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Retaliatory Tariffs Lifted on U.S. Food
2025/09/04

The Government of Canada has lifted its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. food products. After months of uncertainty and negative impacts, this long-awaited measure will provide relief to thousands of businesses across the country and address Canada’s affordability crisis. Restaurants Canada estimates that retaliatory tariffs were resulting in at least $100 million a month in additional costs to the foodservice industry. While Canadians were navigating affordability challenges, including food inflation, this added burden was largely absorbed by foodservice businesses, 40…
Breaking News, Uncategorized
Tarun Bhatia Joins The St. Regis Toronto
2025/08/07

Tarun Bhatia has been appointed to the role of director of food and beverage (F&B) at The St. Regis Toronto. With more than two decades of global luxury hospitality experience, Bhatia joins The St. Regis Toronto with a distinguished career leading food-and-beverage operations at some of the world’s most iconic hotel brands, including Aman Resorts India, JW Marriott New Delhi, The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, Fairmont Chateau Whistler, and most recently, Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver. “I’m thrilled to join The…
Breaking News
Office Catering Is Having a Renaissance
2025/05/29

The traditional office lunch may have once been synonymous with an underwhelming basic salad, lukewarm pizza, or a selection of ‘classic sandwiches’, but not anymore. In 2025, office catering is experiencing a full-blown renaissance, driven by an evolution in workplace culture where offices, grappling with the rise of hybrid and remote workers, have renewed their focus on employee experiences to draw them back into the office. We’ve seen firsthand how the role of food in the workplace has shifted…
Event Operations, Food & Beverage, Uncategorized
Fairmont Waterfront Welcomes Chef Sakalis
2025/05/15

Fairmont Waterfront announced the appointment of chef Harris Sakalis as the hotel’s new executive chef. With more than 25 years of international experience and a deep commitment to sustainability and local sourcing, chef Sakalis is poised to lead the Fairmont Waterfront’s culinary program. Originally from Greece, Sakalis’ passion for cooking was sparked in childhood kitchens and later honed in Michelin-starred restaurants after completing advanced training at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. His career has taken him…
Breaking News
Creative Hyper-Regional Cuisine
2025/04/02

Hyper-regional cooking refers to cuisine that focuses on the specific food traditions, ingredients, and cooking techniques of a very small and localized area — often down to a single town, village, or even a specific community within a region. It goes beyond general regional or national cuisine by highlighting the nuances of local ingredients, traditional preparation methods, and cultural influences that define that particular micro-region. For example, instead of “Italian” or even “Tuscan” cuisine, hyper-regional cooking might focus on…
Event Operations, Food & Beverage, Uncategorized
New Executive Chef for Fairmont Empress
2025/02/21

Fairmont Empress has announced its new executive chef Isabel Chung, who oversees all creative and strategic culinary initiatives at the historic hotel. With an impressive career spanning over two decades, chef Chung joins an elite circle of female chefs leading Fairmont properties worldwide. Chef Chung brings a wealth of experience and a passion for culinary excellence to Fairmont Empress. She began her culinary journey in 2001 at Delta Bow Valley in Calgary, Alberta, and has since held prestigious positions…
Breaking News
Create Event Menus That Are On Trend
2025/01/08

Catering is evolving in exciting ways, shaped by shifts in consumer preferences, environmental awareness, and culinary innovation. Whether you’re planning a corporate gathering, a private celebration, or a community event, understanding these trends can elevate your menus and create memorable experiences for your guests. Here are three of the most impactful trends in catering today and practical ways to bring them to life at your next event. Vertical Farming: From Micro Greens to Mushrooms Vertical farming is revolutionizing how…
Event Operations, Food & Beverage
How to Navigate Rising Food Costs
2024/12/12

Any event planner that was working in the industry before the COVID-19 pandemic will tell you that one of the most notable changes since 2020 has been the rising costs of event food and beverage. From a breakfast muffin to a plated dinner every menu has seen substantial increase. We’ve watched as inflation pushed grocery prices higher and both in-house chefs and external catering companies inevitably followed suit. While we’ve started to see prices stabilize, a new phenomenon has…
Food & Beverage
Hotel Contracts Demystified
2024/12/11

by Joe Nishi and Jennifer Glynn Hotel contracts in the events industry can feel like a complex dance. It’s a tango between high-stakes planning and “how many ways can this go wrong?” Add in some post-pandemic contract language, recent hurricanes, labour disputes, and a Taylor Swift concert, and you may find yourself in a stressful situation. We are not lawyers. But, we have 30 plus years of experience and want to help you navigate the new, post-pandemic, ‘normal’ in contracting. …
Contingency/Disaster Planning, Event Operations, Site Selection
Montreal Mon Lapin Voted Top Restaurant
2024/05/17

Montreal’s Mon Lapin was named the top restaurant in the annual Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants rankings. The restaurant jumped from 6th to 1st place, ahead of Toronto’s Alo and Published On Main, from Vancouver, which ranked first last year. This is the third time that a Quebec restaurant has taken the top spot. “There simply isn’t anywhere else in the world one would wish to have a restaurant; Montreal is magical! It’s thanks to the discerning and curious clientele that the culinary…
Breaking News