Owner – Phil Waserman
Phil Waserman is the owner of the Courtyard Restaurant, Mamma Grazzi's Kitchen and Biagio's Italian Kitchen. Phil has been deeply involved with the restaurant industry for over 30 years, and was awarded the "Restaurateur of the Year Award" in 1996. Phil's other awards include the Heather Crowe Award, recognizing his community leadership in promting a smoke-free Ontario, and Health Ontario's Eat Smart Award recognizing 15 years of contribution to the Eat Smart program promoting healthy food choices in restaurants. Phil's community spirit is evident in his strong commitment to local boards and associations, including his work as Chair of the ByWard Market BIA for the past 15 years, as an Ottawa Tourism Board Member from 1985 to 2009, and his involvement in the City of Ottawa Homelessness Task Force. Phil currently sits on the Board of Operation Come Home, Bon Appetit Ottawa, Ottawa Restaurant Association, as well as the Safety and Security Committee and Parking and Transportation Committee at the BIA. Phil has always been encouraging of young talent in the hospitality industry, and has given many Chefs and Front of House Managers their start in one of his restaurants.
Chef – Michael Hay
Michael Hay is a Kingston native and credits his expertise to “training the old school way, apprenticing with great people,” as well as studying at culinary school. He has worked at Gusto in Kingston, Deerhurst Resort, the world-renowned Moto in Chicago, and under Chef Rene Rodruiges at Black Cat here in Ottawa before becoming Executive Chef at the Courtyard in 2008. Proud to be part of a group of young Ottawa chefs interested in sustainability and environmental issues, Michael Hay notes that “chefs have a responsibility to ensure that people eat well both literally and figuratively.”
General Manager – Geneviève Rochon
Geneviève hails from Toronto originally but has been living and working in Ottawa restaurants for over 20 years. Her passion is food and community, and this shows in her commitment to the restaurant industry and her volunteer activities. Geneviève recently was awarded the Ottawa Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40 Award”, and was nominated for “Mentor of the Year” by the Meeting Professionals International Ottawa Chapter. Geneviève is the Event Chair for Bon Appetit Ottawa, a hospitality charity that raises funds to reduce poverty locally, and she was appointed to the Board of Directors of Ottawa Tourism in 2009. Her motto is "Don't eat to live, live to eat" and she's never yet tried a cheese she didn't want to take home and spend some quality time with.
Events Manager – Shannon Kennedy
Raised in Ottawa, Shannon has always enjoyed venturing to the ByWard Market with it's unique shops and restaurants and now loves working in the heart of the capital. While attending the University of Ottawa, Shannon was actively involved in various social and philanthropic event committees, and she found her love and natural talent for planning and hosting events. Upon completion of her under graduate degree, she took a year long internship with a local wedding planner learning the ropes of the industry. Shannon also completed the Wedding Planning Institute of Canada's Certification Course, and is now a certified wedding plannier (WPICC). Shannon began working at the Courtyard in 2008 as the Event Coordinator, and she takes great delight in having a part in helping to plan her client's special day.
Sous Chef – Arleigh Martin
Arleigh's passion for cooking started at an early age - for as long as she can remember she was always doing something in the kitchen. Arleigh attended culinary school in Camosan College, Victoria BC. After completion, she moved to Banff where she received her apprenticeship at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. 6 years later Arleigh returned to Ottawa, working in the Governor General's Residence, at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel, and the Wellington Gastro Pub. Arleigh became Executive Chef at Divino Wine Studio when it was first opened on Preston St, but had to move on to new opportunities when it closed down for several months for renovations. Arleigh is thrilled to now be working with Chef Michael Hay at the Courtyard as Sous Chef, and she especially enjoys creating menus with the gorgeous and varied local products that the Courtyard purchases.
Events Coordinator – Miranda Forbes
Miranda grew up in a small town east of Ottawa and always knew she would one day be working in exciting downtown Ottawa. Miranda is a graduate of the Algonquin College Event Management Program, and is also a certified Wedding Consultant. Before Miranda joined the Courtyard team as an Event Coordinator, she worked as an Event Hostess at the Urban Element, and also helped to organize fundraisers for the Children's Wish Foundation of Ottawa. Miranda also worked as an Office Administrator for a busy insurance office, and she brings that love of organization, along with her creativity, to her work at the Courtyard. Miranda enjoys every minute of helping clients and couples with planning their events, whether big or small.
Office Administrator – Carolyn Fernihough
Carolyn found her love of numbers at an early age when multiplication and long division were really cool discoveries. She brought that love of numbers to earning a degree in Economics which led to working in a bank. Carolyn found there was something missing in the banking experience and proceeded from there to working for a data entry service and then to the Courtyard Restaurant where she discovered the missing element: a great set of coworkers whose focus is to make their customer's experience a memorable pleasure, along with an appreciation for their fellow employees. Carolyn is a self confessed office supply geek, and she loves finding new products that make working more efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly.