LEAF at the RC Show: In photos!

And that’s a wrap!

Another Restaurants Canada show is in the books and what a whirlwind of an event! From the food to the informative panel discussions to the official launch of Restogreen, we had a great time and we hope you did too!

 Here are some memorable moments captured from the RC show:

Photo creds: Vicky Huang and Bianca Di Donato

LEAF Executive Director Anna Pham moderating the Tech Innovation in Food Waste panel with Too Good To Go’s Sam Kashani, Trendi’s Craig McIntosh and Restogreen’s Andre Mondor

Keynote speaker Douglas McMaster at the A New Level of Sustainability with Douglas McMaster

Behind the scenes with Education & Environmental Resource Coordinator Vicky Huang

LEAF’s Board President Tricia Ryan and Executive Director Anna Pham hosting the Eco System Workshop with ReThink Resource’s Shane Harker, City of Toronto Policy and Planning Manager Michael Skaljin and Silo Founder Douglas McMaster

Exploring the tastes of the RC Show!

Some of the LEAF team (& friends)! From the left, a Restogreen volunteer, BizBiz Share Chief Technology Officer Pierre-Olivier Campagna, Contributing Writer Lindsay Butti, Education & Environmental Resource Coordinator Vicky Huang, Executive Director Anna Pham and Restogreen Vice President Andre Mondor

LEAF Executive Director Anna Pham

LEAF at the RC Show & Restogreen official launch

The countdown is on! The long-awaited Restaurants Canada Show is happening May 9 - 11, 2022 at the Enercare Center in Toronto (and virtually)!

LEAF Canada is excited to not only host a booth at the show (swing by and say hello!), but our own Executive Director Anna Pham and Board President Tricia Ryan will be moderating two panels! 

Catch Anna hosting the Tech Innovation in Food Waste panel at the Culinary Stage on Monday at 4:15pm ET. She’ll be hosting a discussion on how technology firms are developing new ways the foodservice industry can reduce food waste with senior leaders from Trendi, Restogreen and Too Good to Go.

And on Wednesday at 11:45am ET, Tricia will be doing a deep dive into the systemic reforms that need to take place to drive sustainability in food service during the Eco System Workshop at StudioEx. She'll be joined by leaders from ReThink Resource, Restogreen, a City of Toronto policy and planning official and the founder of U.K.-based zero waste restaurant Silo. 

Tricia and Anna will also be introducing the keynote speaker at the A New Level of Sustainability with Douglas McMaster event on Tuesday at 11:30am ET. 

File these sustainability-focused panels under the “don’t miss” category - and check out the full event schedule here!
 

Tech Innovation in Food Waste
Monday May 9th, 4:15pm-5:00pm
Culinary Stage 

A New Level of Sustainability with Douglas McMaster
Tuesday May 10th, 11:30am-12:15pm
Speaker Stage

Eco System Workshop
Wednesday May 11th, 11:45am-12:30pm
StudioEx

Speaking of Restogreen – the online sustainability resource toolkit and marketplace for foodservice businesses will officially launch at the show. See how buying, selling and renting used equipment, furniture and inventory can help your business become more sustainable (and help give your bottom line a boost). Read more here.

Big changes are coming to the foodservice industry landscape. As we emerge from the pandemic, which moved much of service to delivery and takeout, the number of reasons for your business to become more sustainable is growing, including the federal government aiming to ban single-use plastics like straws and stir sticks.

Current research also shows Ontario landfills will be exhausted in the next 10 - 28 years and the province is looking to ban all organic waste from landfills. Canadians can expect to see the final regulations to ban single-use plastics sometime near the end of 2022 and a prohibition on organic waste in Ontario landfills soon after. This time before the legislation passes should be used to prepare your supply chain with more sustainable practices and packaging materials.

And support is available. Provincial legislation is slowly providing money for firms to build sustainable business models, add current technology, and install best practices across food-related industries.

Learn how LEAF applies the highest standards of environmental responsibility for food service firms through its certification program, which is audited by an independent third-party. The LEAF stamp is a sign of your dedication to the industry and your customers to eco-friendly business practices.

Complying with changing legislation and reducing your “fork-print” can be a tall order for the food service sector to fill, so we hope you can use this opportunity to explore viable solutions for your business with the information that will be shared at the RC Show.

2019 RC Show - Focus on SustainABILITY

With a “SustainABILITY” theme, the 2019 RC Show had a high bar to achieve. It did not disappoint. While all aspects of the term “sustainability” were explored, there was a heavy focus on environmental sustainability. For 3 days, thousands of restaurant owners, Chefs, and industry leaders were treated to educational, entertaining and inspiring events. And of course, delicious eats.

The Eco Pavilion, co-presented by LEAF, hosted eco-workshops that taught attendees how to reduce waste, save energy and money, and how to achieve the first steps to LEAF certification. IESO held the second Save on Energy Forum which focused on ways to reduce energy use and save money. Eye-opening panel discussions with CEOs and sustainability leaders provided unique insights into challenges and successes, and the future of sustainability in foodservice.

We capped off the Show by handing out the 2nd Annual LEAF Awards. It was a fantastic show. See you at the next RC Show, March 1-3, 2020!

RC Show 2018: sustainability up front

Over 20,000 chefs, restaurateurs and industry professionals attended the RC Show in Toronto on Feb 25-27th, 2018. LEAF was a co--presenter of the Eco Pavilion, which featured businesses and organizations to help attendees address waste, find rebates, learn about the ENERGY STAR program and more.

