Food is about so much more than the finished product on our plates. It’s the culmination of years, even decades, of grit, determination and, above all, a love of the hospitality industry. To diners, it might just be a bite or a sip, but it’s actually a snapshot of the journey each chef or bartender took to get to where they are today.
Working in the hospitality industry is harder than ever. With many restaurants breaking even or operating at a loss, battling rising costs and labour shortages, and feeling the pressure from the Michelin Guide’s spotlight on the city, Toronto’s chefs and bartenders are feeling the pinch.
Despite these challenges, Toronto’s cooks, mixologists and mentors have continued to show up in incredible ways, cultivating a world-class dining scene. To celebrate this, we hosted the inaugural foodism ICON Awards this November, which recognized the most talented and impactful individuals in the local hospitality industry. We awarded winners across 10 categories and shone a light on their incredible achievements. Read on to learn about our ICONS.
RISING STAR ICONS
The chefs who are lighting the dining scene up and creating the menus of tomorrow.
Winners: Michael Ovejas, Keith Siu, Kevin Le
Co-founders, seeyousoon
We attended 4 under-the-radar supper clubs in Toronto
We delve into the secret world of supper clubs in Toronto, from multi-course menus in condos to one-off dinners at mystery locations around the city.
Read moreThe first time we tasted seeyousoon’s cooking was at a secretive Toronto supper club, and we were completely mystified. The dishes and flavours were familiar, yet somehow unlike anything we’d ever tasted before. Sitting down to chat with the trio of chefs garnered even more intrigue.
Behind the three founders, Kevin Le, Michael Ovejas and Keith Siu is a back catalogue of heavy-hitting culinary exploits. After working in world-class restaurants like Noma, Ikoyi and Borago, along with homegrown hotspots like Henry’s and Mimi Chinese, they grew tired of making other people’s food and wanted to craft their own dishes, their way.
Le, Ovejas and Siu started seeyousoon, a culinary collective that creates unforgettable dining experiences influenced by art and fashion. With sustainability at the forefront of their cooking, seeyousoon’s food draws inspiration from their upbringing and culinary background. The result is a mashup of flavours and techniques that shines with creativity and panache. As they tour around Toronto and the world showcasing their cooking in different pop-ups and events, seeyousoon is a Rising ICON to watch out for in the culinary world. Whatever they cook up next is sure to be good.
SUSTAINABILITY ICONS
Eco-conscious leaders who are inspiring us to do and care more for our planet.
Winners: Mohammad Tahvili, Erika Reyes, Clément Bureau
Co-founders, Inwit
After seeing a powerful image of a seabird filled with plastic, Erika Reyes felt compelled to change how we manage waste and sustainability in our food systems. In 2019, she founded Wisebox, Canada’s first city-wide reusable takeout container program. In 2020, she was recognized by the City of Toronto’s Women4Climate program.
When COVID reshaped the food industry, Reyes responded by founding Inwit, a zero-waste corporate catering food delivery platform. To realize her goal, she brought together a team of passionate changemakers dedicated to making waste-free dining more accessible.
Chief operations officer Clément Bureau joined Inwit with a strong sense of responsibility for future generations, and over a decade of leadership experience in project management, strategic planning and business development. Driven by a desire to address social and environmental challenges through innovation, Mohammad Tahvili brought his entrepreneurial expertise and background in computer sciences as Inwit’s chief technology officer. Tahvili was recognized when he became a finalist at the Adams Sustainability Innovation Prize in 2022, further cementing his role as a key player in driving Inwit’s mission to make sustainability a core value in technology and business.
Together with Reyes’s seven years of international marketing experience, the trio combines their skills to run Inwit. Partnering with highly rated Toronto restaurants to serve catered meals in reusable containers, Inwit offers a revolutionary sustainable (and hassle-free) experience in an industry plagued by single-use packaging.
WINE ICON
The wine expert who is inspiring vino lovers and introducing them to the best bottles.
Winner: Kelly Mason
Head winemaker, Mason Vineyard & Domaine Queylus
Kelly Mason’s journey from Montréal to the rolling hills of Italy has shaped her into a force to be reckoned with in the winemaking world. Her passion for Burgundian-style wines has taken her from Saintsbury Winery in Napa to her own slice of vine heaven in Ontario’s Twenty Mile Bench. Mason purchased her first vineyard in 2012, launching Mason Vineyard in 2021, where she has become famous for her exquisite single-estate wines, notably pinot noir, chardonnay and cabernet franc.
