LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2021

LEADERS OF THE PACK

Change-Makers Making the food and beverage space better, safer, more thoughtful and equitable.

Suzanne Barr Chef, author and activist Suzanne Barr works directly with the hospitality industry to ad- dress racism and structural inequalities within the food system. Look for her upcoming memoir with recipes, Homecoming , as well as her line of Afro-Caribbean-influenced healthy snacks, both set to debut next spring. @suzanne_barr_food Community Fridges Toronto When the pandemic increased food inse- curity, this volunteer-run, donation-based food-sharing network, Community Fridges Toronto launched. As per their slogan, “Take what you need, leave what you can,” the organization allows restaurants and people to donate food that’s then accessed by those in need across a network of fridges in Toronto. @cf_ _ _to Feed the Frontlines TO Started by Adair Roberts, this donation-­ based organization hits a good-deed grand slam. Local restaurants prepare delicious meals for health-care workers, social services staff and people experiencing food insecurity. Consequently, Feed the Frontlines TO nour- ishes the community, employs people who’ve lost their jobs and supports those facing the pandemic head‑on. @feedthefrontlinesTO Mohamad Fakih Paramount Fine Foods CEO and found- er Mohamad Fakih is a philanthropist and community leader. His respected achievements include rallying to support a Toronto-based Syrian restaurant after it received racist threats, helping to orches- trate gratitude meals for health-care workers and being heavily involved in the recent Sadaqa Project, which helped deliver 10,000 meals to people in need from all back- grounds during the holy time of Ramadan. @ceo_mohamad.paramount Inspiring initiatives Learn about the people and organizations who are making a difference in the food world in Ontario.

more LGBTQ+, more peo­ ple with disabilities and people of whatever age or backgrounds. We are all in the same boat—it’s just different sections of the boat.” Necessary conversa­ tions about representation and inclusivity are not just pertinent to beer culture, Navarro says. “The com­ pany name has become a misnomer. It was called Beer. Diversity. because that’s what I knew. You take out the name ‘beer’ and put in your indus­ try, and this is legit the same problem [across industries].” To encourage greater mentorship and leadership opportunities for younger racialized and margin­ alized people, Navarro has also started Do Better, Be Better, a hospitality-­ centric company. In addi­ tion to her podcast, Ren Likes to Talk, she has an app (Beer. Diversity.) that’s rooted in her inclusion work. “It’s basically me in your pocket,” she says. Like her companies, she uses it as a forum for speaking on a wide range of topics re­ lated to diversity. The app will also feature experts on various subjects and allow subscribers to reach out to do what Navarro does best: “open up a conversation.”

Ren Navarro Educator and owner, Beer. Diversity. Ren Navarro is expanding the horizons of brew culture. Taking Beer Forward

When asked what kicked off the idea for her com­ pany, Ren Navarro recalls the moment she realized that she and her friends, who she describes as “the United Nations of beer drinkers,” weren’t really represented anywhere in the industry she’d been a part of for nearly a decade. In 2018, Navarro decided to do something about that blind spot and cre­ ated her consulting com­ pany, Beer. Diversity. Her services are two-fold, one part providing consulta­ tion and education with restaurants to discuss di­ versification of products offered, and the second part, arguably the most important, talking about diversity in a bigger way. Hosting for companies

big and small, Navarro’s sessions are conversa­ tional and often include a tasting and plenty of open discussion. Since the pandem­ ic, these sessions are hosted online, which lets people attend from the comfort of their own home. Demand for her talks has only increased during the pandemic as social justice issues and the Black Lives Matter movement have become more prominent in the mainstream. Initially she found there were often fears around the word diversity, because it seemed so big and daunt­ ing to people, but now she’s noticing “people are tripping over themselves to include more BIPOC,

PORTRAIT BY MONA MOUSA

More people to follow: @joshnamaharaj, @katferries, @dandelioninitiative, @gladdaybookshop

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AUTUMN 2021 FOOD & DRINK