Cheftimony Episode 036 – New Approaches
“I’m joined by three guests today who each bring a great perspective on the culinary industry.”
The very strange times continue in these days of Covid-19, and the theme for this episode is “doing things a little differently”. I’m joined by three guests today who each bring a great perspective on the culinary industry.
First up, you will hear from two friends who met in the hospitality industry in Toronto and who have both now relocated to Vancouver. Chris Cairns is a colleague of mine from the world of law, and his friend Antonio Cayonne is one of the partners behind Collective Hospitality, which in turn is behind some very cool food operations in Vancouver.
You’ll hear how Chris traded bartending in the Cayman Islands for practising law in Vancouver, how Antonio and his partners are helping their community in this time of crisis, and how both Antonio and Chris have spent significant time in the acting world! It was Chris who connected me to Antonio, and I’m so glad he did. Chris told me about what Say Mercy!, a restaurant owned by Antonio and his partners, is doing with Staff Meal, an initiative to feed people through trying times. It’s a new take on a long-standing restaurant tradition, and I’m delighted that Say Mercy! is making this change during these trying times. You’ll hear about it today.
My second interview is with Sonia Strobel, CEO of Skipper Otto. Sonia and I have a wonderful talk about food systems, sustainability, and the challenges of globalization. Sonia’s business is one that is weathering the impact of the pandemic well, and she offers some great thoughts on the importance of local food systems and her company’s model that allows local fishing families to earn living wages while doing what they love. At the same time, Skipper Otto connects Canadians to the catch from their own waters, which is something – as you’ll hear today – that does not happen nearly as much as you might think.
To the interviews now. Let’s find out how doing things a little differently can have a big impact.