Presentation Theatre
Scroll Down to View the Schedule of Presentations and Demonstrations and read the bios of all our presenters.
"A meal begins before that first bite...in the hands that plant, the rain that nourishes, the neighbour who shares, the chef who stirs and the table where strangers become friends. May every harvest feed both body and spirit."
Presentation Theatre - Saturday, September 12, 2026
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Bob Romaniuk - Brant County Garlic Company
We love Bob Romaniuk here at the Garlic Festival and we so appreciate that he takes time out away from his booth to share all his wisdom on growing garlic with our patrons. A nicer guy you will never meet! Come and get your garlic questions answered.
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Chef Amanda Traynor-Propper
Chef Amanda is quickly emerging as one of Stratford's fine Chefs helping to connect professional cooking with community food education and local food advocacy in Stratford. Chef Amanda will be sharing her gastronomic journey at The Food Local located here in Stratford.
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Chef Andrew Mavor
Chef Andrew is known for his unusual gastronomic style, described by him as "what you'd love to cook at home if you had the time and a pretty big pantry and an encyclopedic knowledge of really strange ingredients." Come to the presentation theatre on Saturday to learn great new gastronomic ideas from Chef Andrew.
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
David Stones, Poet Laureate
Much like David's poetry, his approach to food emphasizes storytelling, hospitality, craftsmanship and bringing people together around shared experiences. His combination of being a poet, an accomplished public speaker and a passionate foody makes him a presenter well-suited to blend food, garlic, poetry and storytelling. His presentation is going to be a whole lot of fun!
www.davidstonespoet.com
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Chef Jesse Way
Chef Jesse has worked with 100 Kellog Lane in London, one of Ontario's largest entertainment and hospitality destinations. He continues to do his part in continuing to strengthen Stratford's reputation as a culinary centre.
Presentation Theatre - Sunday September 13, 2026
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Puck's Plenty Foraging
Puck's Plenty Foraging of Stratford has become one of the best known guided foraging experiences in Southwestern Ontario. Peter Blush will be speaking to us about some of the many foods one might encounter throughout the foraging season.
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Theresa Albert, Nutritionist
Theresa is a Canadian nutritionist, author, speaker and television personality who became well-known as the host of the Food Network's series "Just One Bite". Theresa is also a wedding officiant so you will love all the folklore and stories she'll share as she prepares "Marry Me Chicken" on our presentation stage.
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Chef Ryan O'Donnell
Chef Ryan O'Donnell who is co-owner and director of operations at Mercer Kitchen + Beer Hall + Hotel and Foster's Inn, will join our presentation stage to bring you a few foody hacks. Come and learn from the best.
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Tucan Holistic, Garlic Producer
This session is for anyone curious about the health benefits and/or the taste pleasures of Black Garlic. This team will share their knowledge on the production and culinary uses of black garlic, holistic nutrition and ingredient sourcing. Find new ideas for featuring black garlic in both sweet and savoury dishes.
OUR PRESENTERS
Bob Romaniuk
Owner/Operator of Brant County Garlic Co.
Bob, along with his wife and partner, Irene, has been growing premium gourmet garlic since 1978 on the sandy loam soils of Brant County. Their signature variety is "Music", a hardneck procelain garlic which is prized by Chefs for its large cloves, longer shelf life and rich, balanced flavour.
Bob and Irene's foremost priorities are dedicated to providing high quality garlic and garlic products to their wholesale, retail and seed buyer customers, and to assist other producers to expand their Ontario garlic production on small or large acreages. They provide workshops and consulting to new garlic producters across Ontario.
Brant County Garlic Co. can be found at 298 13th Concession Road, Scotland, Ontario N0E 1R0 or visit their website at:
www.brantcountygarliccompany.com
We love Bob Romaniuk here at the Garlic Festival and we so appreciate that he takes time out away from his booth to share all his wisdom on growing garlic with our patrons. A nicer guy you will never meet! Come and get all your garlic questions answered at 10:00 a.m. Saturday in the Presentation Theatre.
