The Industry

The Industry
  • 5.0 (29)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A discussion with people working in the Service Industry - Bar, Restaurant, Hospitality - Front of House, Back of House, all aspects of what is commonly referred to as The Industry.

  1. Paul Lachowich

    3D AGO

    Paul Lachowich

    This weeks guest is Paul Lachowich - Director of Operations & Head Distiller, Elora Distilling Company. As the first employee hired by Elora Distilling Company, Paul has been instrumental in shaping the company’s operations and product offerings.  Paul’s career highlights include the following:  Head Distiller:  Recipient of 2 Gold Medals and 2 Silver Medals at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Awards ; Designed and launched a diverse product line, including over 40 products such as gin, liqueurs, RTDs, rum, vodka, and whisky Beer, Brewing, and RTD Blending: Brewed beer and blended ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, combining technical expertise with creativity. Served as a beer judge for the Canadian and Ontario Brewing Awards, showcasing deep industry knowledge. Hospitality: Developed and curated the tap list at Birreria Volo, a premier Toronto craft beer destination. Paul’s extensive hospitality background provides a unique understanding of consumer  preferences and market trends, enabling him to craft products that resonate with customers while demonstrating a mastery of distillation. This combination makes him a key figure in Canada’s growing craft spirits landscape. @plachowich @eloradistillingco eloradistillingcompany.com A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    50 min
  2. Nadia Hrkać

    FEB 2

    Nadia Hrkać

    This weeks guest is Nadia Hrkać, a Toronto based Luxury Food Importer who works closely with farms and producers in Europe - mainly Italy, to create custom recipes, and private labels. She will introduce you to the highest quality artisanal products from around the world. Nadia has been importing Fresh Truffles particularly from Italy, Croatia, Spain, France and Australia for many years and supplying restaurants, hotels and specialty food shops in Canada. Nadia’s catalogue of products also includes extra virgin olive oils and vinegars, caviar, sea water spirits, and wine plus many other artisanal foods. Given her Holistic Nutrition background, Nadia is also very conscious of ingredients when selecting items for her catalogue. You can find more information on Nadia's product line at nadiyya.com A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    45 min
  3. Vanessa Gouachi

    JAN 26

    Vanessa Gouachi

    This weeks guest is Vanessa Gouachi who joins us for in person interview. With over two decades in the industry, Vanessa has enjoyed a long and storied career. Initially starting as a dishwasher, Vanessa moved to numerous roles in the family business from back of house, to front of house and eventually bartending. Eventually Vanessa moved to Toronto for school and continued in the Industry by working in corporate restaurants, night clubs and events. Eventually, Vanessa moved out west and left the industry.  After experiencing difficulty getting a suitable job in the industry despite the wealth of experience, Vanessa landed a job working at a hotel and discovered a new world of hospitality. Since that time, Vanessa has worked at numerous hotels that have allowed her to work in locations such as Pender Island in British Columbia, Muskoka in Ontario and the Cayman Islands.  Vanessa eventually moved back to south western Ontario, and has spent the last decade opening restaurants, developing cocktail menus, and training bar teams. Today, you can find her running the beverage program for the Charcoal Legacy group as the beverage manager for the Charcoal complex in Kitchener which includes - Del’s Italian Kitchen, Martini’s Bar & Patio and the Charcoal Steakhouse. @nesstothesess @muddypawstreatco A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    58 min
  4. Franck Desplechin

    JAN 12

    Franck Desplechin

    This weeks guest is Chef Franck Desplechin, author of the new book Relentless Growth: Cultivating a Chef’s Mindset for Professional Fulfillment. Chef Franck is not just another chef with battle scars from the kitchen. He has a remarkable journey: entering kitchens at 15, dedicating over 25 years to leading Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels, and now helping professionals unlock deeper fulfillment through his consulting firm, Incrementum. Relentless Growth skips the usual surface-level advice and goes straight into the real world pressures, resilience, and mindset that drive authentic leadership. Franck’s perspective is as direct as it is motivating—he understands that technical skills get you started, but it is the relentless pursuit of growth that carries a career to the next level. He’s passionate about showing how grit and adaptability aren’t just survival tactics, but the keys to evolving in any industry. cheffranck.com @chef_franck_84 Franck Desplechin Relentless Growth: Cultivating a Chef’s Mindset for Professional Fulfillment A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    49 min
  5. Jasmyne Colín

