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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S
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s is the case for many 15 year olds, my first job was in the foodservice industry at a major QSR chain. I was hired in the kitchen, while most girls worked the register. Years later, my brother also got his first job at the same location and he was put on cash. I wondered to myself: were the Smith siblings a part of some gender balancing act? I was joking at the time, but obviously the thought stuck with me since I’m recounting it now. As high school wore on, I worked on the line in casual dining and was told the two young women in the kitchen were hired at a lower wage than the men. Hearsay, but I’ve always wondered if it was true and if not, why would someone say that other than to make me feel I was worth less? It wasn’t until I switched to the front of house that I realized gender bias in restaurants goes both ways. While it wasn’t the norm to have women in the kitchen, it was fairly unusual for men to be servers. They were often bartenders and — outside of fine dining — rarely tableside.
In our feature on page 14 we spoke with successful women in the foodservice industry on gender balance and making it in a traditionally male-dominated workspace. “Cooking. You immediately think of your mom at home cooking food, so why is the industry filled with men?” asked Sharon Steward, a mother of three who teaches at Red River College in Winnipeg. Perhaps the image of mother in the kitchen is part of the problem. When Humber culinary program director Shonah Chalmers was working her way through the restaurant industry, a chef asked her: “Why do you even bother? You should just be at home in your kitchen.” Women shouldn’t have to work harder to be successful in any industry, but in many cases they have and they do. “I responded like any young, crazy, hotblooded woman,” said Chalmers “I cooked harder, faster, worked longer, did more than anybody else. And that’s really what you have to do as a female; it’s terrible to say. In going through kitchens, I had to come in earlier,
do more, accept more challenges, be ready to move to the next station without any hesitation.” It’s a sentiment echoed in many of the interviews: many women chefs have had to work harder and put in longer hours than men for acceptance and to rise through the ranks. Corporate chef for One Horn Developments Mel Lafleur said she hopes the young women she sees in cooking school take note of the many talented female chefs in the culinary community. “It’s hard, it’s not an easy job, but maybe they see that it’s happening and we’re doing it, so they can do it,” said Lafleur. Talented women in foodservice aren’t hard to find, but even in the age of The Food Network and with the rise of the celebrity chef, they are often not easy to see. Perhaps it is the job of operators and media to shine a spotlight on female culinary talent.
Kristen Smith Associate Editor
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Mickey Cherevaty Consultant, Moyer Diebel Limited Marvin Greenberg Consultant Jack Battersby President, Summit Food Service Distributors Inc. Barney Strassburger Jr. President, TwinCorp Paul LeClerc Partner, Serve-Canada Food Equipment Ltd. Paul Mancini Director of Retail, Inventory and Wholesale, LCBO Jorge Soares Director Food and Beverage Operations, Woodbine Entertainment Group Adam Colquhoun President, Oyster Boy John Crawford Director of Sales-Canada, Lamb Weston Tina Chiu Chief Operating Officer, Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation Martin Kouprie Chef/Owner, Pangaea Restaurant Joel Sisson Founder and president of Crush Strategy Inc. Leslie Wilson Vice-president of Business Excellence, Compass Group Canada Chris Jeens Partner, W. D. Colledge Co. Ltd. Ontario Restaurant News Volume 30 · No. 1 · February 2015 Ontario Restaurant News (www.ontariorestaurantnews.com) is published 12 times a year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ont. L4X 2W1 T: (905) 206-0150 · F: (905) 206-9972 · Toll Free: 1(800)201-8596 Other publications include the Canadian Chains and Buyers’ Directory as well as:
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Bi t s Foodservice to grow less than one per cent according to NPD TORONTO — According to The NPD Group, 2015 will be a battle for market share in both quick and full service restaurants within the Canadian foodservice industry, as they are expected to grow less than one per cent year over year for the next five years. In a January release, NPD executive director of Canada foodservice Robert Carter said the modest rate of growth means individual growth must come from stealing visits from the competition. “There are going to be winners and losers in the restaurant industry this coming year,” said Carter. “Restaurant operators who remain relevant by giving consumers what they want can be the winners, but it will require continually staying on top of trends and understanding what is resonating most strongly with consumers.” Carter said convenience, value, unique menu items, and service remain high on the list of foodservice consumers’ must-haves and wants and that won’t change in 2015, but how consumers define these is continually changing. For example, convenience is generally about portability, saving time and order accuracy, but the recent technology has raised the bar in all these areas and made online marketing a necessity. Carter predicts this year will bring an increased proliferation of mobile apps for ordering and payment, and other technologies that enable greater convenience for restaurant customers.
