For Immediate Release
June 27, 2023
2023 BC RESTAURANT HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED
Get Tickets Today for the Exciting October 23 Induction Ceremony
Vancouver, BC - One of B.C.’s most vital and vibrant industries will be honouring its best and brightest this fall. Join dynamic broadcaster Jody Vance on Monday, October 23 as she emcees the annual celebration of the change makers, risk-takers, cheerleaders and stalwarts of the province’s restaurant sector: the 19th Annual BC Restaurant Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony.
Tickets available here.
“After more than three years, this very special ceremony is back, and I cannot wait to celebrate and recognize these deserving industry superstars,” shares BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) President and CEO, Ian Tostenson.
The evening takes place at the Italian Cultural Centre and includes a pre-event wine tasting with iconic stemware maker Riedel, followed by a reception, four-course Italian menu, Okanagan wines, as well as surprise entertainment. The gathering of 450 peers and professionals will include local luminaries like Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, Tourism Minister Lana Popham and B.C.’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Janet Austin. New this year, an online auction will launch in tandem with the event to raise funds for the British Columbia Restaurant Industry Fund, a new initiative dedicated to developing careers in hospitality.
Hospitality careers were heavily impacted in recent years, making it more important than ever to pay tribute to those that elevate the industry. “It’s been a long haul. Colleagues and businesses were lost in these most challenging times,” shares BCRFA Board Director, Bob Parrotta. “We owe it to one another to celebrate our tenacity and to look ahead to a bright future . . . because this is what we do.”
The highlight of the evening is, of course, the 2023 BC Restaurant Hall of Fame awards presentation. This year’s inductees will join the almost 100 individuals whose contributions have been forever commemorated in the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame to date.
The Process:
A call for nominations go out to the BCRFA's database of 5,000 industry members in the spring. Annual inductees are chosen via a vote made by previous BC Restaurant Hall of Fame inductees. To become part of this voting database, restaurant and industry adjacent members - including suppliers, related industries and culinary media - are invited to participate by emailing info@bcrfa.com.
2023 BC RESTAURANT HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Lifetime Achievement
Kelly Gordon Romers / Steamship
James Iranzad Gooseneck Hospitality
Claudio Ranallo La piazza Dario’s restaurant
Industry Pioneer
Ron Slinger The Black Bear Neighbourhood Pub
David Wong Six Mile Pub
Local Champion
Robert Cassels Saveur Restaurant - Victoria
Ross Derrick Broken Anchor Hospitality – Kelowna/Big White
Gino Di Domenico Tacofino - Tofino / Vancouver
Jesse McCleery Pilgrimme - Gulf Islands
Mike & Karen Roland Red Door Bistro – Whistler
Active Restaurateur
Neil Aisenstat Hy's of Canada
Michael Doyle Aquilini Group
Audrey Surrao RauDZ Creative Concepts Ltd.
Lily Verney-Downey & Warren Barr Pluvio Restaurant
Friend of the Industry
Bert Hick Rising Tide Consultants
Women in Hospitality
Kelsey Oudendag Okanagan College / RauDZ Creative Concepts Ltd.
Jennifer Rossi Kitchen Table Group
Cathy Tostenson White Spot Hospitality
Donna Wadsworth Savoury City Catering
Leading Employee/Manager – Front and Back of House
Andy Crimp Cardero's
Ken Nakano Inn at Laurel Point
Celestino Posteraro Cioppino's
Supplier
Chris Brown Arterra Wines Canada
Yvonne (Koo) Leong Koo Produce
The BC Restaurant Hall of Fame is delighted to call out and thank key event sponsors UBER, FortisBC, The Keg and Premium Brands for supporting this signature event.
19th Annual BC Restaurant Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony
Date: Monday, October 2023
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Italian Cultural Centre
3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver
Tickets
BCRFA Members $215
Non-Members $235
Table of 10: $2,150
Purchase your tickets here today.
Media Contact: Event Contact:
Ian Tostenson Christine Ferreria
President and CEO Membership Services and Partnerships
BC Restaurant & Foodservices Association BC Restaurant & Foodservices Association
604.986.1429 info@bcrfa.com
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About the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame
The BC Restaurant Hall of Fame was conceived in 2004 and the first groups of inductees were honoured in March of 2005. Established by Bing Smith and Don Monsour, this initiative of the British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association, this is the first, and only, Restaurant Hall of Fame in Canada. The BC Restaurant Hall of Fame was established to recognize and celebrate the individuals in the restaurant industry who have made significant contributions to the BC restaurant scene, making it the finest in Canada.
The inaugural group of sixteen inductees was led by Erwin Doebeli and Umberto Menghi and included legends such as Nat Bailey, Hy Aisenstat, George Tidball, Bruno Marti and Harry McWatters. Our pioneers are being honoured, as they created our industry. Our active inductees are designing our future. Our friends of the industry assist us in making our present time a success and supporting us to our future successes.
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