All Entries in the "News" Category

Foodstock draws 30,000 people to protest Mega-Quarry

Melancthon Mega-Quarry
Water concerns and environmental risk assessments impede plans for a mega-quarry near the GTA
By Ruth VanDyken
Ontario’s densely populated Greater Golden Horseshoe, which hugs the western tip of Lake Ontario from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to Niagara and stretches all the way to Georgian Bay and Peterborough, has less than four percent of the [...]

Chefs, Farmers Unite for Foodstock

Chef Michael Stadtlander is the driving force behind Foodstock, an Oct. 16 fundraiser in support of the movement to Stop The Mega Quarry. He’s in the potato field of Dave Vanderzaag, who is one of four farmers who didn’t sell to an American-backed company that wants to develop one of Canada’s biggest rock quarries.   [...]

After a Rough Night, Hotel Investors Are Waking Up

“IS this as bad as it gets? For two years, big investors watched the implosion of the lodging industry as hotel values plummeted more than 50 percent. Now as private equity giants like the Blackstone Group and entrepreneurs like Richard Branson are diving into the sector, others are starting to think it has [...]

George Weston Ltd. Buys Ace Bakery (foodserviceworld.com)

TORONTO — Weston Foods Canada Inc. recently purchased Ace Bakery, the artisan European-style bread company, for $110 million.
“The Ace Bakery brand is known for its quality products and will complement our existing family of brands, allowing us to better serve our customers,” said W. Galen Weston, chairman and president of Weston [...]

Revamped hotels are prepped for an industry recovery (theglobeandmail.com)

“Hoteliers aren’t exactly breaking open the champagne now that occupancy and room rates are inching up, but those who have committed to upgrades and renovations are feeling splashes of hope that their investments are paying off or will soon reap benefits.
InterContinental Hotels Group (owner of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites [...]

Behind the scenes at the French Laundry

How French Laundry’s chefs reach for the stars

Sophie Brickman, Chronicle Staff Writer
San Francisco Chronicle September 12, 2010 04:00 AM Copyright San Francisco Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Sunday, September 12, 2010

Thomas Keller, executive chef and owner of the French Laundry, twice named [...]

Desperate times lead to desperate untruths (theglobeandmail.com)

LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE

istockphoto
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In the wake of the recession, more job seekers are succumbing to the temptation of embellishing their résumés to impress potential employers

“We’re not in the business of educating our clients on ethics,” said Danica Keravica, senior associate at Lecours Wolfson, a Toronto-based recruiter of hospitality executives, [...]

Food Network Expands with the Cooking Channel (nytimes.com)

Looks like the Food Network is launching a spin off network.
“Called the Cooking Channel, it is lining up low-key programs targeted at a hipper crowd interested in the grass roots of food culture.”  http://nyti.ms/cah1k0

Restaurants See Slow Recovery From the Recession (nytimes.com)

“Restaurants all over the country are beginning to see signs of a potential recovery after a dismal 2009. Sales at some restaurants have risen in the last few months, and the industry has hired thousands of additional workers.
“There’s no question about this,” said Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst at the NPD [...]

R&I’s Top 100 Independent Restaurants: The New Normal

Top 100 Independent operators see a ‘new normal’ where exceptional guest service/experience is the key to driving their top-lines.
The “new normal” means doubling down on service, searching for innovative ways to market to value-conscious customers and making sure the restaurant yields every possible penny of profit.
“My sense is that our industry is confronting [...]