PRIDE 365: Embracing LGBTQ+ Year Round

Companies that approach pride as a year-round cornerstone of their culture and not just a once-a-year marketing tactic get my support.

By Ken Marshall, Project Manager, Daniel et Daniel Catering & Events

On June 30th, 1985 – back when pride was just a day – I stood in the middle of Cawthra Park on Church Street with some new friends and a few thousand strangers, and I cried. Having stepped off a plane from a small town in Newfoundland only a few months earlier, I was overwhelmed at the acceptance that now surrounded me. It was the first time in my life I felt pure, unadulterated joy.

Quite a few years later, pride became PRIDE, a far larger celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. This much larger event brought much bigger crowds and, inevitably, large corporate sponsorships.
While I’m happy that pride now encompasses a broader spectrum of our community, I have mixed feelings about token corporate support.  Many organizations deck the halls in rainbows only to return to business as usual and put away their rainbow flags and decorations come July 1st.  Unfortunately, business as usual still often involves cultures that are not accepting of a diversity of being.

Authentic support and appreciation for our community can be hard to come by in the corporate world. When I began my working life in Toronto, I did have positions in which I felt I had to keep my personal life to myself since I knew that while they appreciated the hard work and talent I brought, any hint of my “gayness” wouldn’t be as well received. Since we bring our whole selves to work every day, separating my work life from my personal life became increasingly stressful.

Luckily, almost 20 years ago, I found a company that not only appreciated “work me” and “life me” but celebrated, nurtured and encouraged me and my community.

Daniel et Daniel has always been, not simply a “proud supporter” of the LGBTQ+ community, but a genuine member and participant.  Located in Cabbagetown, it’s been a part of the company’s DNA since day one. Supporting causes like AidsBeat, Casey House, PWA Foundation, and numerous other local causes, we understand that showing up is more important than showing off.

I’m proud to be gay, and I’m proud that I work for a company that champions diversity and inclusion. I’ve always felt supported by our owners, management, and staff and in many ways, Daniel et Daniel have become a key part of my chosen family.

Happy Pride Month Toronto. I know this year is another year of virtual parades and much smaller gatherings but we are looking forward to next year when we can scream from the rooftops and hug new friends with you. Until then, I’ll remember that, while we’ve come so far, we still have far to go. I know that as we continue our fight to make sure that every human globally has the same rights and can experience the pure unadulterated joy of being accepted for who you are, my company will be supporting me and our community – 24/7, 365 days of the year.

 

Guillaume ClairetPRIDE 365: Embracing LGBTQ+ Year Round
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New Roots Dinner Series – School Garden to Catered Dinner

On October 2nd, 2018, we catered the first New Roots Dinner Series in six unique locations in Toronto, Daniel et Daniel served a total of 130 guests and utilized ingredients grown around Cabbagetown. 

The purpose of this pop-up dinner series was to secure funding for Green Thumbs Growing Kids, a local charity that promotes environmental and nutritional education based around school gardens. Their mission is to reconnect society with real whole natural food by teaching children how to grow fruits and vegetables locally.

After the success of last years dinners, the New Roots Dinner Series will be returning to Cabbagetown. Working closely with Green Thumbs to keep tabs on what’s growing, Executive Chef Karen O’Connor alongside Executive Pastry Chef Bonnie Kravitz, will develop a catering menu that not only utilizes fresh produce from the school gardens but also features their flavours making them the star of each dish.

Dine with us on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019 at one of four unique venues located in Cabbagetown: Riverdale Farms, Toronto Dance Theatre, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory. Complete with a cocktail reception and a gourmet four-course meal, it’s going to be a dinner experience you wouldn’t want to miss!

Seating for each venue is limited. Book your tickets here or learn more at: www.newrootsdinner.ca.

Guillaume ClairetNew Roots Dinner Series – School Garden to Catered Dinner
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Breakfast Catering – Reimagine the Grab-n-go Corporate Breakfast

Breakfast, the most important meal of the day, is all too often, overlooked, rushed and/or unhealthy. 

If you’re planning a morning event that includes breakfast catering whether it be a meeting, conference, seminar, workshop or anything else, your goal for breakfast should be to energize, engage and get participants ready to participate. 

Unfortunately, mainstream breakfast options are often carb heavy, primarily consisting of an unequal balance of baked goods, bread heavy egg-sandwiches and whole fruit platters. These breakfasts lead participants to consume unhealthy amount of carbs causing them to be sluggish and to compensate with copious amounts of caffeine. Is this starting to sound familiar?

Guillaume ClairetBreakfast Catering – Reimagine the Grab-n-go Corporate Breakfast
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Top 10 Questions to ask your Toronto Wedding Caterer

Your wedding is your big special day. You want to make sure everything goes according to plan and your expectations are met. That’s why it’s important to ask your Toronto Wedding Caterer as many questions as possible. The questions below are some of the most important (but often forgotten) questions that could have a big impact on your wedding.

Guillaume ClairetTop 10 Questions to ask your Toronto Wedding Caterer
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Catering Winterlicious – Eating with a True Canadian Rebel

Winterlicious at Mackenzie House

Rewind back to the eighteen hundreds. You’ve been invited to dine at the home of William Lyon Mackenzie, Toronto’s first mayor and leader of the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion. Now you’ve not actually gone back in time, but you’re attending a very special Winterlicious event in one of Toronto’s most iconic heritage buildings. Like a scene from the movie “Night at the Museum”, you’re seated next to Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie being played by actors, eating a rustic dinner and listening to live music while in a house that is frozen in 1861.

The Mackenzie House

Catering Table Setting

Located in downtown Toronto, the Mackenzie House has been deemed a historical building for its Georgian-styled architecture and depicture of urban Victorian life in the 1860s. The site features the original three-storey brick row house, along with a one-storey addition added by the City of Toronto in 1967. The site is operated by the City of Toronto and Heritage Services. Our favourite highlights of the home are the Victorian Gas Chandeliers in the dining hall, the cast iron kitchenette located in the basement and of course, William Lyon’s original printing press he used to publish his famous political paper, “Colonial Advocates”.

 

A Family Style Dinner with the Mackenzies

Beef Short Rib

Dessert at the Mackenzie house

Oven Roasted Chicken Platter

As far as Winterlicious goes, this Victorian dinner is probably one of the most unique historical experiences you can have, the details of which would please even the most studious history buffs. Beyond the impressive décor maintained by the museum and the ominous glow of the gas chandelier, dinner guests were entertained by actors and servers in period costumes, enjoying a rustic, family-style meal, off of fine china.

Map of Toronto, Antique

We had a blast catering this event and look forward for when it returns to Winterlicious in 2019! Find out more about the Mackenzie House here and find out more about Daniel et Daniel here.

Guillaume ClairetCatering Winterlicious – Eating with a True Canadian Rebel
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