SAVE THE DATE: FEB 24-26, 2019

ENERCARE CENTRE, TORONTO, ON
REGISTER TO ATTEND
BOOK BOOTH SPACE

SPEAKERS & INFLUENCERS

INDUSTRY EXPERTS & INNOVATORS

Experience a line-up of global leaders, hospitality innovators and foodservice futurists.

terry-bio

Terry O'Reilly

Host, CBC's Under the Influence

Terry O'Reilly

Host, CBC's Under the Influence

RC Leadership Conference
Monday, February 25 - 8:30AM - 1:00PM
Hotel X Toronto

Terry began his career in radio and then went on to become an award-winning copywriter for a number of Toronto advertising agencies, creating campaigns for many of the top brands in the country. In 1990, he co-founded Pirate Radio & Television with a staff of 50, with 8 recording studios in Toronto and New York City. When Terry;’s not creating advertising, he’s talking about it as the host of the award-winning CBC Radio One/Sirius Satellite/WBEZ Chicago radio show, “Under The Influence,” which was the follow-up to the hit series, “The Age of Persuasion.” He has been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Advertising & Design Club of Canada, The Television Bureau of Canada, and the American Marketing Association.

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donald-burns-rc-show

Donald Burns

The Restaurant Coach & Author of Your Restaurant Sucks!

Donald Burns

The Restaurant Coach & Author of Your Restaurant Sucks!

RC Leadership Conference
Monday, February 25 - 8:30AM - 1:00PM
Hotel X Toronto

Donald is The Restaurant Coach, named one of The Top Restaurant Experts to Follow in 2016, 2017, and 2018. He is the leading authority, speaker, and international coach on how restaurant owners, operators, and culinary professionals go from just good to becoming outstanding. He is also the author behind Your Restaurant Sucks! Embrace The Suck. Unleash Your Restaurant. Become Outstanding.

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NatGreenPhoto (1)

Natalie Green

Head of Industry, Food & Beverage, Google Canada

Natalie Green

Head of Industry, Food & Beverage, Google Canada

RC Leadership Conference
Monday, February 25 - 8:30AM - 1:00PM
Hotel X Toronto

Natalie is the Head of Industry for Google Canada's Food, Beverage & Restaurants team, a role she has held for over 3 years. In this role she has developed a passion for using digital to help drive growth in the Canadian food industry. Prior to joining Google Natalie was a Senior Director of Marketing Strategy & Communications at Indigo, and spent over 11 years at L'Oreal in various Marketing Leadership positions, in both the US and Canada. Nat has her BA from Queen's University and her MBA from McGill.

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Angela Donnelly (1)

Angela Donnelly

Leadership Consultant & Founder, Corethentic

Angela Donnelly

Leadership Consultant & Founder, Corethentic

RC Leadership Conference
Monday, February 25 - 8:30AM - 1:00PM
Hotel X Toronto

Working with Anthropologist and Leadership Expert Etsko Schuitema, Angela combines extensive business experience with her passion for people development, to unlock human excellence within organizations. She believes in closing the gap between brand promise and customer experience through authentic employee engagement, cultivated by empowerment and accountability.

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david-allison

David Allison

Valuegraphics Data Pioneer & Consumer Behaviour Expert

David Allison

Valuegraphics Data Pioneer & Consumer Behaviour Expert

Breakfast with Champions
Tuesday, February 26 - 7:00AM - 10:00AM
Hotel X Toronto

David Allison created Valuegraphics, the first big data tool that gives organizations and industries the data they need to motivate a target audience using core human values. He is an accomplished keynote speaker and has taught a full-slate of marketing courses at the University of Calgary School of Business. He has written three books on various market-motivation techniques, including he most recent book out October 2018 called Valuegraphics, We Are All The Same Age Now, which provides the first big data response to post-demographic audience profiles for Canada and the USA.

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adam-corrin

Adam Corrin

Chief Operating Officer, Freshii

Adam Corrin

Chief Operating Officer, Freshii

Breakfast With Champions
Tuesday, February 26 - 7:00AM - 10:00AM
Hotel X Toronto

Adam Corrin has served as our Chief Operating Officer since January 4, 2016 and as a Director since January 25, 2017. Adam joined Freshii in March 2010 as a corporate unit-level manager and held a number of operational positions at Freshii since that time - ranging from a corporate multi-unit manager to a store opening trainer to a field consultant to franchise development. Adam Corrin has been engaged in the line of business associated with the franchise since March 2010.

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susan-senecal

Susan Senecal

President & CEO, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.

Susan Senecal

President & CEO, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.

The CEO Panel
Monday, February 25 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

Susan Senecal is President and Chief Executive Officer of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. With over 900 restaurants, A&W is the second largest hamburger restaurant chain in Canada and is one of Canada’s leading franchisors. Having joined the company as an Area Manager in 1992, Susan has since held the positions of Regional Director of Operations, General Manager Quebec, Vice President of Operations and Chief Marketing Officer. In February 2018, Susan Senecal became President and CEO, becoming the fifth CEO in the Company's 62-year history, and the first-ever fully bilingual CEO and woman in the role.

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chuck-muth

Chuck Muth

Chief Growth Officer,
Beyond Meat

Chuck Muth

Chief Growth Officer, Beyond Meat

Capitalizing on Plant-Based Menus: This is just the Veganing
Tuesday, February 24 - 11:00AM - 11:45AM
Speaker Stage

Muth is the Chief Growth Officer of Beyond Meat responsible for driving global distribution and growth. At Beyond Meat, Chuck has been instrumental in building a high performing sales and commercial organization and attracting top talent to support brand growth. Prior to joining Beyond Meat, Chuck had a long career in the beverage industry most recently leading Sales and Commercial as SVP at Coca-Cola's Venturing and Emerging Brands business unit.

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Jessica Cravero

Jessica Cavero

Regional Vice President, Technomic

Jessica Cavero

Regional Vice President, Technomic

RC Leadership Conference
Monday, February 25 - 8:30AM-12:30PM

Breakfast With Champions
Tuesday, February 25, 7:00AM-10:00AM

Jessica joined Technomic in 2010. As Regional Vice President, she is responsible for business development and client relationships for clients based in Canada, the US and all Technomic global engagements outside North America.  Jessica and her team provide strategic support to clients through Technomic’s online Ignite resources, syndicated reports and custom research engagements conducted by Technomic’s Advisory and Research and Insights team.

Jessica ensures Technomic is providing their clients with key industry data is actionable to their strategic and tactical business planning process.

Prior to joining Technomic, she worked for 5 years on the operator side of the business in a variety of sales and marketing roles for Clubcorp Inc.  Clubcorp is the largest owner and operator of private clubs in the United States with over 200 city and country club locations.

A graduate of the University of Iowa, Jessica holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, a minor in French and an International Business Certificate.  She has also completed post graduate studies in French, Spanish and Italian while living abroad.

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Peter Blecher

Dr. Peter M. Blecher

Chief Medical Officer, Starseed Medicinal Inc.

Dr. Peter M. Blecher

Chief Medical Officer, Starseed Medicinal Inc

Future of Cannabis in Canada: When will POT be in our POTS?
Tuesday, February 26 - 12:00PM - 12:45PM
Speaker Stage

Dr. Blecher is a graduate of McGill Medical School, and completed a Comprehensive Surgical Internship at the University of Toronto. He has worked as an ER physician for over 20 years, while being involved in the start-up of several biotechnology, medical device, and private enterprise companies. He currently sits on the Board Microbix Biosystems, Inc.

Dr. Blecher has been with CPM Centres for Pain Management since 2005, Canada’s largest network of integrated pain management centres, currently with 9 clinics, where he is a Medical Director. He is a credentialed pain practitioner with both the American and Canadian Academies of Pain Medicine.

He has presented workshops and seminars on the topic of Chronic Pain Management to health care professionals across Canada, and internationally, including educational workshops on medical cannabis. He helped develop the early educational material for the CCIC (Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids) – widely recognized as the global leader in physician-centered medical cannabis education. Dr. Blecher continues to practice pain medicine at CPM Oshawa, and as an ER physician Lakeridge Health Oshawa.

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Evelyn-Wiseman-Akerman

Evelyn Wiseman Akerman

Senior Director of Marketing and Community, Yelp.com

Evelyn Wiseman Akerman

Senior Director of Marketing and Community, Yelp.com

Marketing Beyond Your Walls
Sunday, February 24 - 11:00AM-11:45AM
Speaker Stage

Evelyn is the Senior Marketing & Community Director for Yelp here in Toronto. She's been with Yelp since 2012 and has never met a snack she doesn't love. She lives in Parkdale, TO with her husband and their 1.5 kiddos.

