Hi Reader,
It's been a while since you heard from us and we've got a lot of updates to share, so let's jump right in!
🎉 ANOTHER CANADIAN HERITAGE MOMENT
Canada might have lost in the Round of 16, but good times continue to roll over here, where May marked the official end of our Equity & Empowerment in Foodservice grant project and e-learning program powered by Women and Gender Equality Canada. Sound familiar? It should; we've been talking about this groundbreaking, industry-upheaving HR training shortcut since 2024.
Two years and one federal grant later, we’ve wrapped up the freshman round of our program with 40 enrolled learners and 10 program graduates. As usual, as a research-focused organization, we were intentional in tracking learner engagement and program impact.
Wins from Cycle 1 of our Course
- 86% of graduates agreed that "The learning enrichment sessions enhanced my overall learning in the program."
- 100% of graduates reported a positive change in their ability to address anti-Black racism at work.
- Nearly 60% of graduates agreed that, overall "I was able to balance the course load with my work and other commitments."
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While learner satisfaction was exciting, what moved us even more were learner reflections on how the Learning Enrichment Sessions changed their beliefs and will influence future actions. Here are two of our favourites:
"In reality, I know in the past I have been racist, made decisions or comments based on someone's race, but in the moment did not recognize it as such. I think the growth for me from these online sessions is that I am much more aware of what racism can look like in everyday interactions, assumptions, and decision-making...Rather than assuming I am free from bias, I now understand that ongoing self-awareness and a willingness to learn are important parts of addressing racism and becoming a better ally."
"This course has forever changed me for the better, I am constantly growing and moving towards lowering my biases and prejudices that have been engrained in me since I was a child. I find myself approaching more black community members and sharing kindness in a meaningful way and have had so much kindness returned. I look forward to a lifetime of growth and supporting our black youth and industry leaders when I can."
At the heart of the Equity & Empowerment in Foodservice program are the fundamentals of modern leadership: conflict resolution, supporting diverse teams, and leading from a regulated nervous system – everything you didn’t go to school for but is expected of you as a people manager.
The next cycle of our program features new opportunities to review your attitude & aptitude as a leader while delivering a clear roadmap for beginning to or optimizing equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in your specific business unit. But there's a catch – we only have room for 30 learners. Want to be one of them? Reply to this email for the program syllabus or join our info session on July 20th at 4:30 pm on Zoom.
✌🏿 TOO LEGIT 2 QUIT
At the end of March, we hosted Hire Her, Too and celebrated two years of TRSC’s work focused on improving access to leadership opportunities for Black women in foodservice.
As the second installment in the Hire Her series, Hire Her, Too continued to highlight the importance of building community with women whose identities are underrepresented in one of the country’s most important industries.
Thanks to sold out tickets, an intimate space with delicious bites, and opportunities to network, update headshots, and receive personalized resumé reviews, the evening was a success that we’ll keep bringing back for as long as we can.
Foodservice & hospitality may offer an easy way to start a career, but access to progressive economic opportunities (like raises, promotions, and recruitment to roles with higher salaries) isn’t the same for everyone. When people speak about privilege – white or otherwise – they’re referring to the absence of obstacles, not the presence of wealth. And while it’s true that no two people have the same career path, the roadmap for Black women usually includes hurdles they can’t control. Learn more
Every conversation at Hire Her, Too reflected access, empowerment, and clear evidence for why equity & inclusion matters to the industry as a whole.
We’d especially like to thank High Liner Foods, lead sponsor of Hire Her, Too and a recently awarded recipient of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People, for helping us deliver a sustainable event. We’ve enjoyed working with High Liner leaders since 2021 to move the foodservice industry forward and are grateful for the care and attention they put into showing up and making an impact at all of our networking events.
Special mentions go to KraftHeinz, Pearle Hospitality, Matt Kennedy Catering, The Heartbreak Chef, SK Cookks, Val Upfold, and our panellists, Hani Firin and Michelle Caine, and host, Dwania Peele, for adding their rich experiences and insights to the evening.
👉🏽 The fall edition of Hire Her is slated for Wednesday, October 7th, 2026. Stay tuned for more info on location, lineup, and special guests!
🏁 YEAR THREE, BABY!
This year’s Black Experience Pavilion may have had a new home, but the energy was just as electric as 2025.
Gracing Hall 5 of the International Centre in Mississauga, our Pavilion programming offered attendees an upgrade – we paired live panel sessions with product demos to give entrepreneurs, producers, and corporate teams a more in-depth opportunity to learn about scaling their products, opening a restaurant, and interacting with local producers like Black Creek Community Farm.
The 2026 Pavilion completed a trilogy of interactive experiences at the RC Show in partnership with Foodpreneur Lab and the results are noteworthy. Since 2024, our fingers and footprints have been on and over:
- 1200sq. ft in 2 different cities
- 47 demos
- 50 Black-owned products
- 375+ new business connections
- and 2 broadcast TV features.
What do we have up our sleeve next? Stay tuned to our social media accounts for the official unveiling of the 2027 edition of the Black Experience Pavilion… In the meantime, check out this masterful recap from Introspective Films for a taste of this year’s action.
Our thanks to the City of Toronto, Kraft Heinz, Farm Credit Canada, Sysco, Garland and our contractors McRae Construction, for bringing year three to life.
So that's what we've been up to Reader! And while we can't promise we won't take as long with the next update, we can guarantee that we'll be back with more great news about how The Re-Seasoning Coalition is changing the recipe for equity & innovation in the foodservice industry.
P.S - Wondering about the header photo? That's a shot of Philman & I at our first Board of Directors BBQ in 2024. We're currently looking for a few good Board members, click here if you're curious.
