The restaurant culture in Calgary is thriving, with local establishments earning accolades on prestigious lists such as Canada's 100 Best Restaurants and North America's 50 Best Bars, and featuring on popular television shows like Top Chef and Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. This recognition is drawing food enthusiasts from across Canada and around the world, highlighting Calgary's emergence as a significant force in the culinary landscape.
One of the more intriguing and somewhat behind-the-scenes developments in Calgary's restaurant industry over the past few years has been the arrival of the Terroir Symposium. This hospitality-focused conference held its first program in Calgary in 2022 after a successful long run in Toronto. Now, four years later, Calgary remains the home of Terroir, with a special 20th anniversary gathering titled "The Joy of Food" set to kick off next week.
What Is the Terroir Symposium?
Defining the Terroir Symposium can be challenging. It is not exactly a festival, nor is it a trade show or purely a restaurant industry conference. Instead, the event is a gathering of people passionate about food, including but not limited to restaurant professionals, who come together to learn, discuss, and celebrate how good food reaches the people.
"We weren't necessarily looking to create a chef-driven conference," says Terroir founder Arlene Stein. "We were always about the whole ecosystem of the industry: bringing in a winemaker, a bread maker, a farmer, a marketing person. All those adjacent creatives that fuel inspiration."
The Origins of Terroir
A little over 20 years ago, Stein was managing a restaurant in Toronto, where she sensed the growing momentum of the mainstream foodie movement, fueled by the popularity of the Food Network. Taking inspiration from wine-industry friends who excelled at convening and discussing their industry's intricacies, she began organizing an event to give food industry professionals a platform to engage in real conversations about their challenges and achievements. Her first keynote speaker was Toronto chef Jamie Kennedy, a significant catch for a fledgling event planner.
Over the years, Terroir expanded, attracting speakers such as chefs Matty Matheson, Daniel Boulud, Norman Laprise, and David Chang. Even as similar restaurant "talk" series emerged, Terroir became the gold standard in Canada and beyond for restaurant types to convene, commiserate, and inspire one another.
The Move to Calgary
When the pandemic hit, Terroir temporarily became a virtual event. Once in-person gatherings were feasible again, Stein and her team were ready for a change. Stein, now based in Germany, needed a new on-the-ground partner to make the symposium work. She found that partner in Tannis Baker of Calgary-based Food Tourism Strategies. In 2022, Terroir held its first program in Calgary and has used the city as a home base ever since.
"Calgary really hasn't been on many international chefs' radars, so having somebody like Arlene at the table with her network gives us an opportunity to bring some really neat people here," Baker says. "It really allows our local food stories to travel as well, because the visiting speakers take them back with them."
Impact on Calgary's Food Scene
How does this affect regular people who simply want to eat well in the city? Inspiration and idea-sharing trickle down to what ends up on the plate. The symposium fosters connections and creativity that ultimately enhance the dining experiences for everyone in Calgary.