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Charles-Khabouth

Charles Khabouth

CEO & Founder, INK Entertainment

Charles Khabouth

CEO & Founder, INK Entertainment

Ones to Watch Panel
Monday, February 24, 3:00PM-3:45PM
Speaker Stage

CEO and Founder of INK Entertainment, Charles has been a recognized entrepreneur, visionary and fashion icon in the Canadian nightlife scene since the early 1980's with Toronto's groundbreaking Club Z and legendary nightclub Stilife. His risky out of the box ideas and determined point of view have set the foundation and fueled the aspiration for a thriving hospitality industry in downtown Toronto. While his list of partners has included the likes of Loews Hotel & Resorts and Lifetime Developments for Bisha Hotel & Residences, Charles has brought a strategic and trailblazing philosophy to an otherwise stereotyped industry. This has earned him a revered spot amongst Canada's elite as a transformer that has changed the face of entertainment and built INK to be one of the country's most reputable companies.

Charles has made a career of elegantly fusing together art and commerce, and continues to do so through his evolution in business and imagination. This has led him to expand his professional repertoire to include restaurateur, and hotelier. Pushing the envelope whenever he can, Charles appreciates shock value and has the keen intuition of giving the public what it wants even before they know it themselves. In October 2018, Khabouth was named The EY (Ernst and Young) Entrepreneur Of The Year™ in the Ontario entertainment and hospitality category.

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100_John

John E. Betts

President & CEO, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited

John E. Betts

President & CEO, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited

The CEO Panel
Monday, February 25 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

Under John Betts’ leadership, McDonald’s Canada has achieved incredible business momentum, achieving over ten consecutive years of annual sales and guest count growth.
John’s passion for the McDonald’s brand is brought to life by a strong focus on responding to the needs of McDonald’s guests and employees – and exceeding their expectations from coast to coast. McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited and its Canadian franchisees own and operate over 1,450 restaurants and employ more than 100,000 Canadians.

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Frank-Hennessey---March-2018---www.4thavephoto.com-12

Frank Hennessey

CEO, Recipe Unlimited Corporation

Frank Hennessey

Chief Executive Officer, Recipe Unlimited Corporation

The CEO Panel
Monday, February 25 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

Frank Hennessey is Chief Executive Officer of Recipe Unlimited Corporation and brings more than 30 years of restaurant, food manufacturing and grocery retail experience to his role. Frank returns to Recipe where he held various executive leadership roles including Vice President of Purchasing and President of Harvey’s restaurants. Following several years of organizational growth and change, Frank takes the Recipe helm at an exciting time and will work with leadership to guide the company through the next levels of transformation, innovation and growth.

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NiverWallani_KFCCanada

Nivera Wallani

President & General Manager, KFC Canada, Yum! Brands

Nivera Wallani

President & General Manager, KFC Canada, Yum! Brands

The CEO Panel
Monday, February 25 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

A compelling strategic leader at Yum! Brands for Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Canada. Nivera is entrepreneurial at heart and is recognized for her impassioned approach and dynamic thought provoking leadership that inspires action. Nivera has established a strong presence in the food industry and business world through her commitment to corporate responsibility and people culture within organizations.

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Michael-Conway

Michael Conway

Executive Vice President & President, Starbucks Canada

Michael Conway

Executive Vice President & President, Starbucks Canada

The CEO Panel
Monday, February 25 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

Michael Conway is executive vice president and president, Starbucks Canada. He oversees 1,400 company-operated stores and 23,000 partners. Michael is known as a leader who is committed to living Starbucks Mission and Values. He is personally championing the company’s social impact agenda as a leader in hiring Opportunity Youth and refugees, and is driving an ambitious agenda to operate Starbucks stores in Canada in greener ways. Previously, he served as executive vice president and president for Starbucks Licensed Stores business for the United States & Latin America.

