There you go… That’s the mandate of the Ontario Hostelry Institute, an organisation that does a great deal of good for anyone who likes to eat out in this province – or stay in a hotel, or shop for local, artisanal products, or read about food and wine. The OHI provides scholarships and bursaries to talented young people who might not otherwise be able to afford professional training, and we all benefit from that. The OHI does this, in part, through its gala – a most convivial black tie party held every spring at the Four Seasons that is also an opportunity to celebrate the careers of industry leaders by giving out gold awards.
Last week, past honorees gathered just after dawn to discuss who should be honoured in 2012. The meeting was convened (and governed with his usual mixture of tact and firmness) by the OHI’s chair and president, Charles Grieco. He has generously allowed me to share the news of the winners in each category.
Chef: Stephen Treadwell, Stephen Treadwell Farm-to-Table Cuisine
Hotelier: Anthony (Tony) Cohen, Global Edge Investments
Independent Restaurateur: Frédéric Geisweiller, Le Sélect Bistro
Educator, Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, Dean, College of Management & Economics, University of Guelph
Media/Publishing, Jody Dunn, Editor and Marketing Manager of Food & Drink magazine
Foodservice Chain Operator: Cora Tsouflidis, CORA
Supplier: Stephen J. Shamie, Hicks Morley
Artisanal supplier: Stephanie Purdy, Purdy’s Fisheries Limited
A star-studded list of people. And that’s not all. Mr. Grieco will also be presenting the Chairman’s OHI Gold Award to Anita Stewart M.C., LL.D.and the Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Gold Award to Dean John Walker MBA of George Brown College. The following people have been newlt elected as Fellows of the Ontario Hostelry Institute: Jamie Drummond – Good Food Revolution; Jeff Stewart MBA – Centre for Food and Wine – Niagara College; Melanie Coates – Fairmont Royal York; Connie McDonald – Royal Ontario Museum; Chef David Chrystian – Hotel Le Germain; Jill McCoey – Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa;
Afrim Pristine – Cheese Boutique; Lori Stahlbrand – Local Food Plus; Peter Bodnar Rod – 13 Street Winery; Gary Hallam M.Sc. – Conestoga College.
Congratulations to all. The gala dinner will be held on March 22 this year (please see below). It’s going to be a smashing beano with Anne Yarymowich, executive chef of Frank, and Michael Bonacini, executive chef of Oliver Bonacini, serving as the Honorary Dinner Chairs.