Restaurants in Canada's biggest city are taking advantage of being near some of the best growing regions in the world, explains local chef Brad Long. With nearly 2 million acres of protected green space surrounding the city, and swaths of farmland beyond that, there are spectacular areas to pasture animals, grow cash crops and produce more delicate items, Mr. Long says.
An increasing availability of great ingredients is one of the reasons the Canadian-born chef believes Toronto restaurants are coming into their own. "Until recently we tried to be like other places," Mr. Long says. "Now I find Toronto comfortable being Toronto."
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Southern Portugal is the location for first six-star service hotel in Europe
PORTUGAL (eTN) - For the wealthy, it seems that five-stars simply aren’t enough when it comes to staying in a hotel. Butlers, Bentleys, and caviar are “de rigueur” and pampering to the needs of guests who have everything are self-proclaimed seven-star properties like the Town House Galleria in Milan, and Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Hotel. The seven-stars rate, like the half dozen, doesn’t officially exist. But the lure of bedding down for the night at a famously prestigious address is undeniably compelling.
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16% rise in hotel guests staying in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi has recorded a 16 percent year-on-year rise in the number of hotel guests during the first ten months of this year, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said on Tuesday.
Between January and October 2010, the number of guests who stayed in the UAE capital’s 118 hotels and hotel apartments reached 1,477,978, the ADTA data revealed.
Johnny Rockets Restaurant to Open on Allure of the Seas
Johnny Rockets announced it will open a location on board Royal Caribbean International's newest ship, Allure of the Seas. The new restaurant will give guests yet another dining option on the world's largest cruise ship, which boasts more than 20 dining venues from restaurants to coffee shops.
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Batali Accuses Workers’ Group of Harassment
A federal judge has ordered Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York to avoid contact with Mario Batali’s restaurants during litigation between the two parties.
The advocacy group for restaurant workers helped 27 current and former workers file a suit against Batali’s acclaimed Del Posto restaurant in October seeking owed wages and tips. Since then the group has been holding regular protests outside of the Chelsea restaurant.
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The advocacy group for restaurant workers helped 27 current and former workers file a suit against Batali’s acclaimed Del Posto restaurant in October seeking owed wages and tips. Since then the group has been holding regular protests outside of the Chelsea restaurant.
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Famous Brands buys O’Hagans
Franchise company Famous Brands has almost doubled its exposure to the pub-restaurant sector it only bought into three months ago, with the purchase of 26 O'Hagans pubs from owner John Weir-Smith.
The 26 O'Hagan's outlets -- 22 in South Africa, one in Botswana, one in Zambia and two in Zimbabwe -- for which Famous Brands only said it paid "less than 0,5%" of its R4bn-odd market capitalisation, adds to the 32 Keg and McGinty's operations in the portfolio the company bought in August.
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The 26 O'Hagan's outlets -- 22 in South Africa, one in Botswana, one in Zambia and two in Zimbabwe -- for which Famous Brands only said it paid "less than 0,5%" of its R4bn-odd market capitalisation, adds to the 32 Keg and McGinty's operations in the portfolio the company bought in August.
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Morgans Hotel Retains Search Firm As It Seeks New CEO
Morgans Hotel Group Co. (MHGC) is seeking a successor for Chief Executive Fred Kleisner, whose contract expires at year's end but is willing to remain on board past then if need be.
The luxury hotel operator has retained an executive-search firm to assist its search committee in the process. Chairman David Hamamoto said the company is "considering a number of highly qualified candidates."
Morgans and an equity partner own the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Kleisner served as CEO of Wyndham International from March 2000 to March 2005. Prior experience includes senior roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (HOT) and a series of other major lodging companies.
Morgans has posted red ink on an annual basis for at least five years. The company's third-quarter loss was due to write-downs, masking improving operating results at its hotels amid a rebound in the travel sector.
The luxury hotel operator has retained an executive-search firm to assist its search committee in the process. Chairman David Hamamoto said the company is "considering a number of highly qualified candidates."
Morgans and an equity partner own the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Kleisner served as CEO of Wyndham International from March 2000 to March 2005. Prior experience includes senior roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (HOT) and a series of other major lodging companies.
Morgans has posted red ink on an annual basis for at least five years. The company's third-quarter loss was due to write-downs, masking improving operating results at its hotels amid a rebound in the travel sector.
