Formerly the Vice President of Sales Finance for Canada, Chantalle, who holds a Masters of Accountancy and a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and CPA and NACD Directorship certifications, oversaw the company\u2019s national fiscal activity for five years. She also currently serves as Chair of The Beer Store (TBS), the largest beer retailer in Canada. In her new role with Molson Coors Canada, Chantalle intends to build a collaborative and innovative workplace culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicago restaurateur and Let\u2019s Talk Womxn founder Rohini Dey\u2019s foray into foodservice was unexpected. Having earned a Masters in Economics and a Doctorate in Management Science, Rohini served as a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. and an economist with the World Bank. \u201cFrankly, to leave the World Bank was ridiculous,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not what good Indian girls do.\u201d Making the jump to restaurant ownership came with both financial and social risks, yet in 2004, her Chicago restaurant Vermilion opened to great acclaim, making headlines and hitting \u2018Best Of\u2019 lists. \u201cSo maybe that risk paid off,\u201d she acknowledges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juanita Dickson met Janet Zuccarini, owner of Gusto 54 Restaurant Group, while on holiday. With a Masters in Marketing and Communication from Schulich School of Business and a Degree in Hospitality and Business Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University, Juanita had decades of brand growth experience. In 2014, Juanita was brought on board as Vice President of Brand Expansion to help Gusto 54 go global. In less than six months, she was promoted to President. Today, Gusto 54 Restaurant Group has 10 restaurants in Canada, and two more in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Susan Senecal was finishing her Bachelor of Science (Biology) from McGill University, she already knew she preferred the connection and pace of the foodservice industry. She joined A&W in 1992, working as Area Manager, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Operations on her way up. As CMO she led the company\u2019s shift to using only beef raised free from added hormones or steroids. When she became A&W\u2019s fifth CEO in 2018, she was the first woman in the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While each woman\u2019s journey has been unique, they all agreed on one thing: the profound consequences of good mentorship. \u201cMentorship is so important,\u201d said Chantalle, who considers Darryl Rowe, of Weston Bakeries, one of hers. \u201cHe was the first to treat me as a businessperson, not just a finance person. He pushed me to add value, rather than numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Susan concurs. She learned a lot from Bob Johnson, who introduced her to a new kind of strategy creation. \u201cAs CEO, your job is to help people get the strategy out of people\u2019s heads,\u201d she said. \u201cChoosing, not creating, is important.\u201d The process helped Susan usher in A&W\u2019s major Strategy Renewal in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Juanita is grateful to have been supported by incredible male leaders, \u201cbut Janet (Zuccarini) was the most pivotal for me.\u201d Zuccarini\u2019s guidance was invaluable to Juanita; so was her enthusiasm. \u201cShe\u2019d say \u2018Let\u2019s get things done. Let\u2019s work together to make magic!\u2019 That kind of bravery is empowering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rohini approaches mentorship from the other direction, actively creating opportunities for women to connect and thrive. In 2012, she launched the James Beard Foundation Vermilion Women in Culinary Leadership Scholarship, to open doors and shine a spotlight on women in the culinary field. At the same time, she founded the ongoing JBF Vermilion \u201cChefs for Women\u201d program at Vermilion. In 2020, in the thick of the COVID-19 crisis, Rohini launched Let\u2019s Talk Womxn, an action movement that unites and supports women restaurant operators in cities across North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Evolution is constant in foodservice. The panelists had sound advice for operators struggling with change. Chantalle says that consistency is the number one indicator of success. \u201cWe need to ask, \u2018Who do we want to be?\u2019 We can tweak the answer, but consistency makes alignment possible. When everyone knows what their role is, you can also set what you\u2019re not going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last year, Rohini gave Vermilion\u2019s menu a complete overhaul. Presenting different facets of Indian fare is what first inspired her to enter the restaurant business in the first place. \u201cI was appalled by how Italian\/French-centric \u2018fine-dining cuisine\u2019 was. My arrogant goal was to spread the same veneration to Indian and Latin foods.\u201d And it worked: Vermilion piled up accolades. But eventually, it was time to evolve. \u201cRenewal is fun, and there\u2019s so much to share. For our 21st year, our menu collects the best of three facets of Indian food: Indian-Latin, Indian-Chinese and Chaat (Indian street food).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStrategies have to live,\u201d says Susan, who knows about change. During her tenure the company made moves that have become industry standards for chains, among them adding plant-based burgers to the menu and discontinuing plastic straws. Last year, A&W announced their Strategy Renewal. \u201cWe\u2019re moving on from nostalgia. It was a little scary.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We had lots of learning, and lots of collaboration.\u201d Susan started the process with responsibilities and accountability. \u201cClimate goals accompany our strategies. There are behaviours we need to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t always take the path we start on,\u201d says Juanita. \u201cWe\u2019re operating differently than we did two years ago, or than last year.\u201d With so much in flux, she urges leaders to be consistent and clear. \u201cSpend the time up front to think about who you are, where you want to be and how to get there. Your team members execute your strategies, so have a team that shares your beliefs.\u201d She also recommends providing your team with technological tools and dashboards: \u201cRemember, what gets measured gets done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The roles of CEO and President extend far beyond day-to-day management, especially when it comes to foodservice. But Kelly reminded the audience that there has to be room for more than just work. It\u2019s important to celebrate the wins. And there were several wins over the course of RC Show 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chef Meeru Dhalwala won the Restaurants Canada Culinary Award of Excellence. When introducing Chef Meeru\u2019s keynote, Daniela Profenna, Head of Partner Marketing at Skip, announced the Skip Food Industry Award, a new category in Canada\u2019s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 awards designed to acknowledge women in leadership roles and illuminate the many opportunities for young women entering the industry. And Susan won the Restaurants Canada Leadership Award of Excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking ahead, the panelists shared the transformations they expected in the next few years, in their companies and the industry at large. Juanita sees a return to basics, with an eye to authenticity and relevance. \u201cWe need to be diligent about menu creation, about building team relationships and customer experiences. There\u2019s big opportunity in Toronto; it\u2019s so diverse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For her part, Susan believes that evolution is the new normal. \u201cRestaurants often start small and grow. In the pandemic, we were essential.\u201d That connection runs both ways and carries a real responsibility. \u201cWhat\u2019s part of the world is part of foodservice.\u201d She also recommends budding foodservice entrepreneurs attend local and wider sector events to connect to the community at large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Big iconic brands like Molson are healthy and relevant. Given that, Chantalle sees innovation as the next necessary step. \u201cThe benefit of being a global company is that you can be focused and purposeful. When you have a stable base, it\u2019s time to premiumize.\u201d Meaningful innovation and experiences are what matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rohini is excited to see the spread of world flavours. Even more, she looks forward to more equalization in the industry. \u201cFoodservice is the second largest employer in the U.S., but archaic in terms of policy. 70 per cent of restaurant employees are women but there\u2019s no paid family leave!\u201d Change on social fronts will be key to making the industry better for everyone, including embracing immigrants as the backbone of the economy. These executives found their voices, joined executive conversations, and realized they had the drive, intelligence and power to change the foodservice landscape for good. Which is why, when trying to navigate the many unique challenges of the foodservice sector, it pays to get guidance and support from the experts at the very top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.restaurantscanada.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/RCSHOW_Cam1_04.09.24-166-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.restaurantscanada.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/RCSHOW_Cam1_04.09.24-148-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Importance of Mentorship<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Managing Change<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.restaurantscanada.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/RCSHOW_Cam1_04.09.24-177-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSign of the Times<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.restaurantscanada.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Lets-Talk-Women-Logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n