Ontario Restaurant News
February, 2007 - Vol 22 #1 p43
OHI Honours Those Who Gave Foodservice A Boost
Toronto – At Splendido Restaurant, Chef David Lee leads a kitchen that puts out dishes drawing raves from critics and bringing in customers who appreciate fine food. At the front of the house general manager Yannick Bigourdan makes sure things are run to fine dining perfection.
Since taking over the restaurant on Harbord Street in 2001, the two co-owners have worked to make it one of the top restaurants in Toronto.
On April 19 their efforts will be recognized by the Ontario Hostelry Institute when they accept the OHI Gold Award in the Independent Restaurateur category, at the OHI annual Gold Awards dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel.
The OHI awards recognize outstanding efforts of hospitality industry professionals, educators and the media to promote excellence in Ontario’s foodservice and hospitality industry.
Bigourdan and Lee are being honoured for their dedication to quality cuisine and wines, which has helped heighten the awareness and stature of the restaurant industry.
The Gold Award in the Foodservice Chain Operator category goes to Thai Hua, president of the innovative family-run Spring Rolls Restaurant chain.
Spring Rolls serves Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, offering tasty food and good service in stylish surroundings at very reasonable prices, bringing casual fine dining to the Asian restaurant scene in Toronto.
In the Chef category, the Gold Medal Award belongs to Hiro Yoshida whose name is synonymous with great sushi in Toronto, and show’ 16-year-old restaurant on King Street East is called Hiro Sushi.
His restaurant attracts heads of state, professional athletes and sushi lovers in general and he is called on to cater major events in the city.
He is known for omakase, service without a menu where customers put their trust in the chef who prepares whatever he thinks is best that day.
The Gold Medal supplier this year is Dufflet Rosenberg whose Dufflet Pastries makes some of the best pies and cakes in the city. Her bakery supplies more than 50 locations throughout southern Ontario, including restaurants, cafés, grocers, hotels and caterers.
The Gold Award in the Educator category went to Jacques Marie, master chef and wine educator, and professor at George Brown College.
In The Media/Publishing Category, the winner was Monda Rosenberg, food editor for Chatelaine magazine.
The winner of the Chairman’s Gold Award will be announced at the dinner.
Proceeds from evening go towards foodservice and hospitality scholarships and towards quality education and training for future employees of the industries.
