📣 THIS JUST IN!! 📣

We’re beyond honoured to have received two national awards today at the 2020 Hashtag Awards in the ‘Best PR Campaign’ and the ‘Really Nice Award’ categories!

Presented by @socialathome in partnership with Marketing News Canada, the annual industry competition celebrates the innovative and creative work of Canada’s marketing, communication and advertising professionals. Both awards recognized the work of our parent company @smccomm on Breaking Bread, which was the first COVID-19 response campaign established in support of restaurants in Canada.

“Breaking Bread is an amazing campaign [SMC envisioned] to raise awareness about the restaurant industry about buying local and keeping the restaurant industry alive,” said the judges.

It goes without saying that it’s an incredible honour to be recognized at this year’s Hashtag Awards among so many talented industry colleagues in the communications field.

And we couldn’t have done any of this without the steadfast support of all of you — the people behind the amazing small and independent restaurant and foodservice businesses across this country that came together and continue to stick with us through thick, thin and pandemic.

Our sincere gratitude for being with us on every step of this long, strange trip. ❤️🙌🙏

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.

Happy to share some love for a new BC-wide initiative to recognize excellence in food service industries, courtesy of a piece by Craig Takeuchi in the @georgiastraight:

The BC Restaurant and Foodservice Association (BCRFA) is joining forces with Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Town Hall Brands, and Save-On-Foods to launch the #StandUpForService campaign.

It aims to spotlight how industry workers have adapted to new protocols and health measures (not to mention handling customers who may not be abiding by those regulations) while at the same time delivering hospitable experiences for guests.

Until May 23, the BCRFA is accepting submissions of stories about and nominations for those toiling away in B.C. food industries — including servers, cooks, colleagues, and more — who are maintaining an impressive balancing act of offering stellar dining experiences while upholding provincial COVID-19 health guidelines.

Each week, one restaurant worker will be chosen to receive a $100 Save-On-Foods gift card and a gift from Sumac Ridge Estate Winery. At the end of the 12-week campaign, four top individuals will be selected to receive a special Sumac Ridge Estate Winery gift and a $250 Save-On-Foods gift card. They will also be featured on the social media of the BCRFA and B.C. Tastes Better. Full details can be found at the BCRFA website.

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.

The COVID-19 pandemic knows neither boundaries nor borders. It is not exclusive to gender, race or class in society. It affects all of us.

But this quote from Chef, culinary historian, author and food activist Kevin Mitchell (aka @chefscholar) highlights the disparity that often exists for People of Colour who work in the foodservice and hospitality industry.

To help recognize and knock down those systemic barriers, the James Beard Foundation is providing a mentorship platform presented by @kitchenaidusa that aims to provide emerging culinary talent with the critical support, educational tools and resources they need to advance their professional careers and businesses even in the face of a difficult recovery process.

Read more about Chef Kevin’s quest in the latest edition of #meetthementors and sign up for your own mentorship relationship at the link in @beardfoundation’s bio.

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.