Executive Commitee
The Terroir Hospitality symposium would not come together without the dedication and support of all our committee members. The committee dedicates hundreds of hours and resources over the year, to be able to deliver an exceptional program. These individuals are industry leaders and experts in their fields.
Symposium Chair
Arlene Stein
Program Director, Evergreen Brick Works
Arlene Stein is Director of Program for Evergreen Brick Work Centre for Green Cities. A certified Event Management Professional with over twenty years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industry, Arlene is committed to sustainable practices within the industry and continues to work as a food activist as a member of Slow Food Toronto and as Chair of the Board for Good Food Revolution.
From 2003-2006, during her ten years as Director of Events and Catering at Hart House, University of Toronto, Arlene was an Advisor on the Social Justice Program-a committee that linked campus groups and brought awareness to various social justice issues. She was the Food Program Manager for Hart house and shared her expertise on a variety of food security related projects such as the Community Kitchen Project, Meal Exchange and the UofT Food Bank. In 2009 she created World Food Week at the University, culminating in a keynote with Vandana Shiva.
In 2006 Arlene founded Terroir with four colleagues. Currently in its fifth year, the Terroir Hospitality Industry Symposium is now regarded as Southern Ontario’s premier conference for professional development in the hospitality sector.
Committee
Jamie Drummond
Hailing from Edinburgh Scotland, Jamie worked as Sommelier at the acclaimed Atrium restaurant for 6 years before making the move to Toronto, Canada. Since settling here Jamie has worked as the Sommelier for both Toronto’s Granite Club (6 years) and Chef Jamie Kennedy’s restaurants (6 years). As well as writing for a number of publications, wine judging (Biovino, Intervin, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair), Jamie now acts as Director of Operations/Editor of Good Food Revolution, a non-profit dedicated to educating people about good food (and wine!).
Jordan Romoff
Lecours Wolfson – Hospitality Management and Chef Recruiters
Jordan learned the ropes with CP Hotels’ Chateau Lake Louise, The Post Hotel (Mobil 5 Diamond Resort, Relais & Chateaux) and The Royal Lahaina Resort in Hawaii. While attending university he could not resist the allure of the business world and became an operating partner of both Auberge Gavroche & L’Entrecôte, two of Toronto’s most celebrated French restaurants. Jordan joined Lecours Wolfson in 1992, was named Vice President in 1996 and became an operating partner in 1999.
Jordan specializes in recruiting top and mid-level managers and chefs at many of North America’s finest hotels, resorts, restaurants and private clubs. He also personally manages searches at the corporate level, including positions in operations, sales, marketing, revenue management and finance.
Jordan has been a guest lecturer at George Brown Colleges’ Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism and Humber Colleges’ School of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism.
Malcolm Jolley
Malcolm Jolley is the Executive Director of Good Food Media and the Managing Editor of Good Food Revolution, Ontario’s food and wine news site. Good Food Media is a not-for-profit company with a mandate to educate the public about artisanal food in Ontario and Canada, chiefly through Good Food Revolution, which is supported by a community of businesses and like-minded organizations dedicated to helping people enjoy better food. Jolley also the founder and former editor of Gremolata (2004-2010), Canada’s first food and wine web-magazine. Jolley also writes the Ingredients column for the National Post newspaper and is a Fellow of the Ontario Hostelry Institute. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Historica-Dominion Institute, Canada’s largest independent history and citizenship organization.
Rebecca LeHeup
Executive Director, Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance
Rebecca loves Ontario and local edibles. She is lucky in her role as Executive Director for OCTA because it lets her explore this vast province connecting people across agriculture and tourism industries.
Rebecca is passionate about the interrelation between food, agriculture, tourism, arts and culture. She was instrumental in developing tourism products including Prince Edward County’s award winning Taste Trail, annual TASTE! a celebration of regional cuisine, the Arts Trail, Countylicious and the buy-local program: Harvestin’ the County.
Rebecca shares the great tourism experiences in Ontario through her social media outlets and teaches courses on its benefits to business operators across the province. She’s developed courses for George Brown College’s cutting edge Culinary Tourism Management program. She contributes her expertise to a variety of industry Boards including the CTC Brand Experience Advisory Committee, the Terroir Hospitality Symposium, and Slow Food Canada to name a few. She also co-published the Ontario Culinary Adventure Guide in partnership with CityBites Magazine.
Born and raised in Toronto, Rebecca spent her summers in Prince Edward County. In her grade 12 year of high school, Rebecca sailed on a 156-foot tall ship to 20 countries on two continents– an experience that rooted her passion for travel and adventure! She still splits her time between Toronto and PEC. Sharing in her adventures are her two sons – Jack and Liam, and her life partner, Andrew Mackenzie.
Stephanie Kern
Event Manager, Hart House Events and Catering
Currently the Marketing Manager for The McEwan Group which is the umbrella under which all of celebrity Chef Mark McEwan’s properties lie. Stephanie spent 7 years as an Event Manager at Hart House, University of Toronto where she sharpened her project management, communication and creative thinking skills. Rounding out her professional experience is a certification from CAPS as well as Chef Training from George Brown College. Stephanie has been on the Terroir committee since its inception 6 years ago.
Susan Willemsen
President – The Siren Group
As president of The Siren Group Inc., a Toronto-based boutique lifestyle public relations agency, Susan designs and implements innovative marketing communications programs for
her clients.
Prior to founding The Siren Group in 2001, she was vice president of consumer marketing and business development in the Toronto office of a multinational public relations agency where she spent eight years. Prior, she spent four years at an agency specializing in consumer PR; managing retail, fashion, beautycare and food and beverage clients. With close to 25 years of public relations and marketing experience spanning the consumer lifestyle sectors, Susan gleaned an insider’s view of fashion, media and the creative industries through her years as a model, both in print and on the international catwalk. In addition, she worked in the UK music industry, in talent management and artist publicity.
Susan has spearheaded numerous award-winning programs, including the International Public Relations Association’s Golden World Trophy and the International Association of Business Communicators’ Silver Leaf and Gold Quill Awards, among others. Experienced in writing, editing, strategy development, creative direction, special events management and media relations, she has volunteered both as Event Co-Chair and Chair of Public Relations for Fashion Cares (Canada’s largest annual fundraiser benefiting the AIDS Committee of Toronto) for which she was awarded the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Community Service Award.
She currently sits on the Board of Fashion Group International (FGI) Toronto as chair of media, and on the Board of the Terroir Hospitality Industry Symposium.
Susan’s passions are food, wine, fitness and travel. She studied at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in the UK, followed by studies at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in the UK.
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