Ten years ago, thanks to the imaginations and efforts of a small group of colleagues and friends, who sought to create a unique opportunity for people from all corners of the hospitality industry to come together, share ideas, and inspire one another, Terroir Hospitality Symposium was born. The goal? To provide members of our industry, on a local and international level, with the platform and tools necessary to provoke tangible change, amongst both themselves and the industry, for the better.
The event, like a child, was born a guileless version of its future self, bursting with life and potential. Since its conception, Terroir has grown immensely, while still always maintaining the core objectives from which it was founded: to educate, provide a forum for networking and to foster a stronger sense of community within our industry. This is all thanks to our incredible team of organizers and volunteers who have dedicated themselves, year after year, to turning what began as just a dream into a reality.
Looking back, change is something we’ve observed, not only within Terroir, but also throughout the industry as a whole. Namely, thanks to the explosion of social media, an appreciation and hunger for excellent food has grown exponentially in recent years within our culture. With the rise of the “foodie”, consumers of all ages and types are now ravenous to experience more of what the culinary universe has to offer. We celebrate this fact throughout the hospitality industry with the hope that, through events like Terroir, we can inspire curiosity amongst this growing group of food-lovers to further inform themselves, by questioning all aspects of the industry and understanding their own power as conscious consumers to incite change .
Throughout the years, the inclusion of our Collaborative Dinner has become an integral part of our Terroir program. It has allowed us, year after year, to bring both industry members and consumers together, offering them the chance to collaborate at the most important front: the dinner table. Behind the scenes, collaboration takes place between chefs, producers, winemakers and hosts, chosen each year based on their talent and passion for their craft, no matter the evening’s theme. Through a feast that reflects some of the most poignant trends and innovations of the current food scene, the collaborative dinner is a destination for professionals and amateurs alike to convene over a shared love for food. As guests gather around the table, discovery and inspiration ensues through the means of both palate and conversation.
For this year’s collaborative dinner, Creativity & The Idea of North, Terroir will be partnering with the Art Gallery of Ontario’s FRANK Restaurant, to create an inspirational dining experience, featuring 16 internationally renowned chefs from across Canada and beyond. These culinary masterminds will work collaboratively with sustainable suppliers to prepare a six-course menu, featuring their most creative work, inspired by the Lawren Harris Exhibit – The Idea of North.