The Culinary Tourism Alliance is leading efforts in research, education and product development to promote the growth of the industry across Canada. Their Feast On programme has been identifying restaurants that support locally-sourced Ontario food since before 2011.
Our Philosophy
Food serves to connect us with the land, our heritage and the people around us. It is a diverse and dynamic channel for sharing stories, forming relationships and building communities. By combining local food and drink with travel, food tourism offers both locals and tourists alike an authentic taste of our bountiful province while contributing to a sustainable world economy.
Along with our member destinations, we are actively contributing to our province’s edible history by creating fruitful relationships in communities across the province – from the farm up – to cultivate a better, more delicious Ontario. Though our roots are firmly planted in Ontario soil, our branches reach beyond borders, minimizing the distance between field and fork across the globe.
Our Vision
We believe in pride in place. As experts in food tourism development, the Culinary Tourism Alliance seeks to ensure that authentic food experiences become a significant economic driver for communities across Ontario, and a primary way for travellers to enrich their experience.
By bridging the gap between the food and travel industries, we are strengthening the links between the viticulture, agriculture, aquaculture sectors to the hospitality sector to promote the growth of food tourism. Our work lies in developing strong relationships between growers, chefs, processors, restaurateurs, accommodation providers, distributors, government and industry organizations. But above all, we act as the leading voice to share Ontario’s culinary stories with passion and pride.
Our Mission
- Help build regional and community identities by supporting agriculture, viticulture and aquaculture resources across the food tourism value chain
- Foster stakeholder engagement and relationship building that results in new and/or enriched food tourism experiences
- Seek and encourage partnership development that will increase capacity, leverage audiences, promote innovation and maximize resources
- Promote Ontario’s authentic tastes of place – sharing and telling our stories with pride
- Nurture industry and consumer confidence as experts and leaders in food tourism
What We Believe In
- We believe discovery is a medium for growth, change and unity. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, edible experiences will change the way you think about your food, beyond the plate.
- We believe in local. We believe in authentic.
- We believe commitment and collaboration are the avenues to success in this industry. Together, these fundamental ideas reinforce the economic, environmental and social health of our communities.
- We believe sharing our local food stories with pride encourages discovery and inspires change.