Executives depart Tim Hortons OAKVILLE, Ont. — On the heels of its $12.5-billion deal with Burger King and preceding layoffs at head office, three Tim Hortons senior executives left the company. The newly named Restaurant Brands International had named two of the executives to new positions in mid-December. President of Tim Hortons U.S. Mike Meilleur and head of communications and corporate affairs Scott Bonikowsky left their
positions after being with the company for about 20 years and more than seven years, respectively. Ronald Walton, a former Canadian Tim Hortons president, also left the company, according to early January reports. The three departures came less than a month before about 350 Tim Hortons employees lost their jobs in late-January layoffs at the company’s regional and head offices. David Blackmore, previously senior vicepresident of operations, has taken on the role of U.S. president of the chain, replacing Meilleur. Bonikowsky’s responsibilities are shared between two employees. David Clanaghan, who was recently named Tim Hortons’ president for Canada, has taken on some of Walton’s responsibilities, according to reports. Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital, the new owner of Tim Hortons, disclosed other executive changes to Tim Hortons and Burger King in December.
Marj’s closes after hep A scare ALMA, Ont. — In mid-January the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health informed patrons of Marj’s Village Kitchen in Alma, Ont., of a hepatitis A scare. Vaccinations were recommended for anyone who ate at the restaurant in January. The restaurant closed on Jan. 23, “due to several factors,” according to a statement from owner Keith McLean. “The restaurant has been struggling financially and now the reputation has been tainted,” McLean said.
O&B acquires The Carlu TORONTO — Restaurant, catering and event company Oliver & Bonacini (O&B) announced on Jan. 13, the addition of The Carlu to its events portfolio. The purchase amount is not being disclosed. The historic event space originally opened in 1930 as “Eaton’s Seventh Floor” and was
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designed by French architect Jacques Carlu. In 2003, the space at 444 Yonge St. in College Park was reopened as The Carlu event venue after an extensive restoration led by business partners Jeffry Roick and Mark Robert. “The Carlu has long been considered the gem of Toronto’s event scene, with a sterling reputation as one of Canada’s premier event destinations. With O&B’s extensive portfolio of venues, and their consistency and excellence of cuisine and service, The Carlu was a natural fit,” Roick said in a release. “We’re very excited to be managing this magnificent venue and couldn’t be happier to be bringing our passion for food and service to The Carlu’s distinctive setting of elegance and grandeur,” O&B president Andrew Oliver said in a release. “Working with The Carlu events team, we look forward to continuing the legacy of excellence that has been upheld throughout the years.” The official transition of The Carlu management to O&B will take place on March 2. Corporate events chef Jamie Meirele will oversee The Carlu. “We’re leaving it as an event venue — there’s not going to be a restaurant,” Oliver told the Toronto Star. “I’ve kind of had my eye on The Carlu for the last five years.
Grey-Bruce inspections go online OWEN SOUND, Ont. — The Grey Bruce Health Unit has put its foodservice inspections online to give easier access to the public. Prior to the Jan. 1 move, customers had to call in to check whether an establishment had any food safety concerns. “It’s becoming very commonplace in Ontario to have an online disclosure process,” said Angela Newman, program manager, food safety, with the Grey Bruce Health Unit. “Being online is just more user-friendly.” The online reports are broken down into categories and show whether an establishment is in compliance or not.