipment options. “In the past, this 

was limited to combi-ovens that had steam, convection 

and conventional cooking methods in one unit,” he 


explains. “These are still quite relevant in the market, however, quite a 

few variations have emerged out of this base.” 

He points to units that are now able to apply various cooking 

methods to individual racks in the oven, without affecting the cook 

time or quality on anything else in the unit. “One of my favourite 

demonstrations was a chef who cooked a full tray of “Broiled Salmon” 

just one rack space above a pan of chocolate chip cookies — and when 

complete, there was absolutely no flavour transfer from one product to 

another. It was able to bake, broil, steam, braise, fry, et cetera inside a 

single unit that happens to come in full size, 2/3 size, half size, and/or 

even countertop configurations.” 

He says these “all-in-one” machines are the type of automation that’s 

revolutionizing the market by offering operators options for innovative 

units that can now replace four to five pieces of equipment in a kitchen 

— without compromising the flavour or finish. 

But how has the shift to off-premise 

dining during the pandemic impacted 

what equipment restaurants want in their 

kitchens? According to Collis, “I haven’t 

seen a fundamental change in equipment 

choices with off-site dining. Ghost kitchens, 

HITTING 

THE ROAD 

Andrew Rodricks, vice-president, Sales & 

Marketing at Newmarket, Ont.-based R.E.D. 

Canada, says the impact of increased 

off-premise dining on equipment choices 

cannot be ignored. “The greatest impact 

that off-premise dining has had is 

twofold. First, “ghost” or shared kitchen 

facilities make even more economical 

sense now because equipment, facility 

and maintenance costs can be shared by 

a number of operators. Second, there has 

been a dramatic swing to equipment that 

is specialized for pick-up orders, such as 

innovations with heated shelving units in 

designated pick-up areas, and hot-holding 

bags, as well as designated warming 

drawers and even secure lockers. This 

equipment has all emerged in the past two 

to three years as a result of the market 

swing due to the pandemic. Restaurant 

owners have had to figure out a way to 

get their product to the customer without 

compromising on the look, feel, or taste 

of their items.” 

for example, still use traditional equipment 

and hopefully the equipment they have will 

work functionally for the tenant that goes in. 

Rapid-cook ovens have been very busy.” 

SUPPLY-CHAIN WOES 

Supply-chain disruptions have impacted 

everyone’s lives and businesses and the 

foodservice-equipment sector have not 

been exempted, with the impact being 

felt by both international importers 

and domestic manufacturers. According 

to Rodricks, lead times have increased 

dramatically, as have costs in every facet 

of the business. Raw-material costs, 

transportation costs and labour costs 

have skyrocketed in the past couple years, 

forcing most brands to push three or four 

price increases inside of 12 to 18 months 

at levels that are unprecedented. 

“The lead-time challenge is a result 

of both material/parts shortages for 

manufacturers, as well as transportation 

shortcomings,” says Rodricks. “Over the 

past few decades, most of the world’s 

manufacturing segment has moved 

towards a “just-in-time” methodology 

which (in theory) is a very economical 

model that can potentially reduce or 

eliminate holding costs up and down 

the supply chain. The problem with this 

model is that there is very little, if any, 

reserve stock available should anything 

happen along the supply line. We all felt 

this when store shelves ran out of toilet 

paper and everyone expected there to be 


warehouses full of inventory available — which there had been in the 

past but is obviously not so true anymore.” 

He points specifically to challenges with deep fryers, refrigeration 

and standard cooktop items having lead times that stretched into 

months instead of weeks. “Recently it has turned a corner and 

manufacturers are catching up to demand with lead times starting to 

drop back into the higher end of regular range.” 

But in the meantime, Collis says “the supply chain is still horrible. A 

lot of our smaller components come from parts of the world that have 

draconian COVID measures still and shut down on a second’s notice. 

One month we can ship 400,000 out the door then all of a sudden, 

we get stock and the next month is 1.3 million. One of our suppliers 

had 13 containers come into Houston. They could not get the product 

from Houston to Jackson as there were no drivers. To top it off they 

charged them extra storage for the containers sitting there.” 

As a result, he says, manufacturers have had tremendous increases as 

they can’t absorb these fluctuations. “One factory explained to me that 

they have a double-digit increase and it takes a couple of months to see 

how those levels out. Well, they are still not making money so we will 

now see another increase. Some of our product here is for long-term 

care and hospitals and when we can’t get that it affects those people,” 

he says, adding “it’s been very hard to manage expectations and also 

cash flow in your own business — but we’re getting through it.” 

CHANGING WITH THE TIMES 

With demand for automatic, wireless, and aesthetic designs in 

foodservice equipment that fit in smaller floor spaces growing, some 

Collis_HH.pdf 1 2022-10-04 3:39 PM 

Robot Revolution 

While robotics as a labour lifeline 

for restaurants has gained some 

traction over the pandemic, 

Danny Collis, principal, Collis 

Group Inc., says the technology 

has only scratched the surface. 

“I don’t know what happened 

with COVID, but no one wants 

to work any longer — especially 

in the restaurant industry. With 

[current labour challenges], 

how do restaurants with all of 

their [staffing needs] not look 

at robotics? For example, we 

sell an automated coffee kiosk and the only labour 

will be shutting it down a couple of times per day to 

re-load product.” 

He says the challenge to introducing these new 

equipment options is trying to find interested parties who 

see a future change. “Our coffee kiosk could easily go 

into the airport here in Toronto, but do you think you can 

get hold of anyone? Right now, people are scrambling to 

stay open. Even as busy as they are, they’re not working 

on their business, they’re working in their business.” 

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FROM COLLIS 

GROUP INC. 

TODAY 

28 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM 

www.collisgroupinc.com

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THE WIDEST 

RANGE OF CUTS 

CL50 ULTRA 

MORE PRODUCTIVITY! 

• Cut 4kg of Vegetables in 

1 Minute 

• Work 50 Different Cuts 

• Serve Up To 300 

Place Settings 

Robot Coupe USA, Inc. 

1-800-824-1646 

www.robot-coupe.com 

equipment suppliers are seeing a shift in 

mindset when it comes to their customers’ 

purchasing decisions. 

As the restaurant workforce gets 

younger, workers, managers, owner/ 

operators, and designers have grown up 

with greater technology in their everyday 

lives. As a result, Rodricks says “it’s 

almost expected that certain pieces of 

equipment should be offered with these 

options. Likewise, there is a “less-is-more” 

minimalist mindset based on aesthetics, but 

also used for the practical reasoning of how 

expensive commercial real estate is with 

the subsequent cost per square foot playing 

a huge role in these choices,” he says. “It 

works to a distinct advantage for both 

restaurateurs needing equipment to be 

smaller, more efficient, multifunctional, 

et cetera, and manufacturers having the 

technology available to get equipment that 

can be run from a handheld smartphone 

from anywhere in the world.” 

The industry is also seeing a renewed 

focus on energy-efficient, environmentally 

friendly equipment choices. 

“In Canada, energy-0efficient equipment 

choices have been a focus for several years 

as the federal and provincial governments 

offer significant rebates on Energy Star 

rated units,” says Rodricks. “It is a winwin 

situation because the slightly higher 

upfront cost is offset a great deal (if not 

entirely) by the programs on offer.” 