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Kiki-Adams

Kiki Adams

CEO & Founder, Veganizer

Kiki Adams

CEO & Founder, Veganizer

Capitalizing on Plant-Based Menus: This is just the Veganing
Tuesday, February 26 - 11:00AM - 11:45AM
Speaker Stage

Kiki Adami spent 6 years in large-scale hospitality as programming director, responsible for overall guest experience for Holland America Cruise Line. In 2017, she resigned to become the first, professional Veganizer. Since then, she's helped dozens of companies find their new identities in new age food service.

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dan-flanagan

Dan Flanagan

CEO & President, Flanagan Foodservice Inc.

Dan Flanagan

CEO & President, Flanagan Foodservice Inc.

Distribution Leaders Discuss The Evolution of Delivery
Sunday, February 24 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

Dan Flanagan is President and CEO of Flanagan Foodservice Inc., the largest privately-owned, Canadian broadline foodservice distributor serving the Ontario market. Dan joined the family business in 1982 and his past positions included Vice-President, Finance and Executive Vice-President, before being appointed to his current position in 1998.

He is currently a board member and past chair of the National Foodservice Distributors Association (Canada) as well as a past president of the Centre for Family Business (CFFB). He is also a director on the Board of Associated Food Distributors (AFD) and the GS1 Canada Foodservice Sector Board.

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Zak-Weston-Headshot

Zak Weston

Corporate Engagement Specialist, Good Food Institute

Zak Weston

Corporate Engagement Specialist, Good Food Institute

Sustainability in Your Operations: How Less Can Be More
Monday, February 25 - 12:00PM - 1:45PM
Speaker Stage

Zak works at the Good Food Institute (GFI), an international nonprofit focused on creating a healthy and sustainable food system through plant-based protein innovation and cellular agriculture. He partners with leading food brands, grocery stores, foodservice operators, and restaurants to help increase the quality and quantity of their plant-based offerings and meet the growing consumer demand for plant-based foods.

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Bruce McAdams

Bruce McAdams

Assistant Professor, University of Guelph

Bruce McAdams

Assistant Professor, School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, University of Guelph

Sustainability in Your Operations: How Less Can Be More
Monday, February 25 - 11:00AM - 12:45PM
Speaker Stage

Professor Bruce McAdams graduated from the University of Guelph’s School of Hotel and Food Administration in 1989 and built a 20 year career working in restaurant operations. His resume includes Red Lobster and a 13-year tenure at O&B where he was involved in the expansion of the group, was made partner in Oliver & Bonacini Synergy in 2001 and five years later was named Vice President of Operations for the company.

After completing his Master of Arts degree in Leadership from the University of Guelph in 2009 McAdams left O&B to join the faculty at the School of Hospitality, Food, and Tourism Management. In 2011 McAdams started the University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant Project (UGSRP). UGSRP holds yearly symposiums on issues regarding sustainability in Canadian restaurants and acts as a research avenue for both faculty and students.

McAdams has co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles on restaurant food waste, the effects of tipping on restaurants, food allergy training in food-service, and embedding triple bottom line approaches at hospitality schools. He has presented his research at conferences in Europe, the United States, and Canada and has recieved numerous awards for his outstanding teaching and research.

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SteveRileyHeadshot

Steve Riley

Chief Beer Guy, Better Beer

Steve Riley

Chief Beer Guy, Better Beer

Draft Profitability
Sunday, February 24 - 3:00 PM - 3:45PM
Tuesday, February 26 - 3:00PM - 3:45PM
Bar & Beverage Stage

Steve Riley spent 12+ years in various restaurant operational roles before transitioning into the beer business in 2001. Since then, Steve has been helping hospitality professionals sleep better each night by solving their draught beer issues. The Chief Beer Guy at Canada’s draught beer quality program, BetterBeer.com, Steve is considered the industry’s go-to guy for improving draught quality, profitability, and sales at the point of sale.

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Dan-Carter

Dan Carter

CEO & Founder, Canadian Hemp Farmers Alliance

Dan Carter

CEO & Founder, Canadian Hemp Farmers Alliance

Future of Cannabis in Canada: When will POT be in our POTS?
Tuesday, February 26 - 12:00PM - 12:45PM
Speaker Stage

Dan Carter is CEO and Founder of the Canadian hemp farmers Alliance. He was born in Burlington Ontario and is an ex-professional hockey player who hung up the skates to pursue a career as a hemp outdoor cultivation farmer for CBD, grain and fibre.

