R E S T A U R A N T & B A R

Where Noise Meets Silence

Agenda

The Concept Deaf Community Our Goals Our School Program The Experience The Learning Conclusion

The Concept

Unique restaurant mostly staffed with the Deaf

The Service, The Interaction & The Learning

Understanding of the Deaf Culture

An all-inclusive environment

Diversity

How It All Started?

Idea – While working at a Boston Pizza??

My first time with Sign Language

Knowledge from MBA at Ryerson

The Communication Barrier – First Interaction with the Deaf

Community Looking at the Concept from a

business perspective

How does it work?

Hearing hosts introduce Hearing Guests to Deaf Servers

Deaf Servers teach Hearing Guests some basic Sign Language (transition)

Deaf Servers use Ipads to take orders Guests use Sign Language in cheat-book & Menus to

Interact with Deaf Servers. Deaf Servers teach sign to Guests from Cheat Book.

Our Business Goals To become the best restaurant in Canada that:

Provides exquisite food and drinks that meet the highest standards of quality, freshness and seasonality and combines both modern-creative and traditional styles of cooking.

Provide impeccable service by demonstrating warmth, graciousness, professionalism and integrity.

Provide our hearing guests with a learning experience and a great interaction with the Deaf Community.

Provide our Deaf guests with fantastic service and feel-like-home environment

Give all the staff who work with us a friendly, cooperative and rewarding environment which encourages long- term, satisfying and growing career.

Our Goals for the Deaf Community Bridge the Gap between

the Deaf & the Hearing Creating Awareness for

the Deaf Community Show that given the tools,

Deaf can work in different fields

Spreading Sign Language within the Hearing Community

Showcase Deaf Talents

Intriguing Facts about SIGNS! First Canadian Restaurant Staffed

with the Deaf First Concept in the world that hires

Deaf as front-line workers! Signs has over 50 staff and around

36 are Deaf. First Restaurant to have a Deaf

supervisor and a Deaf Assistant Manager.

First Innovative Concept in the world that breaks down the barrier between Deaf and the Hearing.

Facts About Signs… Continued… First restaurant in Canada that provides a dining experience as

well as a learning experience.

First Deaf for-profit business that caters to the General Public.

World’s first for-profit restaurant Concept that is truly all-inclusive (There is no discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, race, sexual orientation or disability).

Signs Restaurant Food

Contemporary Cuisine Canadian / Multi-Cultural Food Make everything from Scratch (Fries, bread, dessert

etc) Special Seasonal food everyday Made to Order Dessert Special Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian and Vegan

Options Local ingredients, fresh food!

The Food

Halloween

Appetizers

Special

The Learning Experience

Deaf Culture Using Sign Language The difficulties faced

by people from different cultures

Social Awareness Social Responsibility Equal Treatment

Implementing the Concept

Securing the Location Identifying Potential employees Working on the service process Building the RESTAURANT! Hiring the Employees Creating the Menu Making the food, Creating SOPS Creating Staff Policies Staff Training!

The Deaf Community Oppressed and secluded for a long time

Use Sign Language to communicate

Limited Employment Opportunity – High levels of unemployment & Underemployment

Career Opportunities are Limited, but growing very slowly

Education – mostly at RIT or Gallaudet University

Job Opportunity for the Deaf?

Question: Can you name some career

options that are available for a Deaf person in the

Hearing World?

Signs Target Market

Tourists (intrigued by the Concept)Families with KidsLGBTQQIP2SAA+ CommunityCorporations for Lunches & EventsUniversity Students for the Bar!Schools for Field Trips / After Exam Party!

ABOUT US - Media Attention

Global News National

ABC News CBS

Right This Minute

Achievements! Top 5 restaurants in Tripadvisor! More than 4+ rating in all restaurant review sites! Best Employer, unsung hero & achievement award!

Future Opening more Signs Restaurant Franchises Opening more businesses for the Deaf Goal to open the first school for Deaf Hospitality in

Canada Creating more number of all inclusive organizations Spreading awareness

Accessibility – The Big Problem?

The City of Toronto – Does it support Accessibility? Currently fighting the City to ensure the

Accessibility future of Toronto Toronto has strict By-laws – Preventing businesses

from being accessible Can our ramp will decide the future of Toronto’s

Accessibility?

QUESTIONS?