Amanda Traynor Propper
Lead Community Chef at The Local Community Food Centre
Chef Amanda Traynor-Propper graduated from the Stratford Chefs School as part of the Class of 2024. She now serves as Lead Community Chef with The Local Community Food Centre in Stratford, where she helps develop community food programming, cooking education programs and initiatives which improve access to healthier food choices.
During Chef Amanda's apprenticeship and early culinary career, she trained in some of Stratford's most respected kitchens, including The Bruce Hotel, Mercer Kitchen & Beer Hall, The Parlour, and the culinary department of the Stratford Festival. She has also participated in many community culinary events organized through the Stratford Chefs School, including fundraising and special dining experiences showcasing local ingredients and regional cuisine.
Chef Amanda is quickly emerging as one of Stratford's fine Chefs helping to connect professional cooking with community food education and local food advocacy in Stratford.
Join us in the Kiwanis Presentation Theatre area at 11:00 a.m. Saturday as Amanda shares a bit about her gastronomic journey at The Food Local.
Andrew Mavor
Teacher of Culinary Arts at Stratford District Secondary School (The Avocado)
A Stratford native, Chef Andrew brought his culinary talents back to his hometown in 2019 to pursue a teaching career in Culinary Arts at Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS). Andrew describes his gastronomic style as "what you would love to cook at home if you had the time and a pretty big pantry and an encyclopedic knowledge of really strange ingredients"! He loves to share that knowledge with the kids at SDSS who operate their "Avocado" restaurant at the school. Ask Andrew about how you can share in the dinners the students offer at the Avocado throughout the school year. They're pretty terrific!
Chef Andrew spent ten years in the music industry travelling the world before settling into opening two restaurants called "Hanks * A Restaurant" and "Nowhere * A Restaurant", both having a rustic charm and tongue-in-cheek tone in Victoria, B.C. In 2019, Nowhere * A Restuarant was chosen as one of Canada's top five new restaurants by EnRoute Magazine.
Chef Andrew was nominated as "Foodie of the Year" by B.C.'s Western Living Magazine in 2020. He has been guest chef in the past in the Canadian Guest Chef Program at the world-renowned Stratford Chefs School.
We are delighted to once again have Chef Andrew with us. He's always a huge hit with our Stratford garlic lovers!
You can check out Chef Andrew's work at: avocadosdss on Instragram
Join us in the Kiwanis Presentation Theatre at 12 noon Saturday to learn great new gastronomic ideas from Chef Andrew.
David Stones
Poet Laureate
David Stones is the inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of Stratford, serving a three-year term from 2025-2028. This position was created by Stratford City Council and represents a partnership between Destination Stratford and Stratford Public Library. The role is part of a pilot program to celebrate the city's literary arts, and Stratford couldn't have picked a better candidate for the position!
David is an accomplished poet and performer who has published more than 600 poems throughout Canada and internationally, and has close to 40 poetry awards to his credit. David's powerful stage performances and musical adaptations of his work have captivated audiences over the past decades. Most recently, David was awarded second and third place awards in the 5th annual Carmen Ziolkowski Poetry Prize Competition staged by Lawrence House Centre for the Arts in Sarnia.
But David isn't just well-known in Stratford as a poet! In addition to being a mostly retired business executive with a long track record of board work and community connection, David is also well-known for his long-standing involvement in Stratford's gastronomic community. This rich involvement includes:
- Serving on the Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Stratford Chefs School
- Facilitating all strategic planning for the Stratford Chefs School since 2016
- Publishing a recipe book
- Being an avid foody and home cook since the 1980s
David describes his particular food interests as Italian, French, Indian, Asian and contemporary cuisine. One of his favourite weekend pleasures is planning and preparing a multi-course dinner for eight guests. If you are a regular Facebook follower, you might have already enjoyed the visual pleasure of his gourmet meals through his love of photography.
