Skål International London April, May & June 2023 Events

April event

Skålleagues and guests got their 'game on' for their April event. April 11, 2023.


A big thank you to our host, Chris McKenna, and his fabulous team for a fun evening of sports trivia, networking and delicious pub fare at London’s downtown Sports HQ!

The Squires Pub & Grill, located in downtown London, is an upscale sports pub, providing a warm, welcoming atmosphere with many of Londone’s favourite pub staples, all locally sources and made in house. The Squire is the place to watch the game, have dinner and drinks before a concert, or an afterwork cocktail with friends from the office.

From left to right: Gerry Champagne (member), Chris McKenna (host).
From left to right: Nadia McCormack-McIntyre wearing London Knights, Georgia Raso wearing Calgary Stampeders #3 jersey (Ryan Thelwell).
From left to right: Nadia McCormack-McIntyre (board member, Residence Inn by Marriott London), Cliff Fielder (member, Western University), Karen Dowhan (member, Tourism London).
From left to right: Michael Zaigh (guest, Western University), George Thomas (board member, Doubletree by Hilton London), Cliff Fielder (member, Western University), Gerry Champagne   (member, Delta Hotel by Marriott London Armouries London).

Pub fare

May event

Members and guests experienced outstanding 'farm-to-table' cuisine, warm hospitality and wonderful service at our mid-season membership drive. May 09, 2023.


It's all about experiences and our hosts did not disappoint.  Another fun event thanks to our members, Emanuela Frongia (Blackfriars Bistro & Catering) and Bryan Lavery (Forest Culinary Experiences) and their wonderful team. Special guest, Penn Kemp, entertained us with poetry readings from her recent publication, A Baker’s Dream, Poems for Blackfriars Bistro.

Blackfriars Bistro & Catering is a neighborhood bistro housed in a heritage building (formerly a broom factory), and situated in one of London’s oldest communities, just west of London’s downtown core draws guests from all over the city and beyond. The bistro’s namesake, Blackfriars Bridge, two blocks east of the bistro is a stunning, recently refurbished 19th-century bridge made of wrought iron. Forest City Culinary Experiences is a combination of unique perspectives, industry experience and inter-generational insights, Bryan and Nick Lavery and associates share their professional familiarity and insider knowledge of the local culinary scene through experiential food tours, culturally-authentic culinary pop-ups, tastings and events.


From left to right: Sonya, Bryan Lavery (member/Forest City Experiences), Emanuela Frongia (member/Blackfriars Bistro & Catering).
From left to right: Dominic Raso (guest), Karen Dowhan (member, Tourism London), Andreea Weldon (guest, Park Hotel), Luca Monti (member, 100 Kellogg), Timon Fessahaye (member, Checker Limousine/Voyago), Michelle Pierce Hamilton (guest, The Tea Lounge), Alon Gurman (guest, Elmhurst Inn & Spa), Emanuela Frongia (member, Blackfriars Bistro), Sean Palmer (member, Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre), Effie Gurman (member, Idlewyld Inn & Spa), Penn Kemp (guest speaker), Kathy McLaughlin (guest, Downtown London), Angie Murphy (guest, Grace Restaurant), Georgia Raso (member, GR Hospitality Consulting).
Food
Food

From left to right: Effie Gurman, Penn Kemp.

June event

Members and guests enjoyed a farm-to-table culinary dining experience at their June Skål International London Wine Pairing Dinner at the Green Leaf Café located at Western University. June 06, 2023.


A big big thank you to our gracious host and Skål member Cliff Fielder, Executive Chef Kristian Crossen and the talented team at Western University.  Also, a very special thank you to our extraordinary servers/bartender - Mai & Patrick.  Our guest speaker for the evening was Jamie Quai, award-winning wine maker at Quai du Vin Estate Winery.

The University of Western Ontario, also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on 455 hectares of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames River bisecting the campus’s eastern portion. For more information, please check out their websites (Western UniversityWestern University Hospitality Services).

Front Row, from left to right: Nadia McCormack-McIntyre (member/board), Karen Dowhan (member), Emanuela Frongia (member/board), Yamuna Guni (guest), Georgia Raso (member/president), Colin Porter (guest), George Thomas (member/board). Back Row, from left to right: Cliff Fielder (member), Jamie Quai (guest speaker), Bryan Lavery (guest), Annette Lee (guest), Timon Fessahaye (member/board).
Western University Team. From left to right: Christopher Alleyne, Cliff Fielder, Colin Porter.
Dessert Trio. Wine Pairing - 2019 Doble Pasta Cabernet VQA, Quai du Vin Estate Winery.

From left to right: Georgia Raso, catering staff Mai & Patrick, Cliff Fielder.


Quai du Vin Estate Winery Team. From left to right: Jamie Quai, Annette Lee.