The inaugural Taste of Place Summit will host over 300 tourism and hospitality professionals at the George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts in downtown Toronto, on June 27 and 28, 2023. Presented in partnership with the Culinary Tourism Alliance  and George Brown College, this can’t-miss global event combines experiential learning along with engaging sessions to inspire destination and economic developers, thought leaders, marketers, and tourism operators to build their tastes of place and put food tourism front and centre for their destinations.

The Culinary Tourism Alliance is a not for profit devoted to connecting taste-makers, sharing their stories and sparking delicious developments in food tourism. With its expertise in food tourism development, the Culinary Tourism Alliance seeks to ensure that authentic tastes of place become a significant economic driver for communities and regions, and a primary way for travelers to enrich their experience.

“The Summit aims to provoke discussions around bridging the gap between the food, drink, and travel industries,” said Rebecca Mackenzie, President and CEO of the Culinary Tourism Alliance, the co-host behind this year’s event. “By increasing visitor demand for local food and drink, food tourism drives innovation and builds on existing tourism assets, while preserving local heritage and contributing to the long-term sustainability of local food systems, communities, and culture.”

Both the Culinary Tourism Alliance and George Brown College have deep connections with the industry and a vested interest in the success of local businesses. “We are excited to host this inspired event,” said Rudolf Fischbacher, Dean, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, George Brown College. “The Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts
is a leader in hospitality and culinary training, and we share a vision with the Culinary Tourism Alliance to provide destinations and business operators with the people, tools, and resources to ensure they are creating meaningful and sustainable taste of place experiences.”

Event Highlights

June 27: Delegates can opt in to attend the Explore Waterloo Region Taste of Place, Experience and take a delicious trip through the backroads of rural Ontario. This is a chance to meet the incredible people who make it all happen. Stops include an agritourism experience at multi-award winning Mountainoak Cheese; lunch at Langdon Hall Hotel and Spa, exquisitely prepared by Chef Jason Bangerter; and a tour and tasting at Feast On®-certified Willibald Farm Brewery and Distillery.

June 28: A full-day marquee gathering, guests will engage with renowned speakers, network with industry leaders, and explore trends in food, beverage, and travel. The line-up of national and international speakers will guarantee that delegates leave with fantastic takeaways… and the chefs will make sure attendees leave with a full belly.

Tickets Here

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.