Much like David's poetry, his approach to food emphasizes storytelling, hospitality, craftsmanship and bringing people together around shared experiences. It seems fitting to have David join us in 2026...the inaugural year of our collaboration with the Stratford Chefs School. His combination of being a poet, an accomplished public speaker and a passionate foody makes him a presenter well-suited to blend food, garlic, poetry and storytelling.
David will be appearing on the Presentation Theatre stage at 1:00 p.m. Saturday. This is going to be not just an educational presentation, but it's going to be a whole lot of fun as well!
Check out David's website at: www.davidstonespoet.com
Jesse Way
Chef Jesse Way
Chef Jesse Way was born and raised in Stratford and has built a career around seasonal, ingredient-driven cuisine. He was influenced during those years by Stratford's strong culinary community, local farmers and our restaurant culture. He is a 2015 graduate of the Stratford Chefs School, and has served as Head Chef at the Griffith Island Club, a prestigious private club on Griffith Island in Georgian Bay. Recognizing his accomplishments, the Stratford Chefs School invited him as a Guest Chef, mentoring current students through the Chef School's acclaimed Guest Chef Program.
More recently, Chef Jesse has worked with 100 Kellog Lane in London, one of Ontario's largest entertainment and hospitality destinations. He continues to do his part in continuing to strengthen Stratford's reputation as a culinary centre.
We are thrilled to welcome Chef Jesse to the Stratford Garlic Festival as we begin our collaboration with the Stratford Chefs School in 2026.
Chef Jesse will be appearing in the Kiwanis Presentation Theatre area at 2:00 p.m. Saturday.
Peter Blush
Owner of Puck's Plenty Foraging
Puck's Plenty Foraging of Stratford has become one of the best known guided foraging experiences in Southwestern Ontario. Puck's Plenty offers walks through woodlands around Stratford, teaching participants how to identify edible wild plants and mushrooms, harvest them responsibly and prepare them for eating. Puck's Plenty foraging tours typically last 2 1/2 to 3 hours and focus on what's in season.
The company was founded by Peter Blush, now a resident of Stratford. Peter is an experienced forager who has spent decades exploring the forests of Southwestern Ontario and educating people about sustainable harvesting through his guided "edible landscape" walks. Peter has appeared on the Oprah Network's "Fearless in the Kitchen", the Global Network's Morning News and recently on the comedy show "The D.J. Demers Show".
He'll speak to us about some of the many foods one might encounter throughout the season: wild leeks, morels, oyster mushrooms, pheasant back mushrooms, nettles, fiddleheads, garlic mustard, day lily shoots, sochan (a sweet, mild leaf often used in recipes to replace spinach or other mild-flavoured greens).
One of the signature offerings of Puck's Plenty Foraging Tours is the "forest & feast" experience where participants spend the morning gathering wild ingredients and then enjoy a multi-course meal featuring their seasonal finds. Some of the Puck's Plenty past menus have included nettle soup, wild leek pesto quiche, wild mushroom dishes partnered with local cheeses and breads as well as Niagara wines and Stratford craft beer.
To learn more about the foraging experiences of Puck's Plenty, check out Peter's website at: www.pucksplenty.com
We are very excited to welcome Peter Blush and Puck's Plenty Foraging to the new format of our Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival. Peter will be appearing on the Kiwanis Presentation Theatre stage at 11:00 a.m. Sunday.
Theresa Albert
Nutritionist, Author, Speaker and Television Personality
Theresa Albert is a Canadian nutritionist, author, speaker and television personality who became well-known as the host of the Food Network's series "Just One Bite", a program focused on making healthy eating simple and practical for families. "Just One Bite" aired in prime-time daily for over two years establishing Theresa as one of Canada's most recognizable healthy-eating experts.
She is a registered nutrition professional who has operated a nutrition practice in Toronto, advising both individuals and corporate clients. She has written multiple books on healthy family eating. In addition to her popular show on Food Network Canada, Theresa has appeared as a regular on CTV News, Breakfast Television, CHCH TV and many other lifestyle shows discussing nutrition and healthy eating.