“I know there is such a large focus on 

the environment and sustainability and on 

a larger corporate level, this is addressed, 

but most people look for speed to turn out 

meals,” says Collis. “People still love gas. 

I have not seen a dramatic switch from 

that. At home I use induction and would 

never use gas because it’s great technology. 

[Equipment choices] will evolve a bit 

slower for restaurateurs and manufacturers, 

as this relies on heavy engineering 

and design — which is one thing our 

manufacturers no longer have.” 

UP AND RUNNING 

A recent study predicts North America 

is projected to be a prominent regional 

market for foodservice equipment, 

owing to high demand for replacement 

and renovations post pandemic. It’s a 

prediction Rodricks says his company is 

already seeing come to fruition. 

“We’re absolutely seeing this in our 

business. Restaurant equipment in general 

tends to work better and stay in reasonably 

Danny Collis, principal, 

Collis Group Inc., says 

his company’s filter-pad 

technology is addressing 

cost-savings in the struggling 

restaurant industry. “We 

showed one chain that if they 

rolled it out for every store, 

they would save $1 million 

annually. We are working hard 

getting that word out and we 

have double sales this year, 

but there is more room to 

help people. 

He says hood technology 

that will help people save 

money on maintenance 

is gaining traction, but 

selling it is not without its 

challenges. “Again, getting 

someone’s time to discuss 

this is extremely hard,” he 

says, adding he’s seeing 

growing interest in any piece 

of equipment, such as rapidcook 

technology, that will 

help address labour costs. 

good shape if it is used on a regular basis. 

When you stop using it for any length of 

time, and then try to start it back up again 

— some pieces tend to break down. We 

can measure this by the influx of “rush” 

orders that came in immediately following 

the re-opening of restaurants after each 

shutdown. This is part of what prompted 

the supply-chain slowdown. Operators who 

were hit with the reality that the equipment 

they want may be subject to several months 

of waiting before product could be delivered 

reconsidered their wants vs needs.” 

Instead, he says, many of them took 

this time to make renovations and make 

do with what they had so that they could 

order the equipment they wanted and do a 

renovation. “We have been seeing this for 

the past 18 months and expect the trend to 

continue well into 2023.” 

“Our demand right now is quite large 

we are going to have a huge year,” says 

Collis. “Our colleagues in the U.S. have 

already seen the past few weeks slow down. 

There is a recession out there and there 

could be a huge pull back before we get 

really busy. So, I’m not as bullish moving 

forward into 2023.” FH 



THE MANY 

FACES of 

POS 

POS integration is helping 

restaurateurs weather 

operational challenges 

BY DENISE DEVEAU 

ISTOCK.COM/LYNDON STRATFORD; 

The point-of-sale (POS) landscape 

has changed significantly since the 

start of the pandemic. A sudden uptake 

in takeout and new protocols drove 

countless operations to look to POS 

innovation to bring order to the chaos 

of upended business models. Even 

larger restaurants turned to cloud-based 

systems that catered to the independent 

and small-chain restaurant sector. 



“We started [targeting] independent and 

small-chain segments, but we’re now seeing 

very, very large businesses coming to us. It’s 

all inverted. Now the big ones want what the 

smaller ones have,” says Bryan Solar, head of 

Restaurants, Square in Austin, Texas. 

“The idea of the standalone POS is 

antiquated,” says Solar. “It’s much more a 

restaurant-operating system now that brings 

traditional POS functions, handheld devices, 

online and delivery and takeout orders and 

third-party apps together.” 

Even coming out of the pandemic, current 

conditions are driving integrated POS system 

adoption even more, says Samir Zabaneh, 

chairman and CEO TouchBistro in Toronto. 

“For one thing, consumer habits have 

changed forever. They now want omnichannel 

services to be available for 

ordering, delivery, pickup or 

dining in.” 

Square 

Terminal 

Touch Bistro 

Secondly, he says rising costs are making 

operators think more about profitability, 

driving a need for more insightful 

management tools. “The old concept of 

using notebooks and summarizing purchases 

against revenues is no longer working. They 

need to get into the details of pricing different 

recipes and re-thinking their approach to 

inventory,” says Zabaneh. 

“We are in an industry where margins are so 

compressed, they need the technology tools to 

succeed,” says Peter Dougherty, general manager 

of Hospitality at Lightspeed in Montreal. 

Labour shortages have become 

another driver behind the shift in 

POS systems, says Zabaneh. “Right now, 

restaurants need to ensure the right forecasting 

and find ways to keep loyal employees.” 

“Labour shortages continue to be a real 

pain for restaurants,” says Solar. “Because they 

are struggling to bring in new[customers], 

they are increasingly leaning on technology 

to be the lifeboat, whether it’s for online or 

mobile ordering, or servers taking orders.” 

The added power 

of integration 

The big focus last year for TouchBistro 

was online-ordering platforms with direct 

seamless integration into POS and related 

CRM and marketing tools, reports Zabaneh. 

“With third-party delivery apps, restaurants 

are realizing they are delivering services to 

guest they don’t know. Two years ago, it was 

all fragmented.” 

Solar adds that integration has moved 

well beyond order and payment processing. 

“True back-of-house integration with 

kitchen-display systems makes operations 

much more efficient. There’s also a lot 

happening with reporting.” 

Vince Farago, general manager, The Fifth 

Social Club Entertainment Complex in 

Toronto, says it switched to Square to run 

POS functions for its four venues, including 

the kitchen-display systems. “The biggest 

reason for the switchover was the back end. 

Integration has allowed us to track things 

more easily and follow through. 

Now everything is connected.” 

Farago also pulls nightly reports off the 

system to help assess any menu changes or 

other adjustments needed. “I can manage it 

all remotely. Reporting makes it very easy for 

me to check sales. If there’s an issue with a 

credit card, we can look that up easily. And 

it’s all integrated with delivery and 

takeout. Orders go right to the 

kitchen-display system.” 

The online 

onslaught 

One major change over 

the past two years was 

a massive shift to online 

ordering for operations 

that had never had to 

consider it before, says 

Dougherty. “It was 

the first time many 

restaurants dipped 

into cloud and modern 

technology. Now as we emerge 

from the pandemic, restaurants 

are busier than ever, and are 

doubling down on technology to stay 

open and handle the volumes. Tech 

adoption is not slowing but accelerating.” 

Anna Jakubiak, manager at Gatto Bistro 


in Toronto, says the lockdown 

turned the tables for her 

establishment from being a fullservice 

restaurant with minimal 

takeout to 100-per-cent takeout. 

“During the pandemic, our 

online ordering had to be very 

strong but our POS system 

was not good enough. I had to 

come in to check the computer 

and see if I wanted to do any 

changes. After the lockdown hit, 

we got so busy we had to create 

an entire system that would 

make it all work.” 

The Lightspeed system 

they have now integrates with 

the Deliverix delivery-service 

system. “It automatically sends 

tickets to the order system, 

and I can see the orders on 

my iPad,” she explains. “I 

can control the system from 

wherever I am located.” 

Everything there 

is to know 

Reporting has also become 

increasingly intuitive and detailed. 

Reporting systems can now 

inform managers in real time 

whether kitchens are behind or 

ahead, which is helpful when 

timing orders, particularly when 

dealing with in-house and online 

order volumes. “Historically it was 

more an art than a science,” says 

Solar. “With omnichannel orders, 

you need to make sure you don’t 

overburden the kitchen.” 

