New Supplier Board and Culinary Challenge for ORHMA

Winning Team, The Nottys, from left: Sylvia Biffis, Sherry MacLauchlan, Michael O’Connor, James Jesty and David Polny.

ALLISTON, Ont. — The Ontario Hotel Motel and Restaurant Association hosted its first ever Culinary Challenge June 13, following its annual general meeting at the Nottawasaga Inn, Alliston, Ont. 

One of the teams from left: Fred Lawlor, David Martin, DebraDeMonte, Brandyn Ursini, Darren Sim, Paul Cesario, David Blades.

There were five teams of six participants from various parts of the industry, including restaurant owners, suppliers and hoteliers. Their task was to use ingredients from a long table of food, including sauces that were not identified, to make two appetizers. Partway through the challenge, a secret menu item, pulled pork, was introduced. And after that, the teams were mixed up. 

Judges from left: James Day, Brad Long and Tony Elenis.

The judges were Tony Elenis, ORHMA president and CEO, James Day, executive chef for the Nottawasaga Inn, and Brad Long of Belong Cafe at the Brickworks in Toronto.  Long is now a director of the ORHMA.

Getting the ingredients.

Both the judges and participants had a lot of fun in their roles. In the end, the winners were The Nottys, named after the Nottawasaga Inn. They wrote their team name on one of the appetizer plates, and had one dish that the judges deemed truly menu worthy.

New Supplier Advisory Board

At the June 13th ORHMA Board of Director’s Meeting, the board unanimously voted to establish the ORHMA’s first Supplier Advisory Board, made up of a select group of key industry people form the supply side of both the foodservice and lodging sides of the hospitality industry. 

Supplier Advisory Board members from left: Rocio Trujillo, Paul Cesario, Christine Pella, Jim Clark, Stanley Goodman, Charles Frankfurt and Jason Cheskes.

The Supplier Board is tasked with providing perspective and information regarding matters related to supply chain and other matters in the industry; considering ways to establish stronger ties of the ORHMA and its members to the supplier community; and using their different experiences to consider new channels of engagement with ORHMA members.

Jason Cheskes, involved for many years with ORHMA and co-chair of the Supplier Board, explains that “The vendor community makes up a significant component of the hospitality industry, the ORHMA board believes there is great potential value in forming a supplier board and including this group as part of our strategic planning and decision making.”

The inaugural board includes the following: Stanley Goodman, American Restaurant Services, chair; Jason Cheskes, Above The Line Solutions, co-chair; Leslie Smith, Smart Serve Ontario; Dave High, Ecolab; Christine Pella, Serta Simmons Bedding; Paul Cesario, Trimen Foodservice Equipment Inc.; Andrew Chlebus, LG Electronics; Steve Taylor, Gordon Food Service; Rocio Trujillo, Eden Textiles; Jim Clark, Colio Estate Winery; Charles Frankfurt, Oracle Hospitality; and Luisa Perini, ECNG Energy.