Terroir was created in the spring of 2006 by Arlene Stein, Director of Catering and Events at Hart House. Reflecting on her experiences, gathered over 18 years in the hospitality and entertainment industry, Arlene envisioned a great opportunity for members within her industry. She approached a group of people to work with her and build on her vision. Each member of the group contributes experiences from their unique and diverse backgrounds, giving energy and dimension to Eau de Vie.

Our Mission

Terroir believes it is vital to the future of the hospitality industry that we celebrate our diverse culture of professionals by building a strong and accessible collective. We are committed to recognizing and encouraging each individual that invests knowledge, experience, tradition, exceptional skills, inspiration, and invention to the business of hospitality. Our group envisions opportunities to create forums and venues where industry members can come together to support, educate, inform, invest in, and recognize individuals and teams within our professional environment.

The Challenge

In a fiercely competitive industry, a culture of mass consumerism, a world that moves so fast that many things quickly become cliché, maintaining a standard of excellence in all sectors of the hospitality industry is not only extremely important, it is, in a sense, the “food” of our business.

Even the most enthralling tastes can not cover up service challenges that diminish the overall ideal we set out to deliver. The goal is to exceed client expectations by providing the ultimate experience. The challenge is how to reinforce all of the elements in place within an ever-evolving environment, so that we can effectively support the business that we are building. The reward is the opportunity to achieve consistently exquisite results; to become icons of service excellence in what we do; to be celebrated around the world.

Our Vision

Realizing an industry where each member navigates their role within it confidently and passionately, with a sense of leadership guided by a strong foundation of knowledge and unwavering commitment to excellence in all that they do.

Our Work

We believe every person in the industry should have access to resources which allow them to improve their skills and enrich their professional lives. Knowledge of food and wine, the working environment, and service, is all encompassing, and critical.

We implement our vision first by bringing people together. The opportunity to share information with other members of the industry, appreciate, and reward one another for outstanding contributions, express our interest and passion to one another, exists to be further explored and experienced. By creating this forum we begin a cycle of learning that comes directly from the specialists here within our own space, our unique and celebrated place in the world.

With this Symposium Terroir will build the foundation for future collaboration with industry members. We will evaluate success and document lessons learned. We will act on our commitment to provide forums in the future, initiating desirable and valuable exchanges that will benefit and inspire every member of the industry.