“Those touching technology 

for the first time are amazed 

by the insights technology can 

bring, such as margins on 

different food items,” says 

Dougherty. “Maybe the 

margins are higher on 

pizza than a burger 

for example, but 

the most loyal 

repeat customers 

come back for 

the burger. 

That level 

of insight is 

mind blowing 

for restaurants.” 

POS systems can also help 

to manage tables, track costs, 

and power recommendations, 

he adds “It can tell you if the 

kitchen isn’t fast enough and 

offer many other insights.” 

What’s next 

A new trend emerging is 

bringing deliveries back in 

house, reports Solar. “We are 

seeing companies like VROMO 

that can be integrated with 

online ordering and prioritize 

multiple deliveries to create the 

most efficient routes possible. 

It’s a super powerful tool that 

can save the costs of thirdparty 

delivery services and help 

protect margins.” 

Square’s focus moving 

forward is on live sales reporting 

so managers can understand 

their sales costs in real time 

in multiple locations. “We’re 

building a lot of tools to help 

people better understand what is 

happening in their businesses.” 

Zabaneh believes POS 

systems will be able to gain 

even more insight on the guest 

side. “Guest engagement will be 

crucial moving forward. That 

level of insight will be top of 

mind for restaurateurs.” FH 

Touch Bistro 




If the 

Tech Fits 

A little technology innovation can 

go a long way for bar operations 

BY DENISE DEVEAU 

BAR 

operations are facing a climate 

of razor-thin margins as costs 

of doing business continue to 

rise “Margin is top of mind 

for restaurants,” says Granett 

Douglas, VP Foodservice, GBS 

Foodservice Equipment Inc. in Oakville, Ont. “But bars were probably 

hit the hardest during the lockdowns. Operators have to think about 

everything — even how much ice to put in a glass.” 

Neil Baker, Hospitality Operations manager for Kensington 

Brewing Company in Toronto agrees. “Margins are shaved right 

down. If you’re doing 10 per cent these days that’s amazing, and if 

it’s five per cent you’re doing something right. Now we’re looking at 

slightly under five per cent if you don’t want to raise pricing and start 

gouging customers.” 

Operators must look at every possible area to maintain their 

profitability, says Baker. “Previously a per cent here or there didn’t 

matter. Now we’re having to look at a half of a quarter per cent to 

maintain our effectiveness and profitability.” 

There are a number of innovations that can help operators 

maintain those margins, from automating routine tasks and 


integrating back-of-house systems to labour-saving equipment and 

self-service technologies. Here are few examples. 

TAKING THE LABOUR OUT OF THE EQUATION 

David McCullough, managing director and founder of Freepour 

Beverage Management in Mississauga, Ont. says its wireless 

ScanChecker device can scan and weigh 20 bottles per minute and can 

interface with 15 food-and-beverage solutions and 100 POS solutions. 

“Labour is as thin as it can be. The beverage category is low-hanging 

fruit. You can get three to four-per-cent savings with systems like this.” 

People used to buy the scale because they thought bartenders might 

be stealing, he adds. “Now they are doing it to save labour costs. This 

takes a function that used to require two people down to one person 

who can complete it in a quarter of the time with more accuracy.” 

PourMyBeer, an intelligent self-service beverage system, allows 

consumers to dispense their own drinks, including beer, wine or 

pre-mixed cocktails that are charged by the ounce. The combined 

hardware/software concept has made its way into Canada in provinces 

where self-service options are allowed. 

Because the unit integrates with POS and other backend systems, 

everything is processed in real time, says Tana Rulkova, VP of 


Marketing, Wheeling, Ill. “Customers open a tab, present their 

ID and credit card for verification, and the system will show 

their spending while they are pouring, and it can all be managed 

by a single person.” 

Another labour-saving equipment technology worth a look 

for wine bars is a glass-polishing machine, says Douglas. “If you 

have a high-end wine bar and servers polishing glasses by hand, 

the machine can do 350 wine glasses in an hour with just one 

person and eliminate breakage.” 

KNOWING YOUR NUMBERS 

“Shrinking, pilferage…you really need to know your numbers,” 

says Glenn Murphy, CEO, Restaurant and Bar Guru in Los 

Angeles. “Technology plays a good part as far as tracking things 

go. POS is really the key. It can be a great tool for inventory 

control and analyzing labour costs. These days, you need to 

squeeze out every nickel you can out of everything.” 

“Shrinkage is a big part of our business. Things can walk out 

the door when your back is turned. You need to keep an eye on 

that,” says Baker. 

Kensington’s integrated Square POS system has been critical 

in managing operations, says Baker. “The tap room is our 

highest profit centre. We also do quite well on delivery apps. 

Integrating Ritual into the whole system became a big thing for 

us during the pandemic.” 

From accounting to staff, information flow is seamless, adds 

Baker. “Everything integrates with our Xero accounting software. 

It allows us to upload and download from Square, while we use 

the Ekos system for tracking our products. We try to act like a 

mom-and-pop shop up front, but in the back end we’re acting 

as a corporation.” 

BUMPING UP THE BUYING POWER 

Beyond technology for cost-cutting measures, there’s no harm 

in investing in new technologies to increase revenues. “There are 

new trends within the bar-equipment category that can translate 

into profits,” says Douglas. 

A commercial juicing machine is a great way to improve 

margins and a popular add-on item in European operations, he 

says. “One brand, Zummo automatic citrus juice machine, can 

deliver a gross margin on freshly squeezed juice of over 70 per 

cent — that’s more than coffee.” 

The Minipak infuser is a compact vacuum sealer that is 

gaining popularity with mixologists in the U.S., says Douglas. 

“It’s very new to Canada. They can infuse anything on the fly 

with fruits or other flavours. So instead of stocking 17 bottles 

of vodka, you can have one and use fruit to create a higher 

margin product you can charge a price premium for. Innovative 

products like these are providing innovative solutions that 

amplify your margins.” FH 

PourMyBeer 

system at 

Navigagor Taproom 

(below) 



TECH 

SUPPORT 

Amid staffing shortages and rising 

costs, operators are turning to tech 

to automate and streamline backof-house 

processes 

BY JESSICA HURAS 

COLE SALADINO 

From QR code menus to contactless 

payment, the pandemic spurred 

a front-of-house technology 

revolution for many restaurants. 

As operators continue to grapple 

with rising costs and labour 

shortages, however, they’re discovering tech 

can be equally valuable in solving problems 

behind-the-scenes, too. 

Square’s 2022 Future of Restaurant trend 

report found that 99 per cent of restaurants 

surveyed believed increased automation for 

back-of-house operations would allow staff to 

focus on more important tasks. 

“One of the things we see a lot of is 

restaurants turning to technology, not 

necessarily because they want to, but because 

they have to,” says Bryan Solar, head of 

Restaurants at San Francisco-based Square. “For 

a really long time, labour has been the number-1 

challenge that restaurants face and that problem 

has been pretty dramatically exacerbated.” 

As restaurants strive to stay afloat with 

reduced staff, Jordan Huck, CEO of Torontobased 

Notch, says automation can free up 

critical staff time. 

“That back-of-house procurement process, 

it takes chefs out of what they want to be doing 

and instead, they’re on the phones or on web 

portals and placing orders out to these wholesale 

distributors,” he explains. “We can automate 

all this manual work.” Notch’s software, for 

example, allows operators to order, invoice and 

pay for supplies online via a single platform. 

