Celebrating 2018 HTM Student Award Recipients and Industry Award Honouree
One of Canada’s leading food executives, Glenn Brown, President and CEO of Bento Sushi, credits Ryerson for setting himself for success.
The HTM alumnus explains that his experience at the school pushed him through the hard times he had over the years. Twenty-seven years after starting in the sushi business, he says that he is still doing what he loves and he couldn’t have done it without having the support from the school.
Brown made these comments at a special evening celebrating The Ted Rogers School of Hospitality & Tourism Management’s 2018 student award recipients at The Carlu on November 13, 2018, which was attended by HTM students and their families, faculty, alumni, staff and donors.
Born in Zimbabwe, Brown moved to Toronto in 1979 at the age of 14. He started working at The Keg restaurant downtown, which sparked his interest in the food services industry. Someone suggested Ryerson’s HTM program to him, where he later enrolled, received an award, and was able to excel.
Brown worked for CP (Fairmont) and Four Seasons Hotels after graduating in 1988, and then went to Japan to teach English, where he cultivated his passion for sushi. When he returned to Canada in 1992, he founded Makisushi, Toronto’s first wholesale sushi company whose customers included Pusateri’s, Rogers Centre and Loblaws.
A decade later, Brown merged his company with Bento Sushi and became partner of what is currently Canada’s largest sushi company. He is now President and CEO of Bento, which creates over 20 million servings of sushi every year through 600 sushi bar locations, 25 retail locations and six factories. Dr. Frederic Dimanche, Director of HTM, presented Brown with the 2018 HTM Industry Award at the event for his contributions to the industry and to the school.
To give back to a school that gave so much to him, Brown created The Bento Sushi Food Service Award three years ago, which recognizes academic achievement and demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the retail side of food service. He presented this year’s award to Michelle Novotny at the event.
Dr. Daphne Taras, Dean of TRSM, spoke about the vital role HTM plays at the school and thanked donors for their support of student awards and scholarships. She says that these awards can have a significant impact on students by turning a switch on in their minds.
Forty-five other awards were given out at the event. Here are a few of the recipients:
- Vanessa Shih: CITAP – Hidi Nishi Award, Ralston Kwan Information Technology Award and George B. Davidson Scholarship
- Katherine Lo: William B. Pattison Research Fellowship and RHAA Spirit of Community Award
- Kimberly Natalucci: J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Award
- Sarah Whistance-Smith: Smart Serve Award
- Paul Katsetos: Fairmont Royal York Hospitality Management Scholarship
- Sarah Oliver: William M. Duron Research Award, Intrepid Travel Responsible Tourism Award and Aramark Canada Ltd. Hospitality Management Scholarship
- Victoria Chan: Ted Rogers School of Management Renewable Entrance Award