Day one featured a great discussion on the Business Case for Sustainability. Bruce McAdams of the University of Guelph's Sustainable Restaurant Program (UGSRP) started off the talk by highlighting the economic benefits of incorporating sustainability into operations and stats to provide context.  A panel discussion with five LEAF certified restaurateurs followed, each discussing their challenges and successes in their sustainability journey, and providing valuable insight and advice. 

The talk wrapped with each chef offering their recommendation for the best sustainable change they made - either economically or greatest impact with least investment:

• Chef Cam McGowan from CRAFT Beer Market suggested starting with a waste audit of garbage, compost and recycling - laying everything "out on a tarp" to seeing what you're actually throwing away.
   
• Ian Vickers, COO of Diversity Food Services, recommended placing compost containers by each service station and taking the garbage out of the way. Ian suggested placing the garbage at the back of the house created a "walk of shame" to throw something out, ensuring anything that could be composted or recycled, was.
   
• Evelyn Gharibian from Hearty Catering, favoured monitoring water use and implementing conservation systems as means to reduce water use and cost.
   
• Elio Zannoni of Gusto Commissary and Catering highlighted the ease and impact of eliminating plastic straws and stir sticks.
   
• Brad Long of Cafe Belong recommended working towards being a Certified B Corp, and stressed the importance of measurement.

Kim of Montgomery's Restaurant

Throughout the show we collected pledges in our Pledge to Win contest - encouraging foodservice operators to make a sustainability pledge. We captured pledges for everything from  purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances and installing low flow fixtures, to eliminating plastic straws! 

The final day of the show featured the SaveONEnergy Forum presented by IESO where the focus was on SAVING. We heard first hand accounts of how big and small energy efficiency strategies had lead to major operational cost savings. 

Chic Alors! saves $700 per month with LED lighting and realized a payback within 7 months of the initial investment

Sheridan College campus was able to reduce the temperature by two degrees in the winter by installing ENERGY STAR window film, resulting in substantial cost savings

Kim of Montgomery's restaurant kept costs in check by choosing ENERGY STAR appliances, unplugging equipment when not needed, filling in cracks in the walls and around windows and doors, installing thick curtains and rugs as insulation, and more

At the end of the SaveONEnergy Forum, ENERGY STAR Canada, in partnership with Restaurants Canada, IESO, LEAF and Newspring Energy, launched their Foodservice Energy Challenge, which will give participating restaurant and foodservice facilities the opportunity for deep discounts on ENERGY STAR equipment and a chance to win prizing. 

The show was capped off with the first LEAF Awards, presented to four incredibly deserving companies. Diversity Foodservices, Chic Alors!, Community Cafe and Creelman Market all took home awards. Learn more about the winners here.

Thanks to Restaurants Canada for putting on an amazing show and highlighting sustainability! We look forward to the RC Show 2019 where the theme will be Sustainability! 

Creelman Market: winner of Eco-Innovator 2018

Diversity Foodservices: winner of Greenest Restaurant over 10,000 square feet

Community Cafe: winner of Most Improved 2018

Chic Alors!: winner Greenest Restaurant 2018

LEAF Approved Supplier Rethink Resource

LEAF at the RC Show 2018!

We’re gearing up for the RC Show in Toronto February 25-27th - just a few short weeks away! As title sponsors of the Show’s Eco Pavilion, LEAF is very excited to present the “Pledge to Win” contest. 

The "Pledge to Win" contest will encourage foodservice operators at the show to make a “green” pledge (big or small) such as “go straw-less”, “switch to renewable energy” or “get LEAF certified” for the chance to win an “Eco” prize package to start their sustainability journey. 

In order to be entered to win, pledgees must share their pledge on social media with the hashtag #RCShow2018 and tag @LEAFCanada and @RestaurantsCanada. The Pledge to Win contest will encourage a large number of restaurateurs to implement new sustainability initiatives and set concrete goals. It will also bring awareness to the environmental impact of the industry and highlight how easy first steps can be.

The winner will receive an Eco prize package valued at over $1000.

A big Thank you to our “Pledge to Win” sponsors:

Restaurants Canada

Newspring Energy

Rethink Resource

Alberta Apparel

Bio-Origins

Intellinox Technologies

Other Must-see sustainability events at the show include:

Business Case for Sustainability
Panel Discussion
Sunday, Feb 25, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Join us on the main stage for an enlightening panel discussion with Bruce McAdams, foodservice and sustainability expert, as he presents the business case for sustainability and how it can positively impact your business. 

Bruce will be joined by LEAF Certified facilities to share their journeys, successes and challenges around "going green" and being part of the LEAF program.

KEYNOTE & MODERATOR:
Bruce McAdams, Professor, University of Guelph

SPEAKERS:

Brad Long, Chef & Owner, Café Belong & Belong Catering - Evergreen Brick Works 

Elio Zannoni, Executive Chef, Gusto 54 

Evelyne Gharibian, Founder, Hearty Catering Inc. 

Ian Vickers, COO, Diversity Food Services 

Cam McGowan, Executive Chef, CRAFT Beer Market

Save on Energy Foodservice Forum
Tues, Feb. 27, 7:45am-1:00pm

Save energy, manage your utility costs and help your business. Hear about the latest in energy efficiency programs and about available training and support. Learn from industry leaders and experts about the most innovative products, technologies, and ideas to manage your costs and increase your bottom line. Knowledge is power, don't stay in the dark.

LEAF Awards

The first annual LEAF Awards will be handed out on the main stage, recognizing leaders in the sustainable foodservice industry. Categories include:

Greenest Restaurant
Greenest Restaurant over 10,000 square feet
Most Improved
Eco-Innovator

Don't miss this incredible show!