As Co-Owner, President and CEO of C’est Bon Ottawa, the city’s premier cooking class and culinary event company, Stefanie has built her career around bringing people together through shared culinary experiences. An Ottawa resident since 1989, Stefanie has also played a significant role in shaping the city’s broader tourism and destination development strategy. She served as the first female Chair of Ottawa Tourism and now leads as Chair of Ottawa Tourism’s Destination Development Council, while also serving as Co-Chair of the Ottawa 200 Advisory Committee.
Her work sits at the intersection of hospitality, tourism, entrepreneurship, and community-building, all anchored in a deep appreciation for food.
From Passion to Purpose
When asked what motivated her to start and grow C’est Bon Ottawa, Stefanie’s answer is simple: food!
But beyond the humour lies a clear motivation, bringing the joy and appreciation of food to locals and visitors alike. She believes education and enjoyment go hand-in-hand. When people understand the story behind what they’re cooking or tasting, the experience becomes richer, more meaningful, and more memorable.
Taking over the C’est Bon business marked a pivotal moment in her leadership journey. It wasn’t just about growing a company; it was about advocating for culinary tourism on a local, national, and international scale. Stefanie recognized that food is not just an amenity – it is a destination driver. Through her leadership, culinary experiences have become part of Ottawa’s identity, contributing to the city’s tourism economy and strengthening its cultural footprint.
Influenced by Service Leadership
One of the most formative chapters in Stefanie’s career was her time as an independent sales representative with Pampered Chef Canada. It was there that she learned the importance of self-belief, goal setting, and aligning work with personal values. She developed an understanding of purpose and connectivity, and most importantly, service leadership.
Service leadership means showing up for others first. It means understanding that success is built on relationships, trust, and consistency. Those lessons continue to shape how she leads today, whether guiding her team at C’est Bon or influencing strategic tourism conversations across the city.
Supporting Women by Design
Supporting women in business is not an afterthought for Stefanie, it’s a deliberate choice.
She hires women first and actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with women-led businesses across her professional and personal ecosystem. From employees to contractors to suppliers, she gravitates toward supporting women entrepreneurs whenever possible. In doing so, she contributes not only to individual success stories, but to strengthening the inclusivity of Ottawa’s broader business community.
Sustaining Balance While Building Impact
Running a business, contributing to tourism leadership, and serving on advisory committees requires energy and intention.
For Stefanie, life balance is both a goal and an achievement. Family time, friendships, personal growth, downtime, revitalization, and exploration are key. These moments are not distractions from leadership; they sustain it. Resilience, she understands, comes from protecting space to recharge and staying aligned with what matters most.
Advice for the Next Generation
For women early in their careers or considering entrepreneurship, Stefanie offers practical, strategic advice:
- Show up for the work with your best self.
- Keep a bird’s-eye view on everything.
- Plan now for where you want to be in five to ten years.
- Surround yourself with people who know more than you.
- Ask questions. Learn constantly.
- And most importantly, align your business with your values.
Stefanie Siska’s journey reflects the power of combining passion with strategic thinking. By elevating culinary tourism and advocating for destination development, she has helped position Ottawa not just as a place to visit, but as a place to experience.
Her leadership reminds us that industries like tourism and hospitality are not peripheral to economic growth; they are central to it. At OBOT, we are proud to spotlight leaders and OBOT members like Stefanie who strengthen Ottawa’s business ecosystem, champion women-led enterprises, and contribute to long-term economic development through innovation and collaboration. Because when leaders show up with purpose (and maybe a great meal), communities thrive.