Originally published August 29, 2018

Name 1 interesting fact about yourself others may not know about you.

I’m a big Toronto Maple Leafs hockey fan, and have been for most of my life. That in itself isn’t unusual but you don’t want to sit next to me during a Maple Leaf playoff game as I get very intense and have been known to throw things when the Leafs lose. Still waiting for that Stanley Cup!

Rank in preference/importance the social networks you use (IG Stories, IG (Normal Feed), FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat etc)

Instagram (normal feed), Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

Outside of the doors of Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine, how do you use social media in your day-to-day activities?

I like to use social media to keep up with what’s going on in the restaurant world – whether it’s by following successful restaurants and chefs in Canada or around the world. I also like to keep in touch with family and friends both in Canada and elsewhere in the world and to read articles in my areas of interest – books, music, sports and film.

A known authority in our industry, Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine has always inspired our agency to find interesting ways to highlight our creative assets while advertising our roster of clients.

What are some of the creative processes at the magazine that keep it a fresh, one-step-ahead publication ahead of others?

We like to keep our fingers on the pulse of the industry by forging strong relationships with the key players in the market (chefs, operators, suppliers) to ensure we’re on top of the trends as they happen. We were the first magazine in the industry to shine the spotlight on chefs, to highlight Canadian Cuisine before it was trendy and to celebrate achievement through our renowned Pinnacle Awards, and most recently through the launch of our Women in Tourism & Hospitality conference —a first for the industry. We see ourselves as a one-stop source for all things hospitality, whether it’s print, digital or events. We consider ourselves to be nimble and as such can react quickly to new ideas, often being the first in the market to introduce product innovations.

How does social media play a key role, if any, in the upkeep and progression of Foodservice and Hospitality magazine?

Social media allows us to provide a glimpse into our media company through the stories we are working on, zeroing in on the content offered, through the personalities in our industry – chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers and others. It also allows our followers to get a taste of the events we produce. And, it gives us a chance to connect with followers with the introduction of special contests such as last year’s “Made in Canada” contest, developed to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. For this content, we invited readers to take pictures and post them to our Instagram account, highlighting a Canadian destination, personality or menu item. The promotion was highly successful and we awarded winners of the photo contest 12 incredible trips to unique hotels and destinations across the country.

What is something that stands out working with Branding & Buzzing in creating custom content that’s not only a fit for our foodservice clients but also your publication’s brand?

We love the way Branding & Buzzing can take a food topic and make it exciting for readers, providing them not only with great content but also innovative ideas and approaches to building recipes as well as stories that appeal to chefs and restaurants. I find your advertising content is very complementary to what we’re all about.

What do you believe are the top assets or figures for someone in foodservice or hospitality to keep in mind when wanting to advertise or promote in a publication like Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine?

It’s important to really speak to the end user with content that is relevant to the reader but also very engaging. With so much going on in our world these days and in our marketplace, it’s really important to break through the clutter with creative that sparkles, engages and inspires readers to take action – in essence, to stop and take notice.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give an industry member wanting to partake in the world of foodservice and hospitality publishing?

It’s a great industry and if you’re driven by passion and hunger to learn, there’s a lot of success and satisfaction that can be derived. But, it’s important to remember that publishing is changing daily and the only way to succeed in it is to keep changing with it.

Follow Rosanna Caira:
Twitter: @RCaira_Kostuch