Page 3 - MENU Magazine - March/April 2018

Patrick Saurette
Chair of the Board
Each year Restaurants Canada appoints a new Chair of the Board who will bring fresh, innovative and exciting ideas to the table. This year is no exception.
We want to take this opportunity to welcome our new Chair, Patrick Saurette, and on behalf of our organization and our members, we want to thank outgoing Chair Bill Allen for his fantastic work and tireless resolve throughout the past two years.
Patrick is the owner of the Edmonton-based Marc Restaurant Group and brings more than 25 years of experience and industry acumen to the table. With his strong leadership, we are con dent that this year will be our best one yet. Patrick is taking the helm during a pivotal time for Canada’s foodservice industry. Cannabis is at the threshold of being legalized, and restaurant owners and operators will need details, an open dialogue and a voice in government. In 2018, we will continue to be an active intermediary between the federal govern- ment and Canada’s foodservice industry so that we can provide our members with timely, accurate and vital information that will a ect their business and operations.
There are numerous issues that we will be engaging in this year. One
of them is the rapidly-expanding practice of destination dining; this coincides perfectly with the federal government’s decision to make 2018 the year of Canada-China tourism. Attracting tourists from the world’s most populous country presents an immense opportunity for Canada’s food culture to break into several Asian foodservice markets.
Restaurants Canada will be an active participant in these initiatives. In fact, they were front and centre during RC Show 2018. Industry experts, panellists, chefs, owners and operators all came together to discuss and examine the endless possibilities of bringing the world to us so we can showcase the abundance of talent that Canadian foodservice professionals add to the global culinary market.
We are always involved in a wide range of current events, industry news and issues that our readers will nd page turning. This indus- try is dynamic, changing and adapting to new trends and ideas at a non-stop pace. Twenty-four-seven, foodservice never takes a break, a day o , vacation or retirement. It grows, pushes forward, breaks barriers, sets trends and then does it again. We are so proud to bring you our industry each month in these pages.
Don’t forget to check out and follow Restaurants Canada’s print and digital platforms so you can keep up with the latest news and in- sights in foodservice. We encourage you to keep sharing your stories, ideas and successes! Do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-387-5649 or members@restaurantscanada.org.
Shanna Munro
President & CEO
MARCH / APRIL 2018 MENU 3