With mentorship from legendary winemaker Thomas Bachelder, Mason’s dedication to crafting terroir-driven wines shines through each sip. She is also the head winemaker at Domaine Queylus, where she earned the title of 2024 Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards. Celebrated for her precision and artistry, Mason’s wines embody the best of Canadian viticulture. The world — and Foodism — is taking notice.
LOCAL ICON
The ambassador who is committed to showcasing the best of Ontario’s bounty.
Winner: Jason Bangerter
Executive chef, Langdon Hall
Watch: Langdon Hall's Jason Bangerter shows us how to grow your own
In episode one of In the Kitchen: Back to Basics, we're kicking things off with Jason Bangerter, who shows us how to grow your own from the beautiful garden at Langdon Hall.
Read moreYou can’t think of luxury in Ontario without immediately summoning the bucolic image of Langdon Hall, a grand country manor originally built in 1898, nestled in the countryside near Cambridge. The Relais & Châteaux property is known for its exceptionally high standards, but the jewel in its crown is Langdon Hall’s award-winning restaurant, helmed by executive chef Jason Bangerter.
Bangerter’s career spans nationally and internationally, where he has worked alongside some of the world’s greatest chefs. His unbridled passion for excellence is fuelled by his dedication to supporting and developing sources for sustainable, responsibly produced ingredients.
The restaurant’s farm-to-table menus highlight ingredients sourced from the estate’s gardens, which are spread across acres of lush grounds, and feature meticulously maintained flower beds and vegetable plots. Bangerter works closely with the garden team to cultivate a menu that showcases a true taste of place using ingredients like heirloom vegetables, herbs, edible flowers and fruits to beautiful and delicious effect.
DEI ICONS
Individuals who put diversity, equity and inclusion at the core of their business.
Winners: Roger and Camille Dundas
Co-founders, byblacks.com and byblacks restaurant week
While many people may be interested in or curious about how they can support the local Black community, it can be challenging to know where to start. On top of that, salacious headlines in mainstream media often focus on the most shock-worthy struggles faced by Black people.
In 2013, husband-and-wife duo Roger and Camille Dundas founded ByBlacks.com, an online magazine that shines a spotlight on the incredible accomplishments, contributions and “everyday excellence” of Black Canadians, and offers readers the opportunity to learn about Black-owned businesses.
Co-founder and publisher, Roger guides the team to create positive content that covers all aspects of the Black Canadian community, from the triumphs of young entrepreneurs and artist features to the most mouth-watering restaurants showcased in the ByBlacks Restaurant Week campaign. The annual nationwide food festival raises awareness and encourages patronage for Black-owned Canadian restaurants, caterers, pop-ups and food trucks by offering prix fixe menus or discounted specials for seven days.
As the co-founder and editor-in-chief of ByBlacks.com, Camille has led her editorial team to several media awards, and a special certificate of commendation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
INNOVATION ICONS
The hospitality gurus who are using innovation to make our industry more dynamic.
Winners: Morley Ivers, Michael Baruch
Co-founders, Cookin
During the pandemic, an influx of home cooks began selling food through social media. While many were talented hobbyists creating quality items, the unregulated options weren’t entirely safe or reliable. Cookin stepped in to connect food creators with diners in Toronto and the GTA. The delivery platform and marketplace allow food entrepreneurs to sell their home-cooked meals in a safe and convenient way, creating a novel opportunity for cooks and foodies.
The food delivery platform was co-founded by CEO Morley Ivers, a tech entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in rapid-growth tech environments, and Michael Baruch, a marketing professional who has held senior management positions at several leading international companies. Together, they’ve created an innovative platform that enables food creators to become food entrepreneurs, introducing customers to a variety of conveniently delivered home-cooked meals.
MIXOLOGY ICON
The bartender renowned for shaking up creativity and innovation with every sip.
Winner: Élise Hanson
Bar manager, Civil Works
Civil Liberties' stunning new art-deco cocktail bar is a world of whimsy
From the team behind Civil Liberties, Toronto's famed bar, the new Civil Works is like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory for cocktail enthusiasts, led by the fearlessness and creativity of bar manager Élise Hanson.