Theresa frequently hosts culinary demonstrations and food festivals across Ontario and has been an instructor of Nutrition at the Stratford Chefs School. She relocated to Stratford in 2018 and owns the lovely Inn at Rosehurst on Front Street, where the focus is on sustainability and ease of living. Theresa is also a Wedding Officiant so you'll love all the folklore and stories she'll share as she prepares "Marry Me Chicken" at the Stratford Garlic Festival. "Marry Me Chicken" is creamy, juicy and full of flavour and it is said that if you prepare this chicken dinner for your date, it is so good that a marriage proposal won't be far away.
Check out Theresa's webside at: www.rosehurststratford.ca
You won't want to miss Theresa's presentation in the Kiwanis Presentation Theatre at 12:00 p.m. Sunday.
Ryan O'Donnell
Chef Ryan O'Donnell, Co-owner and Director of Operations at Mercer Kitchen + Beer Hall + Hotel and Foster's Inn
As a chef, Ryan has worked and studied in restaurants across Canada, Spain, Australia, France, England and the United States.
As co-owner and director of operations at Mercer Kitchen + Beer Hall + Hotel and Foster's Inn, two institutions of Stratford's restaurant and hotel industry, he continues to learn from local farmers, chefs and grandmothers.
Restaurant hospitality is Ryan's passion with all its many fascinating, moving parts and people. Turning quality ingredients into joy and experience through a focus on evolution and collaboration with the talented kitchen and service teams at The Prune Restaurant, Mercer Kitchen and Foster's Inn allow Ryan to make his restaurants, hotels and community better for the people that work in and visit them.
Come to the Stratford Garlic (& More) Festival and learn a few foody hacks from one of the best...Chef Ryan O'Donnell. He will be appearing on the Kiwanis Presentation Theatre stage at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
Tucan Holistic
Owners - Zied Slimane and Emmy Suparmin
For anyone curious about the health benefits and/or the taste pleasures of black garlic, you will want to be at the presentation theatre at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday for Zied Slimane and Emmy Suparmin, owners of Tucan Holistic. You've likely visited their booth at the Stratford Garlic Festival in the past, but this year, you can sit and relax as you learn from their vast knowledge. They will be sharing their knowledge on the production and culinary uses of "black garlic", holistic nutrition and ingredient sourcing as well as lots of ideas featuring black garlic in both sweet and savoury dishes.
Black Garlic, beloved by enthusiasts, offers a unique flavour profile reminiscent of balsamic vinegar, molasses, soy sauce, earthy mushrooms or coffee. However, unlike raw garlic, it doesn't cause any embarrassing bad breath and has a texture akin to dried figs or apricots. Black Garlic acts as a super "umami" bomb, intensifying the flavour of any dish it complements, enhancing dishes by 3 to 5 times its original taste. Once you've tried black garlic, you will wonder why you didn't find it sooner!
Visit Zied and Emmy at their website: tucanholistic.com
Rick Francis, Guitarist
Rick is a long-time Stratford resident who began his musical career at the age of five on classical violin and the ukelele. Today he is best known as a popular guitarist, bassist, audio engineer, music programmer/producer and session musician who has developed a reputation for tasteful, versatile music that emphasizes musicality rather than flashy soloing. He is considered to be one of Stratford's experienced professional guitarists and is regarded as one of the areas's quiet "musicians' musician"...someone whose influence has come through decades of collaboration, production and mentorship rather than public profile.
Rick has performed in many fine area establishments such as Tuttco Eatery, Revival House, Maelstrom Winery, Hughson Hall, and The Starlight. As well as a history that has taken him and his guitars from coast to coast to coast. Our sincerest thanks to Rick for his ongoing support of our Kiwanis ventures and projects.
Sit down over lunch or coffee and enjoy Rick's easy, relaxing style. He'll be performing both Saturday and Sunday on the Kiwanis Sound Stage (right beside the Kiwanis Garlic Sausage on a Bun booth).