Woman claims husband died due to Atlantis employees' negligence
A WIDOW has filed a wrongful death suit in a Florida court against Kerzner International alleging that her husband died because of negligence of employees at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.
Toni Lynn Bell claims that her husband - who was having heart attack symptoms - waited nearly an hour for an ambulance to arrive after a desk clerk promised that a doctor was on the way to the couple's aid. She also alleges that the hotel's assistant manager impersonated a doctor when he came to her room about 45 minutes after she called the front desk for emergency help because her husband appeared to be having a heart attack.
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Toni Lynn Bell claims that her husband - who was having heart attack symptoms - waited nearly an hour for an ambulance to arrive after a desk clerk promised that a doctor was on the way to the couple's aid. She also alleges that the hotel's assistant manager impersonated a doctor when he came to her room about 45 minutes after she called the front desk for emergency help because her husband appeared to be having a heart attack.
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Monday, November 29, 2010
Irish KFC franchise posts after-tax losses of €469,722
THE COMPANY that operates the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) franchise across Ireland went into the red last year, sustaining after-tax losses of €469,722.
Documents just filed with the Companies Office show Herbel Restaurants (Ireland) Ltd recorded a 10 per cent drop in operating profits from €5.1 million to €4.6 million to the end of December last.
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Documents just filed with the Companies Office show Herbel Restaurants (Ireland) Ltd recorded a 10 per cent drop in operating profits from €5.1 million to €4.6 million to the end of December last.
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‘BAHA Career Investment Scholarships’ announced
(Hospitality Business News) At yesterday’s (25 November) 5th Annual Hospitality Finance Conference and Exhibition, BAHA – the UK’s leading educational organisation for professionals involved in financial management, revenue management and IT within the hospitality industry – announced and publicly recognised the first ever recipients of ‘BAHA Career Investment Scholarships’, awarded to outstanding young employees working in finance, revenue management or IT within the UK hospitality industry.
Nominated by senior practitioners within the profession, the five lucky winners of 2010 ‘BAHA Career Investment Scholarships’ – designed to provide career development for upcoming young people currently working in the hospitality industry – are: Kate Baudouin, Assistant Director of Finance at Grosvenor House (European flagship of JW Marriott), Park Lane, London; Daniel Bensusan, Finance Clerk, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Central London; Michelle Jump, Inventory Manager, Travelodge; Andrew Wells, Financial Controller, Macdonald Windsor Hotel (owned by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts) in Windsor, Berkshire; and Chantal Beukes, Sales Executive/Pipeline Coordinator, STR Global. The respective nominators were: Joanna Chugh, Director of Finance, Grosvenor House; Patrick Divall, Area Director of Finance England, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Patricia Griffin, Regional Revenue Manager – Provincial, Travelodge; Barry Dawson, Hotels Finance Director, Macdonald Hotels; and Thomas Emanuel, Director of Sales, STR Global.
The scholarships afforded the five lucky winners – who had to be 30 years-old and under – an unique opportunity to learn from, be noticed and publicly recognised at, yesterday’s one-day BAHA Annual Conference and IT Exhibition, held at the Sofitel Hotel, London Heathrow at Terminal 5. Pictured from left to right at the prestigious event are: Kate Baudouin; Daniel Bensusan; Michelle Jump; Andrew Wells; and Chantal Beukes.
The prize for winning each of the five Scholarships comprised full-day attendance at the Conference and IT Exhibition – where the candidates’ outstanding achievements were officially and publicly recognised; as well as a place last night at the BAHA Conference Gala Dinner – one of the traditional social networking highlights of the hospitality industry year. And that’s not were it ended – each scholarship recipient will be now featured in BAHA’s monthly magazine ‘BAHA Times’’!
Commenting on the new awards, BAHA Chief Executive Carl Weldon said: “I would like to congratulate all five recipients and their nominators. The winners have each demonstrated, at an early stage in the careers, why they are very worthy recipients of these our first ever annual ‘BAHA Career Investment Scholarships’. Michelle Jump, for instance, won the ‘Travelodge Head Office Team Member of the Year’ award 2009 for her continued dedication, commitment and professionalism. She has been instrumental in a very impressive group growth of the company.
“The ‘BAHA Career Investment Scholarships’ gave the five winners an unrivalled chance to enhance their continuing professional development (CPD) at yesterday’s Conference. They were able to mix with senior delegates and learn from them as well as the comprehensive programme of highly topical ‘best-practice’ educational workshops and presentations, led by a distinguished array of speakers – all experts in their own fields – who addressed the most pressing current issues in hospitality finance, revenue management and IT.”