As many operators struggle with high 

staff turnover, Solar notes that intuitive techbased 

systems can streamline the onboarding 

process for new employees. “If it’s a hard 

system to learn or you’re using a bunch of 

internal-only lingo, that new hire actually 

takes a while to ramp up,” he explains. 

“Whereas with a tech system that makes 

sense, they walk in and 20 minutes later 

they’re [saying], ‘I get it. I’m good.’” 

Solar adds that smart technology can also 

make it easier for staff to jump into different 

roles when needed. “It’s giving people the 

flexibility to adapt when maybe someone who 

previously did certain jobs doesn’t show up,” 

he says. “But also, people that are working, 

they’re more efficient so that they can crank 

stuff out faster.” 

Square’s kitchen-display system, for 

example, allows orders to be funneled 

to specific prep stations. Solar says some 

operators are leveraging this feature to create 

separate stations dedicated to dine-in and 

online takeout orders. “So maybe this part 

of the kitchen is only fulfilling online orders 

and we know to put them into boxes instead 

of plating them,” he explains. “We know all 

of these things that historically were a lot of 

manual communication.” 

In addition, with the rising cost of 

ingredients weighing heavily on the minds 

of many operators, back-of-house tech can 

also play a role in helping restaurants manage 

their expenses. Montreal-based Lightspeed 

recently launched inventory management 

software, which the company’s general 

manager of Hospitality, Peter Dougherty, says 

can aid in cutting costs by minimizing food 

waste, tracking supplier price changes and 

evaluating the profit margin on menu items. 

Ultimately, the data provided by tech 

gives operators a powerful tool for decisionmaking. 

“We’re trying to take the tools these 

big companies have access to and make it 

accessible and understandable for a small 

business,” says Dougherty. 

While implementing new systems can 

feel intimidating at a time when money 

and resources are already stretched thin, 

Solar says integrating back-of-house tech 

can be a gamechanger for restaurants. “It’s 

kind of sad because sometimes I’ll go into 

a restaurant and [saying], ‘you’re doing this 

on hard mode. It doesn’t have to be this 

hard,’” he says. 

“That fear of change is keeping people in 

a prison of what they’ve done in the past…A 

lot of people think of restaurant management 

as more art than science and I think that’s 

true, but science also helps a lot.” FH 



PROFILE 

Glowbal 

Goals 

The Roof 

Glowbal Restaurant Group has become a 

powerhouse in the fine-dining segment 

BY NICOLE DI TOMASSO 

Black+Blue Wagyu 

For Vancouver-based 

Glowbal Restaurant 

Group (GRG), 

the overwhelming 

success of its 

flagship restaurant, 

Glowbal, in 2002 

is what opened the 

door to expansion. 

Today, its portfolio comprises eight brands 

employing more than 1,100 staff, including 

Glowbal, Coast, Italian Kitchen, The Roof, 

Black+Blue, Five Sails, Trattoria and Riley’s, 

which opened in May 2022. 

“Glowbal was a hit,” says Emad Yacoub, 

president and CEO of GRG, and Foodservice 

and Hospitality’s 2013 Independent 

Restaurateur of the Year. “It was the place 

everyone wanted to go, including professional 

hockey players and celebrities shooting films. 

We’ve had paparazzi at the door. It has grown 

organically and has become one of the most 

popular restaurants in Vancouver.” 

At only 19, Yacoub immigrated to Canada 

from Egypt and began working at Toronto’s 

Harbour Castle Hilton as a kitchen helper. 

Later on, he became the chef de cuisine at 

the King Edward Hotel. From there, he was 

recruited by Vancouver-based Joe Fortes 

Seafood & Chophouse where he worked for 

two years before deciding to build his own 

empire. Yacoub’s university background in 

accounting has been beneficial for tracking 

cash flows to grow the business. 

Yacoub says GRG’s success, in large part, is 

credited to its team members. In 2011, Yacoub 

selected two senior managers, who had been 

with him since the beginning, to be part 

owners. “The secret [for developing a good 

team] is if you meet people that [want to do 

well for both you and the business], give them 

a piece of the action. Don’t be cheap.” 

Over the years, this belief has allowed 

GRG to achieve impressive results. When 

COVID-19 forced the temporary closure of 

GRG's flagship 

restaurant, Glowbal 

restaurants, the company renovated The Roof, 

atop of Black+Blue, and installed a beautiful 

patio garden at Italian Kitchen. Currently, 

Coast is being re-vamped. The pandemic also 

afforded the company time to take control 

of its finances, ramp up pickup and delivery 

services, participate in community initiatives 

and think about the future direction of the 

business. In comparison to 2019, Yacoub says 

the company is up nearly 40 per cent in sales. 



Riley's Seafood Tower 

H MERENDA 

This year marks the company’s 20th 

anniversary. With that, GRG has plans to 

open its first-ever Black+Blue concept at 

the Exchange Tower in Toronto’s Financial 

District. The iconic steakhouse was also the 

recipient of Tripadvisor’s 2021 Travellers’ 

Choice Award for Top 10 per cent of 

Restaurants Worldwide. 

“We secured the best location in Toronto,” 

says Yacoub. “It was the heartbeat of the 

Financial District in Toronto. There were a lot 

of people competing for the space, but many 

of them pulled out when COVID hit. I still 

went for it because the city is my home and 

I’ve been wanting to come back to Toronto for 

the last 10 years.” 

Slated to open in March 2023, Black+Blue 

Toronto will occupy roughly 9,000 sq. ft., plus 

a 2,000-sq.-ft. garden. Its interior has been 

outfitted by Navigate Design, led by Ken Lam, 

co-founder and principal designer. When 

asked about the restaurant’s atmosphere, 

Yacoub says it’s one where people can envision 

“Frank Sinatra sitting in a booth, sipping a 

martini and smoking a cigar.” 

The 220-seat restaurant will be helmed by 

executive chef Morgan Bellis, who’s currently 

in Vancouver working on menu development, 

Black+Blue Vancouver 

with plans to move back to Toronto in either 

November or December to prepare for the 

opening. Black+Blue is one of few restaurants 

that offer certified Japanese Kobe beef rib eye 

and striploin. Other standout items include 

Japanese A5 Wagyu Rib Eye ($27 per ounce), 

striploin ($29 per ounce) or tenderloin ($35 

Riley's 

per ounce), chilled seafood platter ($200), 

Beef Wellington ($58); coq au vin ($36) and 

Ahi tuna tataki ($21). 

Fortunately, Yacoub says he hasn’t had a hard 

time hiring staff for the new location. With 

the pandemic prompting more conversations 

about the nature of restaurant work, Yacoub says 

maintaining a work-life balance is key. 

“When I interviewed managers in Toronto, 

every single one of them said they average 

between 70 to 90 hours per week,” says 

Yacoub. “For us, my maximum expectation 

for managers is 50 hours. They were shocked 

when I told them that.” 

Yacoub has ambitious goals for the future. 

