2025 Speaker Lineup

Alana Steele

Sommelier & General Manager, The Ostrich Club

Alida Solomon

Chef & Owner, Tutti Matti Restaurant

Amrita Bhalla

Managing Director, A.B Consulting

Bashir Munye

Chef, Food Advocate & Educator

Casey Ryan

Bar Owner, Electric Bill

Charlotte Langley

CEO & President, Langley Foods

Chef Tuệ Nguyễn

Restaurateur & Content Creator @TwayDaBae

Chris Commandant

Chef & Educator, Otsenha - Indigenous Culinary Solutions

Chuck Ortiz

Founder & Creative Director, Back of House

Cristina Carpio

Media Personality & Editor-in-Chief, Evolve Magazine

Devan Rajkumar

International Chef & Culinary Consultant

Donald Guse Salah

Director, Pathways to Careers in Foodservice, Restaurants Canada

Dwania Peele

Founder, Canadian Small Business Women

Emma Balment

Director, Ipsos

Emma MacFarlane

Economic & Business Advisor (Eastern US), OMAFRA

Eric Pan

Owner & GM, Slice of Life

Eva Chin

Executive Chef & Culinary Director, Hong Shing Restaurant Group | Yan Dining Room

Evelyn Chick

Entrepreneur, TV Personality & Beverage Expert, Evelyn Chick Projects Inc.

Fabiola Sicard

Economic & Business Advisor, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Frank Hennessey

CEO, Recipe Unlimited Corporation

Hannah Harradine

Owner, Down Home Farmhouse Restaurant

Hannah O'Donovan

Somatic Guide, somasoma

Hassi Sadri

Academy Director, Napoli Culinary Academy

Hugo Togni

Bar Director, Bar Pompette

Imrun Texeira

Chef & Owner, Wanderlust

Joel Gray

Owner, Down Home Farmhouse Restaurant

John Gutekanst

Owner & CEO, Avalanche Pizza

John Higgins

Principal, @Haggisracer Caterer to Kings and Queens

Joseph Shawana

Indigenous Foodways and Cultural Guide, ᑯᑯᒼx Indigenous Kitchen

José Andrés

Chef & Founder, World Central Kitchen & Think/Food Group

Katie Bridges

Editor, Twenty Two Media (Foodism & Escapism)

Margot Swindall

Director, Business Development, Technomic Inc.

Matthew Sullivan

Corporate Chef, Aegis Brands

Mo Jessa

Retired President Emeritus & Board Member, Earls Restaurants

Myles Soulliere

Manager, Windsor Regional Employment Network, City of Windso

Rebecca Mackenzie

President & CEO, Culinary Tourism Alliance

Richard Cazeau

Executive Producer & Content Creator

Robert Byrne

Senior Director, Consumer Research, Technomic

Rocco Agostino

Executive Chef & Partner, Pizzeria Libretto Restaurant Group

Romain Avril

Executive Chef & Author, Romain Avril Inc.

Ryan Hinkson

Food Culturalist & Content Creator, @EatFamous

Sandrine Ramoisy

Founder, TIPS Academy

Sash Simpson

Proprietor & Executive Chef, Sash Restaurant + Wine Bar

Sean Van Humbeck

Team Lead, WCG Services

Shingo Gokan

Bartender & Founder, SG Group

Suman Ali Sayed

Chef, Educator & Entrepreneur, House of Khaleej & Bar Mordecai

Trevor Lui

President & CEO, Highbell Hospitality Group

Val Upfold

Executive Recruiter & HR Expert

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