Eat This! Drink That!

Stevie Kim is the publisher of "The Jumbo Shrimp Guide to Italian Wine" and in her role of marketing all that is Italian Wine this is a marvelous primer.  I spoke with Stevie as Northern Italy was emerging from lockdown so naturally we also included a conversation about the effects of the Pandemic on the sales of wine as well as international travel connected with promoting product and providing education worldwide. 

Restaurateur Steve Beckta talks about dining in Ottawa and specifically the world of Play, Gezellig, and Beckta, and how he and his team pivoted during the Pandemic with Curated by Beckta home delivery.   A graduate of the early days of the sommelier program at Algonquin College Steve spent 4 years in New York City honing his skills at top properties.  Influential in changing the food and service landscape Steve returned to Ottawa in 2002 and his trajectory was ever upwards. As restaurants reopen their doors tomorrow (July 17th, 2020) we wish them well and look forward to sitting, opening a menu and enjoying their exceptional welcome and quality dining experience.

Who doesn't love cashews?  Well Nuts for Cheese are making a non-dairy cheese... and now two butter options. Cashews are the base for it all.  Organic and Fair Trade cashews!  Join me as I ask Candace Campbell, marketing director, about the process, the progress, and the progression of the company as it reaches across Canada and now into the United States marketplace.  

21 years ago the community of Inuvik turned their hockey arena into a community garden.  Replacing the roof with a transparent surface essentially offered an 18,000 square foot space to grow vegetables in a moderated space.  They only use the growing season as there is no supplemental heating, but when summer arrives things thrive. 56 days of continuous sunlight. The result is amazing bounding production at the peak of summer and on towards Labour Day.   Executive Director, Ray Solotki, talks about the history, this year's season, and the challenges faced as the Pandemic changed how they operate. 

In the 2000s while attending Royal Roads I got the opportunity to reconnect with Bob Bateman.  He was giving a series billed as "Sketchbook Talks" and would show up on campus every few months to describe trips, travels and adventures.  While on location he would compile a series of impressions into pages and pages of detailed images with words and sometimes arrows highlighting features or unique attributes of birds or other animals. These often formed the basis for large canvases on his return to his studio. Now in his 9th decade he kindly took my call. We talked about his beginning years as a geography teacher, his love of encouraging people (especial young people) to experience the natural world, and the emergence of ecological awareness.  

Benjamin MacKenzie is BACK!  Yes, with movie theatres still closed the summer pop-up drive-in is a great option for entertainment.  In this episode Benjamin discusses the logistics, locations, and love people have for the iconic drive-in.  Of course observing pandemic protocols there is pre-booking / pre-payment for tickets and concessions.  Two nights in Sudbury, add Manitoulin, North Bay, and Timmins;  he has a busy schedule.  m

Augustina Valenza CEO of Fragola Baby and Toddler Food describes her entrepreneurial journey.  Mouth watering options introduce flavours and textures in nourishing combinations at the right time for your child.  Brain food, body food this is not just time saving, but the home delivered packaging is reusable. Recorded in April 2020 this episode is part of an exploration of the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on business, individuals, families, and communities.   

In the vastness of that which is the Canadian Arctic a lone figure canoes and portages west to east.  Read his best selling book "Beyond the Trees" or download and watch the 4 month journey.  Fraught with contrary winds, hordes of biting insects, and the horizon to horizon daylight Adam shares stories - challenges and awe - on this episode of QoL.  

Marketing; we love it, we hate it.  But at its core it connects you with goods and ideas, and those offering with an audience.  Jeff MacIntyre has a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in helping retailers and regions share their story.  He talks about how downtown districts can revitalize by showcasing their uniqueness.  Naturally we do back and forth on restaurants and destinations.  Formerly of Fuel Media and now with Marketing Hounds he also has devoted time to his role as Chair - and now past Chair - Downtown Sudbury.

The Pandemic is having ripple effects throughout our economy and our lives.  David St. George is the Communications Director at reThink Green.  Our conversation goes from rethinking urban and personal transportation to food security to choices in everything we do.  Listen along on this wide ranging dialogue.  This episode was recorded at the end of May 2020.

Travel with the amazing Nelles Shakleton as she describes her employment arc. Decades in the hospitality industry started with her birth into a prairie diner run by her parents, then service at the iconic (Westin) Bayshore in the time of Howard Hughes.  I caught up with Nelles at the Tea Room at Government House on the grounds of the home of BC's Lt. Governor.  

Leaders Under Fire: The CEO's Survival Guide to Navigating Corporate Crisis  by Jeff Chatterton and Conway Fraser Conway Fraser shares his insights on leadership, and being a leader in a time of crisis.  Co-authored with Jeff Chatterton this guide is just over 140 pages of valuable, distilled, learnings from two top industry gurus.   At one time there was a red book any CEO could pull off the shelf and it would say what to do; now reaction times are tighter and one wrong message can cost you your job or turtle a business.  Knowing how to communicate the right words and tone in a timely manner is more essential than ever.   Conway was scheduled for a book launch in mid-March in Sudbury, but as we know SARS-CoV-2 changed everything.   Listen to this episode to learn how you can have a copy of "Leaders Under Fire"

Two conversations.  The first with Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Ernie Hardeman, and the second with a Metro Grocery Store manager, highlight the complexity of field to table systems.  Reduction in migrant worker numbers, challenges at food processing plants, and the intricacies of the distribution are topics in this program.   OMAFRA has launched a portal that connects potential employees with employers, and employers with future employees to ensure stability in the total food and food delivery system.  

Working his way up through the ranks Zoltan Szabo acknowledges the guidance, nurturing, and support by many in the hospitality industry that eventually put him on the top of the sommelier circle.  He knows and loves not only wines the Niagara Peninsula, but the wider new world and the classics of the old.  More than a quarter century of Canadian exposure he was heavily visible in the media and wine education through his work at the Ontario Wine Council.  Hugh catches up with him in Transylvania Romania.  

James Delsaut has devoted a large part of each day to learn more about SARS Covid-2 (Covid-19).  It is both a professional and natural curiosity that drives him:  Dr. Delsaut is a Pharmacist in Northern Ontario.  Listen to this conversation on how his operation has changed and improved services to protect both himself and coworkers, as well as the public during this Pandemic. 

Calen McNeil of Big Wheel speaks about the restaurant world in the time of Covid-19.  His responses include protecting and retaining employees thru task changes, cross-training and doing their own delivery system.

This was recorded today, April 4th, 2020.  It is a frank discussion on the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on the hospitality industry.  

I had this conversation with Dr. Peter Zalan this morning.  He is a retired ICU doctor and offers a series of suggestions for stopping the spread of Covid-19.  

I worked with Sam perhaps a decade ago.  He knows kitchens, and how to manage the whole restaurant experience having also been an owner.  We talk about this and the current impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.  On an upbeat nature we also discuss the restart of the industry when things improve.  

I speak with Chef Hanna Jo Clemens who has risen through the ranks in the kitchen at Killarney Mountain Lodge.  This is her 9th season there and she is working on a menu that both reflects the specialness of this place as well as putting her own signature on the design and offerings. Naturally fish - fresh caught - will be a feature, but come and join the conversation and hear her talk about the renovations, the quality of service, and the genuine Georgian Bay feel.