Vancouver Chef Ann Kirsebom Shares Her Olympic Enthusiasm
Publish Date: May 2009
When describing an Olympic athlete the words passion and dedication come to mind. The same could be said about Ann Kirsebom and her involvement in Games-related projects.
“I have been supporting amateur sports by volunteering my time and donating product to the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association (CFSA) and their Western World Cup Events,” says the enthusiastic local chef.
Recently Ann was able to set her passion in motion at the Federation International Ski (FIS) circuit held at Cypress Mountain. “I was part of a chef team assembled for Freestyle sponsor AquaStar where I was able, with the help of my staff and other top chefs, to provide food and beverages for 2,000 guests over a two day period.”
A native of the North Shore, Ann is Chef and CEO of Toast of the Town Cuisine, her full-service catering company. She also has a line of award winning gourmet sauces.
Ann says taking part in the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix held at Cypress Mountain was a fantastic experience.
“We were able to showcase our products at all the menus which gave us incredible exposure,” she says. “Volunteering is rewarding because everyone chooses to be there and you meet incredible like-minded people.”
Another opportunity to network came when Ann attended the Table Top Exhibition, a 2010 food service event held at the Westin Bay Shore in March. There, local distributors, caterers, food service professionals and chefs took part in a forum to meet Canadian agri-food businesses and learn more about the local product variety, availability and capacity.
“By attending this event, I was able to showcase my products to buyers for the 2010 Winter Games,” says Ann.
Toast of the Town Cuisine has also taken advantage of the tools and services offered by the 2010 Commerce Centre. As an active member of the 2010 Business Network, Ann attended a 2010 Business Opportunities Workshop held at the 2010 Commerce Centre.
“I attended an incredible workshop conducted by Rob Arthurs, which was the best business seminar I have ever attended. It specifically targeted those of us in the food business and local products for 2010,” she says. “What got me excited about the workshop was the idea of no rubber on the road, a sustainability concept of having all food produced locally.”
The idea of sustainability is well aligned with Ann’s own personal beliefs for her company.
“We recycle everything and drive bio-diesel vehicles,” she says. Ann is also very active in her community. She volunteers at several outreach programs throughout the year on the downtown eastside.
She’s looking forward to being a part of the Games next February and offers this advice for other businesses who want to get involved.
“I would recommend everyone attend this workshop. It gives great insight into the magnitude and possibilities of the 2010 Games.”
For more information on 2010 Business Opportunities Workshops near you browse the events calendar or contact us.
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