By the end of 2024, he hopes to hit $100 

million in sales. By 2028, the goal is to hit 

$200 million. “I’m hoping that once things 

work out for us in Toronto, we can start to 

bring in other concepts because the market 

will appreciate it.” FH 



LEADERSHIP 

CONNECTION 

TO RETENTION 

HIRING MORE PEOPLE WON’T FIX THE LABOUR 

SHORTAGE, ONLY A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP WILL 

BY MATT ROLFE 

As I write 

this article, 

companies such 

as Technomic 

are reporting 

the average 

restaurant in North America is 

experiencing a 17-per-cent labour 

shortage. To round up every 

restaurant, this means every shift is 

short two out of 10 people. As we 

transition into the fall season, most 

restaurants prioritize full staffing for 

the front of house (FOH), meaning 

many back-of-house (BOH) 

operations are missing three to four 

out of 10 people every shift. 

If you’re a restaurateur, I know 

you’re aware of this challenge 

as you’re experiencing it every 

day. The fact is, most restaurants 

have been experiencing this 

since re-opening during the 

pandemic and are getting 

increasingly frustrated with their 

inability to fix the problem. In 

my experience, we can make 

tweaks to our hiring process that 

will help attract people to your 

operation, however, what will 

fix this challenge is making the 

changes that need to be made to 

improve retention. The pandemic 

did not create this problem; it 

simply worsened a pre-existing 

retention challenge in our 

industry. I can tell you from 

coaching the top 10 per cent of 

hospitality operations for the last 

15 years — the only way to make 

a change in your management 

and staffing retention is to 

make changes to how you lead, 

build trust and consistently 

communicate with your people. 

COMMITMENT TO 

COMMUNICATION 

Throughout the pandemic, I’ve 

received dozens of calls from 

leaders and managers looking to 

leave their current restaurant or 

restaurant group. The number-1 

reason they were looking to leave 

is they felt the senior leaders of the 

company stopped communicating 

with them and they could no 

longer see where they fit in the 

plans for the company. 

When people don’t know where 

they fit in their current tribe, it 

causes fear, lack of trust and drives 

their need to find somewhere 

they feel they belong. The way 

to build trust is to ensure you 

communicate the following 

with the team consistently and 

relentlessly: the vision for the 

ISTOCK.COM/YUTTHANA GAETGEAW 


LEADERSHIP 

company; the vision for the team; 

and how your leaders, managers 

and staff are needed and 

contribute to achieving the 

overall vision and goals. 

RECOGNIZE, CELEBRATE, 

REWARD 

The last couple of years have felt like 

crashing waves of challenge, stress and 

strain for many in the industry. At 

this point, many felt we would be 

rebounding and improving, but the 

fact is it’s just as challenging now as it 

was at the peak of the pandemic. One of 

the ways to change how your team 

feels is to change what it focuses 

on. Where focus goes, energy 

flows — if you’re focused 

on the negative or the gap 

between where you are and 

where you want to be, then 

that will weigh heavy on you and 

your team. I’m not asking you to ignore the 

challenges we’re facing. As leaders we have 

the opportunity to help our team tweak 

or change what they focus on by building 

a recognition-focused culture. Simply put, 

positive recognition can change your culture 

in a matter of days if done consistently 

and in a genuine way. I recommend having 

someone on your team be responsible and 

own recognition practices to ensure the team 

stays committed and focused. They need to 

answer the following questions: who will 

be recognized for what, when and how and 

what is the budget? Then they need to track 

recognition interactions and ensure the 

budget, no matter how big or small, is spent 

every week/month. 

PATH TO LEADERSHIP 

In the interview process — or at the very 

least in an employee’s first week working for 

your restaurant — they need to know what is 

expected of them, how they will be measured, 

how they succeed and what the average 

amount of time in each position is. Creating 

clarity and expectations for new employees is 

critical to retain top-performing staff. 

Here is the flip side of the coin and the 

real benefit to a path to leadership: It not 

only ensures that new and existing hires 

know how they can learn, develop and grow 

in your organization, it also ensures your 


SIMPLY PUT, POSITIVE 

RECOGNITION CAN 

CHANGE YOUR CULTURE 

IN A MATTER OF DAYS 

IF DONE CONSISTENTLY 

AND IN A GENUINE WAY 

leaders and managers are committed to the 

development of your people. Once you 

share your path to leadership, it becomes a 

commitment that should be part of a simple 

and powerful frequent conversation with 

your staff. 

FIRST WHO, THEN WHAT 

Nothing kills company culture and the 

retention of great employees more than 

holding onto employees that no longer fit 

the team. Most of us in our careers have held 

onto a team member when we know they no 

longer fit the team or in many cases do not 

want to be on the team any longer. This is 

what I call the ‘quit and stay.’ They might be 

doing a good job, but they play by their own 

rules, or they are no longer doing the job in 

a way that meets your expectations, but you 

hold onto them out of fear of not being able 

to find a replacement. 

The challenge is not your relationship 

with that employee, it’s how the rest of 

your team views your ability to make the 

decisions and changes that need to be 

made. Not making these changes causes 

top-performing employees to lose trust 

in their leadership. I know it’s hard, but 

especially now, we need to focus on the 

right people in the right position who 

believe in our vision and goals. 

TOGETHER, ONE TEAM 

This is a core value for my two companies — 

a simple statement that ensures we all stay 

focused on our collective results as a team. If 

silos start to rise up across departments, 

between leaders or for a current project, 

we need to ground ourselves by re-visiting 

and discussing that we are all on the same 

team. No matter the position, or the title, 

we cannot achieve the results we want and 

deserve if we don’t do these two things: play 

our positions to the best of our ability every 

day and stay focused on the collective results 

we’re achieving as a team 

In order for your retention results to 

change, we first need to make changes in our 

leadership. You don’t need to do all the steps 

above — focus on one area, go all in and 

make the changes needed. If nothing changes, 

nothing changes and change starts with your 

leadership team making the commitment to 

consistent and relentless change that helps 

your team, your guests and your operation. FH 

Matt Rolfe is a coach, 

speaker, bestselling author 

and entrepreneur. For 

support or more leadership 

insights, email matt@ 

mattrolfe.com 


CONTRACTS 

SIGN HERE 

The case for employment contracts in the restaurant industry 

BY ALLAN D.J. DICK 

Labour shortages, labour 

uncertainty and staff training 

are three of the hottest topics 

affecting the restaurant industry 

as regulatory controls designed to 

address the spread of COVID-19 

have lifted, and Canada settles in 

to living with the pandemic and 

adjusting to its cumulative effects 

from the past two-and-a-half years. 

Against that backdrop, while the use of 

written employment contracts has never been 

the norm for the restaurant industry, it’s argued 

here that these businesses can utilize them 

to help address the unique labour challenges 

now faced by the industry. For businesses that 

already use written employment contracts, it’s 

recommended that those contracts be reviewed 

to address their current enforceability as a result 

of recent court decisions. 

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS 

PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY 

The fundamental benefit of an employment 

contract is to give the employer flexibility in 

how the employee can be employed. By way 

of a few typical scenarios demonstrating the 

need for such flexibility, in many restaurants 

these days, managers are increasingly needed 

to work the floor, the bar and the kitchen. 

Without provision for this flexibility in an 

employment contract, a manager might 

claim to be constructively dismissed if, for 

example, they are required to fill the role of a 

dishwasher for any extended period of time. 

Similar concerns may arise for an employer 

with various locations that requires its 

employees work at the different locations as 

directed by the employer. To the extent this 

possibility was not set out in an employment 

contract, depending on the degree of 

hardship involved in attending multiple 

business sites, an employee may have 

grounds to resist such direction. As another 

common example, consider also the need for 

the ability to vary or increase an employee’s 

scheduled working hours, or location where 

they work, with little notice to respond to 

issues arising from staff shortages. 