In his first year of operation, he grouped together 15 hemp farmers in Ontario and worked with them to establish third party manufacturing and product developments and supply contracts for the members under the Canadian Hemp Farmers Alliance. Dan currently Currently oversees 1,500 acres of hemp cultivation in Ontario and is working with the Ontario government to establish Ontario’s first ever full hemp plant processing facility with product development for fall of 2019.

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court

Court Desautels

Group Leader & CEO, Neighbourhood Group of Companies

Court Desautels

Group Leader & CEO, Neighbourhood Group of Companies

Sustainability Restaurant Discussion
Monday, February 25 - 1:00PM-1:30PM
Speaker Stage

Court Desautels is the President of the Neighbourhood Group of Companies, a Certified B Corporation that operates restaurants in Guelph & Kitchener under the names: The Wooly Pub, Borealis Grille & Bar, Miijidaa Cafe + Bistro and Park Grocery Deli & Bar. He is an innovative leader who has a vision of combining first-class hospitality with a dedication to environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

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rebecca-mckenzie

Rebecca McKenzie

President & CEO, Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance

Rebecca McKenzie

President & CEO, Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance

Sustainability in Your Operations: How Less Can Be More
Monday, February 25 - 11:00AM - 12:45PM
Speaker Stage

Passionate about agriculture, tourism, and culture, Rebecca is fortunate that in her role as President & CEO for the Culinary Tourism Alliance that she has the opportunity to work with stakeholders across the food tourism value chain. The Culinary Tourism Alliance works with communities around the world to support the development of local economies through building new business partnerships and community-driven experiences that showcase "taste of place"

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Janine-Windsor

Janine Windsor

President & Founder, LEAF

Janine Windsor

President & Founder, LEAF

Sustainability Restaurant Discussion
Monday, February 25 - 1:00PM-1:30PM
Speaker Stage

Janine Windsor is a Registered Dietitian, and President and Founder of LEAF (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice), a non-profit organization that works to reduce the environmental impact of the Canadian Foodservice industry through certification and advocacy.

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Stephen-Dixon

Stephen Dixon

President, Know Energy

Stephen Dixon

President, Know Energy

Sustainability in Your Operations: How Less Can Be More
Monday, February 25 - 11:00AM-12:45PM
Speaker Stage

Stephen Dixon, BSc, MASc, has for 37 years, provided energy management services to over 1,000 industrial, commercial, institutional and utility organizations. Having delivered more than 1,700 energy workshops, inspiring greater than 25,000 people, he is recognized as a leader in energy training. Stephen’s focus is simple; to empower all that he works with to use energy more effectively by developing individual skills, organizational best practices and providing tools for better energy use

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Andrew Marsh

Andrew Marsh

Senior Strategist & Director of Marketing, Search Engine People

Andrew Marsh

Senior Strategist & Director of Marketing, Search Engine People

Marketing Beyond Your Walls
Sunday, February 24 - 11:00AM-11:45AM
Speaker Stage

Andrew is the Senior Strategist and Director of Marketing for Search Engine People, Canada's top digital marketing agency. He has had the opportunity to build strategy for some of Canada's biggest and smallest (but up and coming) brands. He takes a great deal of pride in help businesses grow via effective digital marketing campaigns and tactics.

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David-Barber

David Barber

Vice President Canada, Broadline Distribution

David Barber

Vice President Canada, Broadline Distribution

Distribution Leaders Discuss The Evolution of Delivery
Sunday, February 24 - 2:00PM - 2:45PM
Speaker Stage

David has been working with GFS (Gordon Food Services) for thirteen years, the first four years as President of GFS Edmonton, followed by nine years as President of GFS Calgary. David was responsible to enthusiastically lead, coach and mentor the Senior Leadership Team to high performance while ensuring return expectations were met. Additional responsibilities include building and executing on the strategic plan and cultural initiatives. David recently accepted the challenge as Vice President, Canada Broadline Distribution.

David has been in the food distribution industry for over 30 years. Prior to joining GFS, David was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Centennial Foodservice where he was responsible for financial results; cost control, implementing new business strategies, acquisition and profitability analysis. David also spent several years with Scott National in Calgary before relocating to Toronto where he assumed the role of Vice President and C.F.O. for SERCA Foodservices, and later for SYSCO Foodservice’s Canadian operations.

