TORONTO — The foodservice and hospitality industry is facing a wide variety of challenges. From labour shortages to supply chain challenges, to looking for ways to reduce food waste, to continued debt recovery, and mental health and burnout, the industry continues to innovate, hustle and put its heart on the line to keep doors open and customers fed. Restaurants Canada is ready to address these issues at this year’s RC Show, taking place April 10-12, with experts and thought leaders who will share practical solutions for businesses looking to move forward and improve their bottom line.
This year’s theme HEART & HUSTLE, will spotlight speakers who will lead the conversation in foodservice innovation, share valuable insights, address current issues, and provide solutions that will help support the restaurant industry going forward.
RC Show will give attendees access to world-class educational and interactive speaker sessions, workshops and panels over three days and eight stages, including a new revenue-generating Growth Series taking place in StudioEx. Supported by Farm Credit Canada, guests will have the opportunity to participate in sessions and workshops to learn the ins and outs of getting retail ready, driving economic growth, supporting local and inspiring innovation.
Here’s a taste of who RC Show is bringing to the table and this year’s programming highlights at RC Show:
GAMECHANGERS, SIDE HUSTLES & SOCIAL MEDIA TASTEMAKERS
In order to survive the pandemic, and continue thriving through the ongoing issues continuously plaguing the industry, many restaurants, businesses and individuals had to shift to alternate revenue streams to keep afloat. Learn from and how they were able to use their skills to expand their businesses and platforms to prosper in times of hardship. Chef Imrun Texeira shows how he carved out a unique space in the industry by opening Wanderlust, a luxury personal chef service. An ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project, he is also focused on championing a healthy work environment and mental wellbeing for all.
Wallace Wong, also known as Six Pack Chef, changed the game by leveraging content creation and social media marketing to grow his audience and drive excitement to the industry. Growing his fanbase to 1.9M followers on Tiktok, this cancer survivor went full throttle with branding himself and his knife skills to create widespread awareness.
The face of the industry is changing, but foodservice and hospitality still have a long way to go when it comes to representing underprivileged communities. Hear from Janice Bartley, Founder of Foodpreneur Lab, as she discusses the ways in which her business works to tackle systemic barriers and develop new ways to create access for communities who have historically been excluded from the foodservice space.
The pandemic forced the issue of mental health in the industry to the forefront, as both employers and employees felt the effects of labour shortages and burnout, leading to more staff seeking stable work opportunities. Join Kris Hall, Founder of the Burnt Chef Project, as they discuss how their business is working to eradicate the stigma of mental health in the foodservice industry. Hear from Jim Taylor, Founder of Benchmark Sixty, whose organization offers expert consulting services that focuses on people and labour at restaurants.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & PANDEMIC SUCCESS STORIES
How I Got Here Series: In response to the growing number of alternative revenue stream opportunities that grew as a result of the last few years, RC Show, with the support of Farm Credit Canada, presents its “Growth Series”, three days of revenue generating content in a variety of workshops and sessions. Join moderator Dwania McLarty-Peele, founder of Canadian Small Business Women as well as industry professionals from Sachili, Street Food World and Nani’s Achar (all winners of the CSBW Women’s Pitch competition) on Tuesday, April 11 from 11:15-12:15, as they discuss their journeys and careers at the How I Got Here Series.
Join Manjit Minhas, Co-owner and Founder of Minhas Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries, as she hosts Breakfast with Champions on Wednesday, April 12, where hospitality leaders gather to learn data-driven insights from industry research companies, gain exclusive knowledge from innovators and get inspired by world-class speakers. You can also catch Minhas at the Beer Leadership Panel, as she and her fellow speakers discuss the heart and hustle of the beer business with a focus on insights and trends.
Learn from experts across three leadership panels – Full Service, Quick Service and Fast Casual. Join leaders such as Conley Rollins, CFO at Resy, and Luanne Ronquillo, Founder of Ruru Baked who will discuss issues such as changes in inflation, sustainable practices, labour tactics and more. Ronquillo – launched her ice cream business during the pandemic, delivering orders from her car. Fast forward to today, she’s now opening her second location in Markham and has been aligned with partners such as Adidas, Reebok, and the Toronto Symphony.
Hear from Chieff Bosompra, Founder of Aunty Lucy’s Burgers, whose lifelong dream it was to open his own business. He shares his story and how at 29 years old, amid a pandemic, Bosompra opened a burger pop up celebrating his Ghanaian culture. The entire menu sold out in two days. This year, Bosompra is about to open his 7th ghost kitchen location!
Sustainability has always been top-of-mind in the foodservice and hospitality especially when it comes to use of plastic products. As more and more businesses are shifting towards plastic alternatives, restaurants are looking for new ways to minimize their plastic use. Join Emily Robinson, Food Education Manager at the University of Guelph, as she discusses environmental issues, sustainability, the ways they are changing the industry and solutions for businesses to adopt to minimize their impact.
Want to learn the Operations of a Successful Business? Join our panel of experts such as David Hopkins, President of The Fifteen Group, to explore how to leverage opportunities for increased revenue, including menu optimization, strategic fiscal controls and exceptional guest experience.
It’s important to make sure your business stands out from the pack and to do so, your brand needs a story. No one knows that better than Marlo Onilla, Founder & Creative Director at Biography Design, who will provide insights about brand development and voice, visual identity and more to help your business share its story. Join Stacy DiCarlo, Principal and Lead Designer at Yellowbird in our Learning Lounge as she shares case studies that demonstrate the latest design and guest experience trends and winning interiors that will inspire and help propel you to success!
Inflation is a huge issue in the foodservice and hospitality industry, as businesses struggle to maintain their bottom lines. Thought leaders in this space have created practical solutions to help businesses fight against inflation and keep their doors open. Join Roger Francis, President at Sysco Canada and Asad Amin, Senior Vice President at Ipsos to fight back inflation and learn what tools are available to you to improve your business.
The Indigenous community is continuing to influence the industry and that does not seem to be slowing down. Moderated by Jenni Lessard, Executive Director at ICAN, hear from Chef Tawnya Brant, Chef Scott Iserhoff, Owner of Pei Pei Chei Ow and Chef Inez Cook, Co-owner and Founder of Salmon n’ Bannock to learn about the values and tools that the foodservice industry is learning from Indigenous teachings and how to support the Indigenous community in expanding/succeeding within the foodservice space.
For more information on this year’s event, visit www.rcshow.com.
Follow us and the conversation on social: #RCShow @RestaurantsCanada
About Restaurants Canada
Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit member-based trade association advancing the potential of Canada’s diverse and dynamic foodservice industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events. Canada’s foodservice sector is a $95 billion industry that serves 22 million customers across the country every day. As the fourth-largest private-sector employer, Canadian foodservice directly employs 1.2 million people, and indirectly supporting another 290,000+ jobs in related industries, with $32 billion in food and beverage products purchased every year.www.restaurantscanada.org
About RC Show – since 1944
Canada’s leading foodservice and hospitality event showcasing cutting-edge products, pioneering people and transformative ideas. Attendees can shop, taste, learn, connect and grow their business with multiple days of business-building action, including featured areas, competitions, workshops and RC Hospitality Week events tailored to educate, motivate and lead the industry. RC Show includes the latest trends, a dynamic selection of innovative products, and influential speakers assembled from around the globe, designed to help operators grow their businesses. An annual event not to be missed. Learn more at www.rcshow.com