THE CONTENT OF 

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS 

While a review of the full range of potential 

content in a written employment contract 

for use in the restaurant industry is beyond 

the scope of this article, the following list 

touches on a number of key provisions for 

consideration by an employer when drafting 

such agreements: 

Bonuses/ profit-sharing – A written 

employment contract can address with much 

ISTOCK.COM/KAZUMA SEKI 


certainty how any bonus or profit-sharing 

entitlement will work. For example, it’s not 

uncommon for the discretionary nature of 

any bonuses to be described in language 

which protects the employer and which 

also make such bonuses payable only if the 

employee is employed at the time the benefit 

is stated to be payable. 

Compliance with vaccination policies – A 

written employment contract can specify 

whether and to what extent the employee is 

required to comply with vaccination policies 

and what may or may not be required in 

the case of any illness or symptomatology. 

Whether contained in a written employment 

agreement or not, it’s important that you 

obtain advice on your vaccination policies as 

there are human rights and accommodation 

issues that arise that should be addressed 

when formulating such policies. 

Restrictive post-termination covenants 

– Although non-competition agreements 

for non-senior executives are invalid 

in Ontario and in many cases in other 

provinces, there are measures an employer 

can take to obtain related protections in the 

circumstance of a departing employee. For 

example, an employer can be specific as to 

which intellectual property it is entitled to 

protect and how it will do so. Those lawful 

protections are best set out in an employment 

contract, the fact of which also serves as 

evidence of the employer’s genuine interest 

in protecting its property. 

Modification to benefits – Businesses may 

also want the flexibility to modify any 

benefits they may provide to their 

employees. The right to 

change or cancel 

benefits is a matter which can be included in 

a written employment agreement. 

Layoff provisions – A written employment 

contract can also contain an express right 

of the employer to lay an employee off for 

a limited period of time without the layoff 

being considered a constructive dismissal at 

law. This is a very important consideration 

given the experience during the pandemic 

where employers were required to ask 

employees not to come in from time to 

time and for lengthy periods. Fortunately, 

the government also addressed this issue by 

regulation to support employers during the 

pandemic, but a properly-worded contract 

can avoid the problem. 

Notice requirements – A written 

employment contract can set out how much 

notice the employee may have to give if 

they want to quit. Subject to the minimum 

requirements provided for in provincial 

employment-standards legislation, the 

contract can also specify the required notice 

that the employer must give in a withoutcause 

termination situation. The parties 

can also agree on the circumstances in 

which the contract will be determined to be 

“frustrated” or terminated as a matter of law, 

for example, if the employee 

is unable to work for a 

certain extended period 

due to any prolonged 

health issues. Courts 

do tend to be extremely 

rigorous in their analysis of 

these provisions such that any 

deficiency will tend to invalidate them in 

favour of the employee. The likelihood of 

such provisions surviving a challenge is 

increased if notice is not limited to minimum 

employment standards requirements but 

rather include something more, even if less 

than common law notice. 

Termination provisions – A written 

employment agreement is particularly useful in 

defining what constitutes cause for dismissal, 

which would allow the employer to terminate 

the employee’s employment without any notice 

or pay in lieu of notice, such as in the instance 

of fraud, theft or deception. Based on recent 

authority, dismissal for cause is viewed strictly 

by courts and will not be enforced unless the 

conduct is extremely serious as reflected by 

these examples. 

Severability – A written employment 

contract should contain a provision that allows 

any provision which may be found to be 

unenforceable severable from the balance of the 

contract so that the balance remains enforceable. 

ALTERNATIVE MEASURES 

As an alternative to requiring the employee 

sign an employment contract, before their 

employment begins, an employee can instead 

approve a description of their prospective role 

which is broadly drafted to address certain of 

the issues identified above. For the employer 

who may want to avoid the formality of a 

more-detailed contract, this is a minimum 

best practice. 

If a prospective worker is in fact an 

independent contractor and not an employee, 

and the business wants to ensure the person 

is categorized as such, a written independent- 



Back to Basics 

Before discussing the specific content 

of written employment contracts, you 

should review some basic principles and 

considerations applicable to all employment 

contracts: 

➡ in order for these contracts to be 

valid, they must be entered into 

before the employee starts their 

employment; 

➡ if an employee does not have a 

contract, one can be presented to them 

for required acceptance at the time of 

any proposed promotion or new benefit, 

such as a raise in pay, or bonus; 

➡ if an employee does have an 

employment contract, depending on 

its terms, a new one can be presented 

to them for required acceptance 

at the time of any proposed promotion 

or proposed new benefit; 

➡ employees are not required to obtain 

legal advice before entering into an 

agreement; however, as a best 

practice, they should be encouraged to 

do so, or at least given a reasonable 

opportunity to do so; 

➡ in some provinces employees cannot 

be bound to post termination non- 

competition covenants. In Ontario, this 

restriction generally applies to all non- 

senior executive positions; 

➡ many employers use employment 

contracts to limit the amount 

of common-law notice they 

must give to an employee when 

they want to terminate them for 

reasons other than for cause. 

The industry has typically not 

resorted to written contracts as 

this is usually not a serious concern 

for restaurateurs. To that end, most 

employees are not employed long 

enough by the same employer for 

this to matter much; employees who 

are let go can easily mitigate their 

damages in markets such as this; 

and the amounts in issue are not 

particularly significant for most 

employers. 

contractor agreement rather than an 

employment contract is strongly recommended. 

There are many critical differences between 

employees and independent contractors, 

which can affect the content of a business’s 

written independent-contractor agreement. 

For example, independent contractors are not 

entitled to the various rights and protections 

contained in provincial employment 

standards legislation, such as in respect of 

termination rights, rights to disconnect, 

vacation pay, et cetera. It’s also noted that 

a business is not required to withhold and 

remit for income tax payable by a worker 

or to comply with other governmentrequired 

deductions where that worker is 

an independent contractor (as opposed to 

with employees). The taxing authorities, 

however, will look at the substance of the 

arrangement to determine if employment 

taxation applies regardless of the way the 

parties have described their agreement. 

A mischaracterization can be costly to a 

business if monies are found due to the 

government. To that end, and without being 

exhaustive, critical indicia of an employment 

versus an independent-contractor relationship 

include the business’s control (or lack 

thereof) over hours worked, the worker’s right 

or inability to work for multiple businesses, 

the full-time nature of the work, and the 

ability to exercise control over and provide 

direction to the worker. In addition to taxing 

authorities, other governmental agencies such 

as labour boards and workers’ compensation 

can scrutinize these arrangements and decide 

the matter on the basis of substance over 

form. Legal advice should be obtained before 

characterizing a relationship as that of an 

independent contractor. 

FURTHER INCENTIVES 

In addition to the foregoing benefits of 

utilizing written employment contracts, these 

contracts are easy to prepare and can be 

drafted in a general template form applicable 

to every position within the restaurant, from 

the general manager position down to various 

part-time worker roles. 

However, it is crucial to note that any 

template that was not drafted by a human 

resources/employment law specialist in 2022 

may contain unenforceable provisions or, at 

worst, may be unenforceable in its totality. 