    JAN 5

    Jasmyne Colín

    This weeks guest is Jasmyne Colín who joins us from Denver, Colorado. Jasmyne aka “Malort Mami” is a self-proclaimed “bar-activist”. She has competed in many competitions such as Speed Rack and won the Malort competition Denver. While Jasmyn loves bartending and the freedom it gives her to be creative, her passion lies in activism. Jasmyne received her degree in Political Science and Ethnic Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2021, right around the time she joined the industry. Jasmyne’s ethos as a bartender is centred around community and connection. Over the past year and a half, Jasmyne has found ways to blend her two passions of activism and bartending, proving that the two are not mutually exclusive. One such as example was hosting the first ever Latine focused party at PDXCW, that centred culture and community. Jasmyne strongly believes that as members of the service industry, we are stronger together and that we have the power to impact our communities in a profound and unique way. Currently, Jasmyne bartends and is the Social Media Manager at Pony Up Denver. @malort_mami @ponyupdenver A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    41 min
  6. Garrett Stewart

    2025-12-22

    Garrett Stewart

    On this weeks episode of The Industry podcast, Garrett Stewart joins us for an in-person interview. Gary has been bartending for 4 years at an “upscale casual” restaurant that focuses on local, sustainable and ethical products. Over the course of his career, Gary has taught kindergarten, worked in youth shelters, was employed as a carpenter, a tree planter, and a cherry picker, but he  always somehow wound end up in hospitality.  Gary landed his first job in the industry at 16 and most of his experience has been in pubs and dive bars. He never really started exploring the art of bartending until his current job. This year Gary entered his first cocktail competition and won the coveted “Golden Shaker” award from Elora Distilling.  Gary is also currently in the process of launching his Uncle Gator brand which is focussed on event curation, menu development, and consultation - basically the elements he loves about his chosen profession. Gary also plays in a band called LUVR with an incredible group of friends. In his spare time he snowboards, makes silly art, and spends time reading at the bar. @unclegator666 @luvrmusic A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    1 hr
  7. Blake Canning

    2025-12-15

    Blake Canning

    This weeks guest is Blake Canning who joins us from Toronto, Ontario. Blake is the National Canadian Brand Ambassador for Bearface Whisky. In his role as a Brand Ambassador, Blake has travelled across this great country educating on all that his brand and Canada have to offer. From unique cask blends to the patented Elemental Aging Process, Blake always attempts to share what makes Bearface and Canadian whisky so unique and important, @bearface.blake @thebitterendbar @bearfacewhisky A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    52 min
  8. Angelo Solimando

    2025-12-08

    Angelo Solimando

    This weeks guest is Angelo Solimando who joins us from Costa Rica. Currently, Angelo is the Bar Manager at the brand new 2 Michelin Keys Resort Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. With Italian roots and a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel & Hospitality Management, Angelo has over 20 years in the industry, nine of which have been with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He has held key roles at prestigious properties, including The Ritz-Carlton Abama in Tenerife and The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, gaining deep expertise in luxury hospitality. A certified WSET Level 3 wine and spirits professional, Angelo has earned global recognition for his mixology skills, including being named Diageo World Class Cayman Islands Champion and a Global Finalist in Shanghai (2024). He was also featured at Tales of the Cocktail 2022 within the Marriott International Events and placed second globally at the Mount Gay International Competition in Barbados in the same year. At Blue by Eric Ripert within The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, Angelo contributed to the restaurant’s #1 ranking in La Liste Caribbean & Latin America and its Forbes 5-Star award—helping the resort become the Caribbean’s first and only Forbes Triple Five-Star property. Angelo’s favourite cocktail is the Negroni. Favourite spirit: Bourbon. Beside his passion for the bar world and the sustainable practices behind the bar, Angelo loves scuba diving, long hikes, and photography. @angelosolimando A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    58 min
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5
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

A discussion with people working in the Service Industry - Bar, Restaurant, Hospitality - Front of House, Back of House, all aspects of what is commonly referred to as The Industry.

Information

  • Creator
    The Industry
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    260
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026
  • Show Website
    The Industry