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Lucy Cullen

Lucy Cullen

Co-Founder & CEO, Terus

Lucy Cullen

Co-Founder & CEO, Terus

Sustainability in Your Operations: How Less Can Be More
Monday, February 25 - 12:00PM-12:45PM
Speaker Stage

Reducing Waste in Foodservice
Sunday, February 24 - 12:00PM-12:30PM
Tuesday, February 26 - 12:00PM-12:30PM
Eco Stage

Lucy has over 9 years experience working in the hospitality industry, from host to manager. Lucy has an Honours Bachelors in Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto, and has studied environmental science in Australia and Ecuador. She has combined her passion for hospitality and the environment to create Terus, a social enterprise that helps restaurants reduce waste and save money. Lucy was also named one of Canada's Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalists in 2017 and 2018.

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Stephanie-Audet

Stephanie Audet

Executive Chef, LOV

Stephanie Audet

Executive Chef, LOV

Capitalizing on Plant-Based Menus: This is just the Veganing
Tuesday, February 26 - 11:00AM - 11:45AM
Speaker Stage

Stephanie Audet, responsible for curating the menus at Montreal’s celebrated restaurants LOV, is no stranger to fresh produce. She embraces the use of natural foods by presenting vegetables as the star of her dishes, instead of the way they have come to be treated as an accompaniment. Her mission as a chef has been and will always be to feed pleasant and nutritious vegetarian meals to the most people possible and she is proud to have this mission.

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rio

Rio Infantino

CEO & Founder, Copper Branch

Rio Infantino

CEO & Founder, Copper Branch

Capitalizing on Plant-Based Menus: This is just the Veganing
Tuesday, February 26 - 11:00AM - 11:45AM
Speaker Stage

Copper Branch was founded on the idea that food should always empower our bodies and inspire our lives. Founder and CEO of Copper Branch, Rio Infantino, has over 30 years combined restaurant experience and an incredible passion for health, fitness, and plant-based nutrition. Seeing a void in the healthy fast-casual industry, Rio spent years developing the plant-powered fast-casual concept that has become Copper Branch, implementing aggressive growth plans to expand Copper Branch around the globe.

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Ned Bell

Ned Bell

Executive Chef, Ocean Wise

Ned Bell

Executive Chef, Ocean Wise

Sustainable Seafood Panel
Monday, February 25, 1:15PM-2:00PM
Culinary Stage

Ned Bell is a popular Canadian chef, personality, founder of Chefs for Oceans, the Ocean Wise Executive Chef, and now author of Lure: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the West Coast. Ned founded Chefs for Oceans in 2014 to raise awareness and advocate for responsible seafood choices while highlighting the importance of healthy oceans, lakes and rivers. He launched this commitment with an 8,700km bike ride across Canada, staging dozens of awareness building events along the way. Bell's commitments to seafood stewardship has continued ever since.

Bell is well known for his ability to excite, inspire and educate individuals looking to make a broader commitment to sustainable seafood. Bell continues to make sustainable seafood his mission and is always looking for ways to strategize opportunities. As the father of three sons, Fin, Max and Jet, Chef Bell is dedicated to inspiring Canadians to become part of the solution for healthier oceans for today's children and generations to come.

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Philman-George

Philman George

Corporate Chef, High Liner Culinary

Philman George

Corporate Chef, High Liner Culinary

High Liner Cooking Demo
Sunday, February 24, 2:15PM-3:00PM
Sunday, February 24, 4:15PM-5:00PM
Monday, February 25, 2:15PM-3:00PM
Culinary Stage

Sustainable Seafood Panel
Monday, February 25, 1:15PM-2:00PM
Culinary Stage

Philman has worked in a wide variety of establishments from the traditional English style pub to award winning restaurants, private clubs & hotels In Canada, Australia and the Caribbean. Chef Philman pulls from all his past experiences to create food that is highly flavourful and approachable. His goal is to place craveable, sustainable seafood on your menu and help you generate more profit through the “Heart of the House” aka the kitchen!