For example, as noted above, an employment 

contract that contains an unenforceable 

non-competition provision, but which fails 

to also contain a “severability” clause, may 

not be enforceable at all. For businesses with 

employment contracts like this, it’s important 

to seek legal advice to determine what 

strategies are available to them to address this 

potential concern. To avoid this and other 

pitfalls, it is best not to use an old form of 

employment contract, but to obtain advice 

on preparing a current form reflecting up-todate 

industry best practices. Furthermore, 

it is also highly recommended that existing 

employment contracts be reviewed regularly 

by legal professionals to ensure they remain 

in compliance with the law. Courts regularly 

issue employment decisions, some of which 

can materially change the responsibilities of 

employers and impact the enforceability of 

contracts or contractual provisions. 

In addition to drafting written 

employment contracts in response to new 

legal decisions and employment standards 

legislation, there are numerous other pieces of 

legislation that impact employers’ obligations 

to employees, including those relating to 

workers compensation, occupational healthand-safety 

matters, and human rights. 

Whether or not a business is preparing new 

employment contracts or updating existing 

contracts, it’s always advisable for employers 

to proactively undertake periodic reviews of 

their obligations or have access to resources 

which update them on what they need to 

know when managing any sized work force. 

For example, we have come across a number 

of Ontario restaurants that inadvertently 

missed recent legislative amendments which 

require them to make their washroom 

facilities available to those participating 

in the gig economy, such as third-party 

delivery drivers. With that in mind, it is 

recommended that employers review the 

Future of Work Report which can be found at 

Ontario.ca/document/future-work-Ontario 

to get a glimpse at where future government 

regulation may occur. FH 

Sotos LLP, assists many 

franchisors and other 

businesses in the foodserviceand-hospitality 

industry in 

the handling and advising 

on employment-related 

matters affecting them and their systems. If you 

have any questions, please contact the author at 

adjdick@sotos.ca or 416-805-8989. 


SEGMENT SLUG REPORT HERE 

New Kids in the 

DANCEHALL 

Nightclubs are welcoming a generation that’s never clubbed before 

BY SARAH B. HOOD 

Entertainment businesses are subject to a great deal of 

regulation, and none more than the nightclub segment. The 

industry is used to having to comply with rules about room 

occupancy, food safety, alcohol service and noise limits, but nobody 

expected regulators to clamp down on dancing. Not until 2020, that is. 

“We were shut down almost entirely for two years,” says David “Pup” 

Johnston, owner of The Blue Grotto, a legendary 21-and-over livemusic 

club in Kamloops, B.C. “When they said no dancing allowed, we 

said at least we could bring in shows.” But in the fall of 2021, half the 

50 attendees at a live event contracted COVID. 

“Our ventilation system is better than a surgical room, everyone was 

in their seat, they were segregated; the only thing we could figure out is 

that people were probably socializing before and after the show,” he says. 

Yes, it's been a rough few years for the nightclub industry, but 

things are finally looking up. The main challenge for venue operators 

now may be to figure out how to cater to a new crop of adults who’ve 

reached the age of majority during lockdown and don’t know what to 

expect from a night of clubbing. 

REBOUNDING ATTENDANCE 

Before the pandemic, the industry was going through a slow 

period, partly related to changing public attitudes towards alcohol 

consumption; then COVID closed venues entirely. Global industry 

research firm IBISWorld reports that the Canadian bar and nightclub 

market contracted by 3.3 per cent between 2017 and 2022, but predicts 

8.7-per-cent growth in 2022 as an entertainment-starved population 



SLUG HERE 

INK Entertainment 

gains confidence in attending 

public gatherings again. 

Sector-specific figures are 

tricky to pin down, since 

no single Canadian body is 

responsible for nightclubs. 

Even defining the sector can be 

difficult, says Erin Benjamin, 

president and CEO of the 

Canadian Live Music Association, 

based in Ottawa, which speaks for 

live-music venues. 

“If dancing to a DJ is the 

primary reason people go there, 

it's a nightclub,” she says. “If 

they go for live music, it's a livemusic 

venue.” 

Johnston elaborates: “In a 

concert theatre, you can't dance. 

In a bar, you can drink, but it's 

not a place where you would 

get up and dance. A nightclub 

is that last place you go in the 

evening; it’s the place you go and 

enjoy yourself and dance with a 

stranger.” Complicating matters 

is the fact that some venues 

operate as a restaurant or bar 

in the daytime, but turn into a 

nightclub after dark. Others offer 

DJ dancing through the week and 

live music on weekends. 

OPENING DOORS AGAIN 

In Kamloops, there’s only one 

other true nightclub apart from 

The Blue Grotto, Johnston 

says, but he and his wife Sherri 

Lynn King are in the process of 

re-opening a renowned local spot 

previously called Cactus Jack’s, 

which they are re-branding as 

The Nightshift on Fifth. 

Others are likewise cautiously 

expanding. “The last two years 

were not the right time to open 

a 400-seat nightclub,” says Ryan 

Moreno, CEO and co-founder of 

The Joseph Richard Group, based 

in Surrey, B.C., which operates 

numerous properties across B.C.’s 

Lower Mainland. Now, however, 

the company is re-launching 

Rooster’s, an iconic Fraser Valley 

cabaret, and “we’ve completely 

re-vamped and renovated all the 

spaces,” he says. 

In Toronto, too, things are 

starting to percolate again, 

says Rob Lisi, VP of Marketing 

with Charles Khabouth’s 

INK Entertainment Group. 

“Throughout the pandemic, 

we had to continuously adjust 

and adapt our nightclubs to 

accommodate the various 

restrictions; Cabana Pool Bar, for 

example, re-opened last year as 

an outdoor restaurant instead of 

a day club,” he says. “With that in 

mind, this year we have focused 

on getting our nightclubs and 

day clubs back to ‘normal’ at full 

capacity and providing some 

incredible experiences that our 

guests have been missing.” 

There’s a pent-up demand for 

in-person entertainment, but 

“people are still very cautious,” 

says Erin Benjamin, who notes 

that the 40-plus audience is 

buying fewer event tickets and 

failing to use up to 20 per cent 

of the tickets they do buy. Also, 

she says “we need to be thinking 

about marketing to younger folks 

in a different way.” 

ATTRACTING NEW AUDIENCES 

Inflation, real-estate costs 

and labour shortages 

notwithstanding, an “elevated 

experience” is what today’s 

nightclub guests demand. 

“We have seen a new, younger 

audience emerge at our 

nightclubs, including Rebel and 

Toybox, who weren’t 19 prior to 

the pandemic and want to make 

the most of the bigger nightclub 

experiences they missed out on 

with their friends,” says Lisi. 

With younger nightclub 

patrons, tequila is having a 

moment, as are fruity, low-calorie 

vodka spritzers and hard seltzers 

such as White Claw, Truly, Nude 

and NÜTRL, apparently perceived 

as health-conscious options. The 

“elevated” side of the equation is 

satisfied by craft cocktails, which 

Moreno reports seeing more: 

“made from scratch, with multiple 

components; a lot of them are 

hand-curated ingredients.” 

However, at The Blue Grotto, 

“I have tried to offer craft 

cocktails, but all we’re going 

through is Corona and vodka,” 

says Johnston, who reports that 

“if anything, I've found people 

have simplified their tastes when 

they come to my venue.” 

