SUPPORTING PARTNER
Back of the House : Richard Jaffray BiographyDuring the summer of 1984, Richard wanted to join his friends on a dream trip for a month in Hawaii. In order to do so, Richard had to be creative with his financing to make this dream trip a reality. Upon convincing a friend to lend a helping hand, Richard hosted a summer kick off party for his classmates. They raised $1600, and took off to live on the beaches of Hawaii. It was on this trip where Richard learned how to surf, which is now a life long passion of his. Given his trip to Hawaii was the direct product of a one day successful business venture; Richard realized that he wanted to own his own business. On a surf board while in the Pacific Ocean, he decided that he would not be returning to the Engineering program at the University of Calgary in the fall. Instead, he was going to move to Vancouver and start his own business in the hospitality industry. Two years later, living in his car and later on a sailboat, Richard opened his first restaurant in Vancouver, Café Cucamongas, selling cappuccinos and ice cream. In 1988, after successfully building the business, Richard sold Café Cucamongas and opened the very first Cactus Club Cafe in North Vancouver, BC. Fast forward 22 years later, Cactus Restaurants now has 21 locations in British Columbia and Alberta, employing over 2000 people with sales in excess of $115 million. Cactus Club Cafe has proudly emerged as the leader in casual fine dining in Western Canada. Cactus Club is committed to delivering a unique experience whereby the fusion of fine dining and casual dining come together, via world class restaurant design, unparalleled food quality and a personalized approach to service. Led by Chef Rob Feenie, Canada's Only Iron Chef Champion, Cactus Club's globally inspired menu is crafted with local and fresh ingredients, such as Alberta Certified Angus Beef and Ocean Wise sustainable seafood. Each location has a unique personality with defining state-of-the-art features, such as an original art collection featuring pieces of work from Andy Warhol, Jean Michel-Basquiat and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Recent corporate accolades include: "Best Casual Chain" in Vancouver Magazine's Annual Restaurant Awards 2008 – 2010; one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada 2007 – 2009; multiple honors in the Georgia Straight's Best of Vancouver; and one of the Top 10 Companies to Work for in B.C. by BC Business Magazine, five years in a row. Richard's commitment to the community has led Cactus Club to become the largest collection of restaurants to join the Vancouver Aquarium's celebrated Ocean Wise program (a highly acclaimed fish conservation program that endorses fish selections as being ecologically sustainable). Richard also serves on the Vancouver Aquarium's Board of Advisors. Cactus Club is also a founding member and the first multi-unit restaurant group in Canada to be members of the Green Table Network (a conservation initiative that is based on a set of operating standards and targets that define a "green restaurant"). Richard has been attending Harvard Business School's annual Presidents' Seminar since 2004. Currently, Richard is the Chapter Chair for the BC Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization for the 2010 – 2011 year. He has been an active member of the BC Chapter for 9 years. Over the years, Richard has been recognized for his exceptional entrepreneurial abilities by a number of different organizations and media sources. In 1998, Richard was honoured by Business in Vancouver with the Top 40 Under 40 distinction. In 2001, he was awarded Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Pacific Region in Hospitality and Tourism. In addition, the British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association awarded Richard the Restaurateur of the Year Award for 2001 and Provincial Restaurateur of the Year – Casual Dining for 2002.
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD – PACIFIC REGION
BEST CASUAL RESTAURANT CHAIN – GOLD |