Operations analytics, looking at your establishment from a different perspective
Many innovative companies use lean operating principles on a daily basis. At Hillstone Restaurant Group, operators of Houston’s Restaurants, every move, abbreviations, and kitchen pickup time is scrutinized under a microscope. They manage to have 3-minute pickup times for appetizers, and 8-minute pickups for entrees, without precooking anything. They accomplish this by embracing the concept of lean production.
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Foreign Hacker Suspected in Seattle Restaurant Data Breach
Federal authorities now say the recent Seattle cyber attack was a much bigger crime than first believed. A U.S. Secret Service agent says more than 1,000 credit and debit cards may have been compromised.
The attack happened in late October, and the forensic trail leads overseas, officials say. Card data was stolen on Oct. 22 in a one-day attack by what authorities say for now was one hacker. The Seattle Capitol Hill area restaurant, Broadway Grill, appears to be ground zero for the attack. Secret Service agent Bob Kierstead of the Seattle Electronic Crimes Task Force says the overseas hacker who was able to access the network through Broadway Grill's system appears to have been able to leapfrog from the restaurant's access to a critical server in the transaction process, where account information was available.
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The attack happened in late October, and the forensic trail leads overseas, officials say. Card data was stolen on Oct. 22 in a one-day attack by what authorities say for now was one hacker. The Seattle Capitol Hill area restaurant, Broadway Grill, appears to be ground zero for the attack. Secret Service agent Bob Kierstead of the Seattle Electronic Crimes Task Force says the overseas hacker who was able to access the network through Broadway Grill's system appears to have been able to leapfrog from the restaurant's access to a critical server in the transaction process, where account information was available.
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Hooters of America in buyout talks
Private equity firm Wellspring Capital Management is in talks to buy Hooters of America Inc., franchiser of more than 400 beer, boobs and wings establishments throughout the world.
Fortune has learned that the process began nearly a year ago, with North Point Advisors representing the Atlanta-based company. No info yet on financial terms, although the company is believed to generate around $1 billion in annual revenue.
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Fortune has learned that the process began nearly a year ago, with North Point Advisors representing the Atlanta-based company. No info yet on financial terms, although the company is believed to generate around $1 billion in annual revenue.
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Senate Widens Its Probe Of Bare-Bones Health Plans .
WASHINGTON—A congressional committee is widening its investigation of bare-bones health-insurance policies to encompass potentially hundreds of plans offered by low-wage employers.
What started as a probe into McDonald's Corp.'s insurance plan for store workers is expanding into broad scrutiny of "mini-med" policies that could ensnare large mini-med carriers including Aetna Inc. and Cigna Corp.
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What started as a probe into McDonald's Corp.'s insurance plan for store workers is expanding into broad scrutiny of "mini-med" policies that could ensnare large mini-med carriers including Aetna Inc. and Cigna Corp.
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A gaze into the future of what travellers’ hotel experience will be like in 2020
A major new report, Hotels 2020: Beyond Segmentation, reveals the emerging behaviours and demands of the future hotel guest and what this means for the types of hotels we will see in the future.
The study commissioned by the chosen technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, Amadeus and carried out by Fast Future Research reveals that the industry faces three major impacts in the next decade which it has to respond to:
· The long-term impact of the recession on travellers’ budgets
· The changing demands of an ageing Western population
· The shift of demand from Europe to emerging markets of Asia and beyond
The report also recognises the industry’s need to innovate and paints a picture of a future hotel featuring such innovations as intelligent furniture, personalized nutrition plans and responsive technologies that cater to individual guests needs. It highlights the new hotel models that may emerge such as invitation-only hotels, hotels co-branded with luxury brands, white-label hotels and catch-all hotel chains that will deliver one-star budget to six-star luxury hotel properties.
As well as looking to a future where increased choice, control and comfort are commonplace, the report acknowledges that the industry must respond to the demographic and economic changes in their guests circumstances.
With an ever aging population globally, hotel groups must consider layout, access issues and facilities to cater to the requirements of older holidaymakers. Additionally, it is predicted that there will be an increase in multi generational holidays, which will bring with herald its own set of requirements.
In addition to this, the report may have some good news for 2020’s business travellers. While currently hotels charge high rates for internet access, far from viewing it as a revenue stream, hotels may well be offering free wifi as standard in order to attract guests.
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