Based on the demand for 

spritzers and seltzers, “I felt there 

was a trend leading to low- and 

zero-alcohol spirits,” he adds, 

“but nope, people don’t go for 

it.” Instead, he sees familiar 

demographic trends: craft beer 

for the hipsters (“the people 

who wear toques all summer”); 

MATEUS ANDRE 


SLUG HERE 

André Joseph 

Bourque (left) 

and Ryan Richard 

Moreno, cofounder 

of the 

Joseph Richard 

Group 

pilsener for metalheads; PBR 

(Pabst Blue Ribbon) and Miller 

High Life for the punk scene. 

Otherwise, Corona, vodka with 

soda and lime or cranberry juice 

and the ubiquitous seltzers are 

the crowd favourites. 

THE ”APP” IN “APPEALING” 

Social media, which has grown 

significantly over the pandemic, 

is a potent tool for reaching the 

new clubbers, and one that highprofile 

venues such as rapper 

Drake’s History in Toronto are 

using extensively. 

“Instagram has always been 

an effective platform for us, even 

more so since the introduction 

of Reels, which has allowed us to 

create more meaningful content. 

TikTok has extended our reach 

even further, with an opportunity 

to create unique content that 

has longevity and can go viral 

in a short period of time, with 

minimal spend,” says Lisi. 

“In the past, it would take us 

two to three days to create a recap 

video from an event, whereas 

now we can create and post 

content in real time, which drives 

our engagement and allows us to 

post a higher volume of content 

for each venue,” he says. 

But social media can be 

a double-edged sword, say 

other operators. “It gives us 

connectivity to our customers 

in ways we didn’t have before; 

it's also a lot easier for negative 

experiences to get shared really 

quickly,” says Moreno, pointing 

out that instant connectivity 

has upped the ante for food 

presentation, decor and overall 

impact: “The guests’ expectations 

are higher – and they should be.” 

THE LONG VIEW 

The future is “incredibly 

bright,” says Benjamin. “If 

other international markets are 

indicators, things will continue 

to be really positive. As long as 

government understands what 

kind of resources we’ll need, I 

think we’ll come out the other 

side of it.” 

“Evolution is just part of our 

everyday,” says Moreno. “One of 

our passions is to create unique 

experiences; if COVID has shown 

us one thing, it’s that those 

experiences are still appreciated.” FH 



CHEF’S CORNER 

FEELING 

FULFILLED 

Chef Kevin Birch develops culinary offerings 

at The Dorian, Autograph Collection 

BY NICOLE DI TOMASSO 

At age 16, Kevin 

Birch already 

knew he wanted 

to be a chef. At 

17, he trained as 

an apprentice at 

Relais Châteaux’s Millcroft Inn 

& Spa in Alton, Ont. under one 

of Swiss chef Anton Mosimann’s 

top apprentices, chef Freddy 

Stamm. It was there Birch 

learned about fine ingredients 

and culinary artistry. 

“It’s very important to have 

respect for the ingredients you’re 

using,” says Birch. “You must 

get to know the local farmer or 

producer and visit the market 

daily [to] experience the full 

effect from start to finish.” 

After completing his 

apprenticeship program at 

George Brown College in 

Toronto, Birch’s culinary career 

took off. He re-located to B.C. 

where he worked in two of 

Canada’s top-100 restaurants, 

Hart House Restaurant and 

Salmon House on the Hill. Birch 

has also worked for Princess 

Cruise Lines, Fairmont Banff 

Springs as sous chef and the J.W. 

Marriott Hotel Cairo in Egypt as 

executive chef. Upon returning 

to Toronto, he was the executive 

chef at The Rogers Centre and 

went on to become a culinary 

instructor at the Southern 

Alberta Institute of Technology 

(SAIT). In 2016, Birch made 

the leap to entrepreneurship 

with the launch of Chef’s Earth 

Inc., in partnership with his 

wife, who is also a chef, at the 

Calgary Farmer’s Market, offering 

nutritionally dense meals and 

catering services. 

“I spent many years living like 

a rock star,” says Birch. “Later on, 

I decided I wanted to feel better 

and look better so I changed 

my lifestyle. I opened my own 

business with my wife and started 

eating better and selling healthier 

food and I’ve never looked back. 

I feel great.” 

Additionally, Birch’s illustrious 

career has given him the 

opportunity to cook for three 

U.S. presidents, religious leaders, 

Monarchs, politicians and 

Hollywood celebrities. 

Most recently, Birch took on 

the role as opening executive 

chef of The Dorian, Autograph 

Collection in Calgary, where he 

created the culinary offerings 

for Prologue, a lobby coffeeto-cocktail 

bar; Bistro Novelle, 

located within the nearby 

Courtyard by Marriott Calgary 

Downtown South on the second 

floor; and The Wilde, a finedining 

restaurant located on the 

hotel’s 27th floor that features 

organic, sustainable and local 

ingredients. Menu items at The 

Wilde include Brome Lake duck 

breast with Pommes Anna, coeur 

de canard, hickory nuts, sauce 

bigarade, crispy shallot and blue 

haskap ($55); elk tartare with 

confit quail yolk, sheep cheddar, 

capers, shallot-preserved amber 

plum and prairie-sage crisps 

($25); and Digby Bay binchotansmoked 

scallop with field-pea 

koshihikari, watercress wild mint, 

green apple, black pudding and 

dandelion pistou ($26). 

“[All of the restaurants at 

The Dorian] share the same 

philosophy,” says Birch. “It’s all 

about conscious eating, sustainable, 

local ingredients and free-range, 

properly-treated animals.” 

Birch says he’s been living a 

fulfilling life “having [earned] 

the respect of my colleagues and 

teams throughout the years and 

travelling the world. I feel blessed 

to have been able to create [these 

culinary offerings] from scratch 

at The Dorian.” 

Birch also helped build the 

culinary team at The Dorian but 

in September, he passed the reins 

to Josh Dyer, former executive 

sous chef. 

“I’m confident chef Dyer will 

lead this team to new heights and 

continue to achieve even greater 

success,” says Birch. “I look 

forward to [witnessing the future 

successes that I will always be a 

part of] at The Dorian.” 

Birch has since re-joined 

his wife at Chef’s Earth Inc. to 

continue providing fresh, healthy 

meals to their customers. “I’m 

going back to the entrepreneurial 

life I love,” he says. FH 


HOSTED BY ROSANNA CAIRA 

Check out the Table Talk podcast to listen to conversations 

between Foodservice and Hospitality’s editor and publisher 

Rosanna Caira and industry leaders speaking about the 

issues impacting the dynamic foodservice industry. 

MATT BASILE 

FIDEL GASTRO’S 

DOMENIC PRIMUCCI 

PIZZA NOVA 

ADAM ARMELAD 

KITCHEN HUB 

OREN BORAVITCH 

KITCHEN HUB 

SUZANNE BARR 

CHEF AND SOCIAL ADVOCATE 

MATT ROLFE 

COACH, SPEAKER, AUTHOR, 

AND ENTREPRENEUR 

IMRUN TEXEIRA 

CULINARY ARTS 

BASHIR MUNYE 

CHEF/EDUCATOR 

HIGHER LEARNING 

QUARTET OF EDUCATORS 

KYLE BROWN 

UNIFIED DATA LABS 

AND ENTREPRENEUR 

CHRIS LOCKE 

TORONTO'S MARBEN RESTAURANT 

NICK DI DONATO 

LIBERTY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 

HASSEL AVILES 

NOT 9 TO 5 

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