Read moreRecently recognized as the Most Imaginative Bartender 2024 in Bombay Sapphire’s international cocktail competition, Élise Hanson is making waves in the Toronto bar scene.
Originally from the small town of Penetanguishene, Ontario, she’s worked at some of Canada’s most acclaimed bars, including Pretty Ugly and Bar Raval.
Hanson’s unbridled imagination and mixology expertise have flourished in her latest gig as bar manager at Civil Works, the newest concept by the Civil Liberties team, where she’s created an exceptional cocktail menu that’s already one of the best in the city.
Hanson’s inspirations for her Civil Works tipples might raise eyebrows (think tom yum soup or al pastor tacos), but she executes them with flawless precision and achieves outstanding results. Cocktails like the Strickling Bar are a full meal’s worth of flavour in a glass. Hanson’s award-winning cocktail, The Equilibrium, is available to order at Civil Works, too.
MENTORSHIP ICON
The hospitality leader committed to educating and raising the next generation.
Winner: John Higgins
Culinary instructor, George Brown College
Before joining Chef School at George Brown in Toronto, chef John Higgins apprenticed at Michelin-star restaurant Malmaison in Glasgow, and Gleneagles, a world-famous, five-star luxury hotel in Scotland. Since arriving in Canada in 1981, Higgins has steered the school through a massive expansion due to an explosive demand in enrolment, and has been a key player in guiding young and promising chefs like Jason Bangerter to success.
Even after retiring from the college in 2022, Higgins continues to support George Brown College’s Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts. He recently participated in the George Brown Student Startup, a collaboration between Cookin’ and George Brown College that aimed to inspire the next generation of chefs. Higgins handpicked eight George Brown College students and alumni to dive into online restaurant entrepreneurship. He always reminds his students that being a chef is hard work and requires passion and dedication.
CULINARY ICON
The chef known for consistently making inventive and authentic dishes we crave.
Winner: Iván Castro
Chef and owner, La Bartola
I had one of the best meals of my life at La Bartola, and everything was vegan
The restaurant's story is one of family, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and believing in your dreams. Today, La Bartola is on the Michelin Guide and it's the best vegan restaurant in Toronto.
Read morePreparing vegan food that stands toe-to-toe or surpasses animal-based meals takes dedication, ingenuity and passion. That sums up chef Iván Castro in a nutshell, which is why we can’t get enough of his cuisine at College Street’s La Bartola.
The owner and chef de cuisine has a deep commitment to sustainable plant-based ingredients. The way Castro blends authentic Mexican flavours with contemporary international cuisine has landed his restaurant on Toronto’s Michelin Guide, earning a Bib Gourmand distinction, since 2022.
Chef Castro first launched a series of secret vegan dinners in his Toronto apartment, where he sought to showcase the richness of Mexican gastronomy. The overwhelmingly positive response from guests inspired him to create La Bartola.
From sourcing hard-to-find peppers during his travels through Oaxaca to making fresh masa in-house every day, Castro pays homage to his cultural roots in every element of his restaurant. It just so happens that everything he makes is mouth-wateringly delicious.
LEGENDARY ICON
The iconic chef with a long-standing contribution to the Ontario food scene.
Winner: Donna Dooher
Founder, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen
Mildred’s Temple Kitchen is the iconic spot that brought brunch to Toronto
Tucked away in Liberty Village but known across the city, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen was almost not a thing, but for a brave idea and two great founders.
Read moreIf you love catching up with friends over a stack of pancakes, you have Donna Dooher to thank for that. The Mildred’s Temple Kitchen head chef and founder is known for starting brunch culture in Toronto, and has masterminded some of the city’s most famous breakfast dishes, from fluffy buttermilk pancakes slathered in maple syrup to their signature crumbly biscuits and scones.
In addition to launching the iconic Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, tucked away in Liberty Village, Dooher has hosted “Cookworks,” a popular Food Network show, is the author of two best-selling cookbooks, and has served as the national chair of Taste Canada and the chair of the board of directors and CEO of Restaurants Canada.
A self-proclaimed ‘fork hugger,’ Dooher is dedicated to supporting Ontario farmers, and is fuelled by her passion for locally sourced, seasonal ingredients — simply and sumptuously prepared.