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Crystal-Luxmore

Crystal Luxmore

Co-founder of Beer Sisters & Advanced Cicerone®

Crystal Luxmore

Co-founder of Beer Sisters & Advanced Cicerone®

5 Mistakes Bars Make with Beer — and how to fix them to increase sales!
Sunday, February 24, 2:45PM-3:30PM
Bar & Beverage Stage

Crystal Luxmore is a national beer writer and the co-founder of Beer Sisters Inc., a Toronto based beer consultancy. An Advanced Cicerone®, she represents the Cicerone Certification Program in Canada. Her beer stories have appeared in the Globe & Mail, LCBO Food & Drink, ELLE Canada and more. She creates beer menus, works with food and beverage brands to lead beer education and tastings, and speaks at major food and drink festivals in North America.Sunday, February 24, 2:45PM-3:30PM

 

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Viktoria-Belle

Viktoria Belle

Founder, Dandelion Initiative

Viktoria Belle

Founder, Dandelion Initiative

Safe Space Seminar - How to create a safer bar space for your patrons and your staff
Tuesday, February 26, 2:30PM-3:15PM
Bar & Beverage Stage

Viktoria Belle is an education in the city of Toronto, with over 10 years professional industry experience. She is the founder of the Dandelion Initiative a grassroots not for profit by survivors for survivors, that aims to create safer spaces through survivor centric work. Viktoria has contributed to numerous publications on gender based violence and delivered keynotes addressing sexual violence across Canada. She has worked to develop policies and practices that ensure inclusivity and equity

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Robert-Edwards

Robert Edwards

Business Manager, Private Sector, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

Robert Edwards

Business Manager, Private Sector, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

Save On Energy Foodservice Forum
Monday, February 25, 1:30PM-4:30PM
Hotel X Toronto

Rob maintains relationships with the largest commercial businesses in Ontario. These include commercial real estate, retail, grocery, financial institutions, accommodation, foodservice and multi-unit residential. Working at the corporate level with a provincial focus, he provides strategies to help these organizations participate in the many Save on Energy for business incentive programs delivered by local hydro companies throughout the province as well as programs offered directly by the IESO.

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Irene Matys

Irene Matys

Freelance Food Stylist & The Marilyn Denis Show Food Style Segment Expert

Irene Matys

Freelance Food Stylist & The Marilyn Denis Show Food Style Segment Expert

Food Styling Workshop
Sunday, February 24, 1:30PM-2:15PM
Learning Lounge

A Local Farm-To-Table Advocate, Freelance Food Stylist and Food Style Segment Expert on The Marilyn Denis Show at CTV/Bell Media, Recipe Curator, Food Photographer and author of The Spicy Olive website.

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Benjamin-Lillico

Benjamin Lillico

Executive Chef, The Rich Uncle Tavern

Benjamin Lillico

Executive Chef, The Rich Uncle Tavern

Feast On® 'Best of FOODstock' Tastings
Sunday, February 24, 2:00PM-2:45PM
Local Stage

With all of 24 years under his belt, Waterloo Region-native Benjamin Lillico is the current Executive Chef of The Rich Uncle Tavern in downtown Kitchener. Chef Benjamin comes with experience from Ontario’s only CAA five diamond awarded restaurant, the renowned Langdon Hall. He has also led kitchens with The Charcoal Group Restaurants, operator of eating establishments including Charcoal Steakhouse, The Bauer Kitchen, Beertown, Wildcraft and Moose Winooski's. Benjamin has spearheaded mentorship roles with Conestoga College and was the team captain of Junior Culinary Team Canada for the 2016 Culinary Olympics in Germany, winning multiple gold and silver medals with the team on the international stage. He has also won culinary competitions with the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Skills Ontario, and for Canada being one of the top-place finishes at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg.

Lillico has had a long relationship with food. He participated in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program through Conestoga College and graduated from the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College. He was a 2015 Ontario Hostelry Institute “Top 30 Under 30” recipient.

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David-Sider

David Sider

Executive Chef, The Restaurant at Redstone

David Sider

Executive Chef, The Restaurant at Redstone

Feast On® 'Best of FOODstock' Tastings
Tuesday, February 26, 12:00PM-12:45PM
Local Stage

A Vineland native, David credits his early exposure to different cultures for budding his interest in the culinary arts. Although his career had humble beginnings, starting as a dishwasher in 2006, David has had the privilege of training in three Relais & Chateaux properties as well as two Michelin-starred restaurants prior to joining the Restaurant at Redstone.

Highlights of David’s career include holding the position of Chef de Cuisine at Langdon Hall Country House Hotel and Spa, the position of Restaurant Chef at The Wickaninnish Inn, as well as winning the Ontario Hostelry Institute’s ‘Top 30 Under 30 Award’ at the age of 23.

