TORONTO — The 2025 KML Top-30-Under-30 Leadership Summit, held on May 27 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto, brought together industry leaders present and future, to celebrate the accomplishments of the Top-30 winners and share insights about the challenges facing foodservice and hospitality businesses.
The Top-30 winners represented a wide range of disciplines — from culinary and hotel operations to supply chain and tech — united by their passion and people-first ethos.
“Each [Top 30] winner represents a unique narrative, illustrating the power of determination, innovation and passion,” said Rosanna Caira, editor/publisher of Kostuch Media Ltd. (KML). “These young leaders span various fields, from restaurants to hotels to the supply chain, each of them reflecting remarkable talent, creativity and entrepreneurship.”
Innovations in Hospitality
Following a networking buffet lunch, Amy Bostock, managing editor at KML, moderated a panel entitled Innovations in Hospitality. The panel featured four Top-30-Under-30 honourees who shared their insights on innovation, sustainability and technology in hospitality, including Georgy Pyle, Sustainability manager, Fairmont Royal York; David Solis, sous chef, Manita, Rosedale; Saurev Sarkar, executive sous chef, Estiatorio Milos; and Christopher Smith, assistant GM, Hyatt Place Ottawa West.
First, the panellists defined innovation in the context of hospitality, and shared some examples of projects that have changed the status quo in their hotels and restaurants. Pyle highlighted an interdisciplinary approach to innovation, integrating sustainability, wellness and DEI with hospitality operations.
“We focus on food-waste management and production. At the end of last year, we eliminated the breakfast buffet from REIGN Restaurant + Bar + Bakery, and that’s been a huge win for our hotel,” says Pyle. “We definitely challenged the status quo. There are guests that have been coming to our hotel for decades, so they’ve experienced the breakfast buffet and they’re expecting it, so we had to ensure that we communicated our message and the meaning of the story behind the decision to our guests, and also ensure that every single experience our guests have in the food-and-beverage space is still elevated to the fullest.”
On a smaller scale, Solis and Sarkar discussed innovation in the kitchen using local ingredients and re-purposing ingredients.
At Manita, Solis said he uses vegetable trimmings to create sauces and other dishes. “It’s a sustainable approach to making sauce and creates zero waste,” he says.
“One way we’re trying to innovate is letting farmers highlight what’s in season and maintaining open communication with them,” says Sarkar. “Sharing our menu concept and the ingredients we’re looking for is essential. For example, we have a simple crab cake but for someone who doesn’t eat crab or is allergic to shellfish, we’re working with local suppliers to innovate and create something similar using moss, wakame (algae) or seaweeds.”
As young leaders, the panellists also talked about their role in pushing forward innovation and sustainability goals.
“New leadership entering the market understands that, of course, hard work is extremely important, and that’s the reason why we are where we are today,” says Smith. “But we must appreciate that we’re all human at the end of the day, and there are things we can easily do that doesn’t cost anything and also has a huge impact on improving quality of life for our associates.”
The panellists also highlighted the impact of technology on their day-to-day work, as well as the essential tools and platforms that they couldn’t live without in their jobs.
Following the panel, three more Top-30-Under-30 winners took to the stage to share stories of their hospitality journey. Speakers included Alessandra Bustamante, executive pastry chef, O&B; Ashley Lee director of Housekeeping, JW Parq Hotel Vancouver; and Aleem Jiwani director of Operations, Alamo Management.
And the winner is…
The annual Green Leadership award, which recognizes environmental excellence and innovation within Canada’s hospitality industry, was presented to Hotel X Toronto. The award acknowledges success in the industry by recognizing businesses that are leading the way in environmental sustainability, earning the distinction as the best in their field.
Nestled in the heart of Toronto’s waterfront, Hotel X Toronto has re-defined what it means to be a sustainable luxury hotel. Built on the historic Exhibition Grounds, this remarkable property spans nine acres — six of which are dedicated to lush gardens and green space. But the beauty of Hotel X isn’t just what you see on the outside — it’s how sustainability is embedded into its DNA.
The Power of Food
To wrap up the day, Jeff Stewart, private chef, educator, local food advocate, founder of Food U and executive director of Food Day Canada delivered an inspiring and deeply personal keynote about empowering health through culinary medicine.
His story was one of transformation, healing, and finding purpose through food. Once weighing nearly 400 pounds, Stewart candidly described how he, a chef who could nourish others, was failing to nourish himself. Plagued by chronic health issues and emotional disconnect, he found himself lost — until he chose real change.
Rejecting fad diets, drugs, and surgery, Stewart embraced what he calls “culinary medicine” — a holistic approach rooted in self-compassion and mindful eating. His personal breakthrough came not from restriction, but re-connection: to real food, to movement, to nature, and most importantly, to self-worth. Through his self-developed “INSPIRE” model, Stewart re-framed food as a tool for healing, not coping, and re-built his life one bite, breath, and step at a time — ultimately losing over 140 pounds and gaining clarity, strength, and joy.
He emphasized the importance of changing one’s environment to support healthy choices, nurturing supportive relationships, and embracing “anti-fragility” — the concept that, like a muscle, we grow stronger through challenge. Stewart’s mission with Food U is to help others transform their relationships with food, not by prescribing a diet, but by offering a pathway back to self.
He closed with a powerful reminder: “You don’t need a new body — you need a new story.”
Click here to read coverage of the morning sessions at the 2025 KML Top 30 Under 30 Leadership Summit.
