KML Announces its 2023 List of Top-30-Under-30 Winners

TORONTO – Kostuch Media Ltd. (KML) has announced its Top 30-Under-30 winners for 2023.

The annual recognition program celebrates and salutes the foodservice-and-hospitality industry’s top young professionals ― both in front of the house and back of the house as well as in various segments of the industry ― in the process fostering and inspiring tomorrow’s hospitality leaders. Being chosen as a Top-30-under-30 winner helps create a sense of pride and self-esteem for young professionals while, at the same time, highlights exemplary role models for those who choose to pursue a career in the foodservice-and-hospitality industry.

According to Rosanna Caira, editor and publisher of Kostuch Media’s Foodservice and Hospitality and Hotelier magazines, and custodian of the program, “It’s so gratifying to see the quality of Top 30-under-30 winners improve year after year. It bodes well for the hospitality industry, especially at a time when labour challenges continue to plague many operators. This year’s crop of winners was amongst the strongest in recent years and not only demonstrates their high level of skill and service excellence but also a strong passion and commitment for hospitality.”

Individuals chosen as winners are judged by an adjudication committee that includes previous winners as well as industry leaders representing various segments of the industry. Candidates are graded in eight different categories including: Education and Learning; References, Awards & Recognition; Work Experience; Career Trajectory; Industry Leadership; Business Leadership; Developer of People; Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This year’s winners were also asked to submit a short video highlighting why they’ve chosen hospitality as their field of interest and what makes them a noteworthy candidate.

The Top-30-under-30 winners will be celebrated on June 13th at the Sheraton Centre Hotel Toronto during a new Leadership Summit developed by KML that will bring Top-30-under-30 leaders together with Top 75 leaders to dialogue on the important issues of the day. “This national Summit promises to be transformative as it’s the first time an inter-generational event of this nature has been held in the industry,” says KML’s Caira.

The Top-30-under-30 winners (see list below) represent a cross-section of the industry including restaurants, hotels, entrepreneurs, tourism-related businesses and suppliers. The idea for the program was developed by Bruce McAdams, professor at the University of Guelph, and launched in 2006 by the Ontario Hostelry Institute, under the guidance of J. Charles Grieco to recognize the hospitality industry’s young leaders. Sadly, Grieco passed away in 2019, at which time KML assumed stewardship of the recognition program and quickly expanded its reach nationally.

Helping KML to determine each year’s winners is an adjudication committee comprised of Bruce McAdams, professor, School of Hospitality & Tourism, University of Guelph; Gracie Reesor, assistant general manager of Restaurants, Eataly Toronto; Cyrus Cooper, professor, School of Hospitality & Culinary Arts, Centennial College; Liana Carniello, director, Human Resources, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel; Jane Gibson, national account manager, Arterra Wines; Keith Muller, dean of the School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Conestoga College; Amber Douel, senior rooms operations manager, Delta Hotels; Brooke Gregoire, Hospitality Services, University of Guelph; Imrun Texeira, chef, Wanderlust; Emily Robinson, food education manager & academic advisor, University of Guelph; Joel Rivera, senior human resources consultant, JNR Consulting; Nathan Cameron, senior director Beverage, Recipe Unlimited; Rebecca Gordon, food lab manager, Anita Stewart Memorial University of Guelph; Vish Mayekar, chef, Pepino’s and Rosanna Caira, editor and publisher, Kostuch Media Ltd.

This year’s KML Top-30-Under-30 honourees are:

For more information on the Top-30-Under-30 program, please contact Kimone Clunis at [email protected]