David is currently the Executive Chef at The Restaurant at Redstone in Beamsville, Ontario and has been at the Restaurant since its opening in the summer of 2015. When he is not at the Restaurant, David spends as much time as possible with his wife, Emily, their two children, Mila and Landon, and their dog, Bentley

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Elisa-Corrigan

Elisa Corrigan

Chef & Owner, The Green Wood

Elisa Corrigan

Chef & Owner, The Green Wood

Feast On® 'Best of FOODstock' Tastings
Monday, February 25, 12:00PM-12:45PM
Local Stage

Chef and Owner Elisa Corrigan is a small town Ontario girl who is taking the beautiful bounty she was surrounded by as a kid growing up in the country, and using it to inspire a completely made-from-scratch and Ontario-local menu at her restaurant The Green Wood.

Elisa’s fresh perspective on urban eating comes not only from her country roots, but also her deep and varied experience in the kitchens of Toronto. Chef Corrigan got her start in the industry on the front of house side of things, and quickly realized that it was behind the line in the kitchen where she was supposed to be. From working in pastry at Daniel and Daniel, to developing the dessert menu at Byblos. From working the fine dining line at Grace to developing a vegan and gluten free pasty program at Urban Herbivore. From running the kitchen at the funky, street food inspired SPiN Toronto to a handful of other fascinating gigs like steakhouses and seafood joints in-between. Elisa has done it all and has developed a taste for what she thinks is good and right and well and delicious in all things food.

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Scott-McRae

Scott McRae

Head Chef, David's Restaurant

Scott McRae

Head Chef, David's Restaurant

Feast On® 'Best of FOODstock' Tastings
Monday, February 25, 2:00PM-2:45PM
Local Stage

Born in rural Ontario near London and raised in the town of Port Dover, Scott McRae found his passion for cooking while experiencing the Alaskan frontier in his formative years.  With a passion for music, literature and the arts he has combined all these into a career that has now spanned almost 2 decades in the culinary arts.

With a family background in the agriculture sector Scott has an intimate relationship to the products and the effort brought to having the plate represent the region in which he lives and works.

If you are looking for unique flavours brought forth with common local product, look no further than Chef Scott McRae.

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Julie-MacInnis

Julie MacInnes

Campaign Manager, Forward Food, HSI Canada

Julie MacInnes

Campaign Manager, Forward Food, HSI Canada

Positioning Plant-Based Menus for Success
Tuesday, February 26, 12:00PM-1:30PM
Enercare Theatre

Julie MacInnes is a campaign manager with Humane Society International/Canada. She and Riana Topan run the organization’s Forward Food program, in which they help institutions across Canada increase their offerings of delicious and nutritious plant-based options that are better for the environment, the animals, and human health. Julie’s work experience includes studying food trends for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and supporting Giant Tiger’s grocery expansion.

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Riana-Topan

Riana Topan

Campaign Manager, Forward Food, HSI Canada

Riana Topan

Campaign Manager, Forward Food, HSI Canada

Positioning Plant-Based Menus for Success
Tuesday, February 26, 12:00PM-1:30PM
Enercare Centre

Riana Topan is a campaign manager with Humane Society International/Canada. She and Julie MacInnes run the organization’s Forward Food program, in which they provide culinary trainings, recipes and menu development support, as well as help with marketing and communications – for free! Riana has followed a plant-based diet for nearly six years, and is thrilled to support institutions and companies in making their menus more sustainable.

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John-Scholl

John Scholl

Marketing Manager, Cicerone® Certification Program

John Scholl

Marketing Manager, Cicerone® Certification Program

5 Mistakes Bars Make with Beer — and how to fix them to increase sales!
Sunday, February 24, 2:45PM-3:30PM
Bar & Beverage Stage

Certified Cicerone® John Scholl brings over ten years of knowledge from media advertising, brand activation, event planning, and social media to Cicerone® Certification Program where he is the Marketing Manager. He’s worked in the food and beverage industry since the 90’s from dishwasher to planning beer and food-themed popups. In 2016, his street food and beer themed cookbook, EAT STREET, was released. He’s an active home brewer, backyard hop grower, and founder of a lifestyle company.

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