The restaurant industry runs on people—problem-solvers, culture builders, and change-drivers who make every shift possible. That’s exactly who we’re celebrating with the first-ever Restaurant Innovators 2025 Awards from 7shifts.
This year’s program recognizes 60 standout winners who aren’t waiting around for the future of hospitality—they’re actively shaping it. Nominations came from across Canada and the United States, and the recipients reflect operators creating better ways to work along with stronger, more sustainable teams. Submissions came from full-service dining, coffee shops, breweries, quick-service concepts, food halls, and more.
“I’m incredibly excited about the inaugural Restaurant Innovators Awards. For me, this isn’t just another recognition program. It’s a celebration of the people who make restaurants run, from the first prep shift in the back to the final closeout at the front door. These leaders aren’t just pushing the industry forward—they are building workplaces where people want to stay, grow, and build a career.”
Jordan Boesch, CEO of 7shifts
The Restaurant Innovators 2025: Award categories
We created eight categories that reflect the work happening in restaurants every day. Here’s what each one recognizes:
The Ops Innovator: Recognizes leaders who implement creative technology and operational efficiencies to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance quality.
The Industry Voice: Honors an individual or team (often rooted in media, podcasts, or digital platforms) who uses their platform and unique voice to educate, inspire, and drive positive conversation across the broader hospitality industry.
The Tip-Top Service Star: Celebrates individuals or teams (FOH) who consistently deliver outstanding, personalized, and memorable guest service, driving loyalty and word-of-mouth.
The Unsung Hero: Recognizes exceptional back-of-house (BOH) leadership in the kitchen, focusing on menu development, consistency, safety, and maintaining efficiency under pressure.
The Best Boss Ever: An award for a manager or owner who demonstrates exceptional commitment to staff growth, well-being, training, and retention, making the restaurant a top place to work.
The Culture Catalyst: Honors a restaurant that achieves the highest employee satisfaction and retention through outstanding communication, supportive team dynamics, and a demonstrably positive daily work environment.
The Local Legend: Specifically for independent single-unit restaurants that demonstrate incredible quality, financial resilience, and deep community roots despite stiff competition.
The Empire Builder: Recognizes a leader at a multi-unit operation who has successfully managed rapid scaling, maintained brand consistency, and expertly handled complexity across multiple locations.
The rise of multi-skilled restaurant employees
A standout trend in this year’s nominations: the rise of multi-skilled roles. More restaurant employees are blending FOH, BOH, and even admin responsibilities—stepping in wherever they’re needed and often creating new systems along the way. Some nominees built custom tools and processes from scratch, while others rose from entry-level roles to leadership by learning operations from the ground up.
Why recognition matters—in their own words
We asked this year’s winners what this recognition means to them, and their answers reveal the heart of hospitality. Here are some standout quotes:
Weston Berchtold, Eli’s Coffee Shop – The Ops Innovator:
“Anyone working in this industry knows we don’t show up every day for praise or recognition. Food service can be a thankless job, so it is an honor to be recognized for our work in trying to provide great experiences for customers, care and support for our teams, and safe, welcoming environments in our communities.”
Dakotah Pompura, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice – The Best Boss Ever:
“Working in hospitality has consistently allowed me to connect with people, share in their celebrations, and build genuine relationships. Through training, I’m grateful for the chance to equip franchise owners and managers to lead with confidence and heart. This recognition affirms that the passion, effort, and time invested truly matter. I’m honored and deeply grateful for this appreciation!”
Nitish Singh, Prestige Prince George Lodge – The Tip-Top Service Star:
“In my kitchen, every dish is a chance to make someone’s day better. Cooking lets me turn simple ingredients into something meaningful, and that’s what I love most about this work. Every meal has the power to bring comfort, joy, or energy to someone who needs it. This award reminds me why I push myself to improve every day—because the effort I put in can create a positive, memorable experience for others.”
Andy Yuen, Odd Couple and SULU – The Local Legend:
“One of the main underlying reasons for me to become a restaurateur is to do my small part to evolve the Asian restaurant scene in Saskatoon by combining service, atmosphere, local ingredients, and Asian flavours together, trying to do things a bit differently than what my uncle and my dad did in their era. Hopefully, we get to keep pushing the envelope and improve on what we can provide.”
Jessica Ho, Content Marketing Specialist
Jessica Ho
Content Marketing Specialist
Hi, I'm Jessica, Content Marketing Specialist at 7shifts! I'm writing about all things related to the restaurant industry.
