Bika: Honouring Turkish roots with sustainable farming & local values

Chef Fisun Ercan explains why running Quebec’s Bika Farm and Cuisine is more than just a dream fulfilled By Tom Nightingale Nestled in the southern Quebec countryside just outside Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu, about 45 minutes from downtown Montreal, Chef Fisun Ercan runs Bika Farm and Cuisine, a truly local and sustainable food experience that pays homage to […]

Canadian foodservice’s midterm trend report

By Katie Belflower At the start of the year, amid what was still significant COVID-19-related turmoil and evolving restrictions and operations, Technomic mapped out a predicted trend report for the Canadian foodservice industry. Now, five months into 2022 and after so much has changed (again) in the industry and beyond, Technomic has compared its new […]

A palate for fusion: What globalizing our pantry has done for cuisine

By Sylvia Tomczak For many chefs, garam masala, harissa, saffron, and gochujang are ingredients that have become as interchangeable as salt, oil, or flour. The “global pantry,” one that is more rapidly stocking itself with international flavours, is reshaping what we eat. Especially in cultural melting pots like Canada, the shift to embrace ingredients and […]

How 5 Canadian restaurateurs honour their roots while giving back

Getting a restaurant up and running can be challenging, especially when you’re far from home. Learn how these five Canadian restaurateurs found success by honouring their roots and giving back. Ask any restaurateur what keeps them going, and chances are, you’ll hear a few stories about where they come from.  Especially for restaurant owners who […]

Hosting indoor dining with confidence this winter

By Doug Radkey Consumers and restaurant operators alike are hoping and wanting to get back to “normal”, but as the winter months set in and when patios can no longer withstand the drop in temperatures, there is once again a heightened awareness of caution around indoor dining. Pair this with the daily news of increasing […]

Recognizing her: Female representation in foodservice

By Sylvia Tomczak Throughout history, food has always been a marker of culture, making the ways in which we preserve it equally important. Though the media has changed — from character-laden tablets through ink-written scrolls, vellum-bound manuscripts, all the way to modern-day cookbooks, food radio, gastronomic television, and now social media — one idea has […]

Is tech the key to solving the restaurant labour crisis?

By Laurent May Overall, the state of Canada’s labour market is looking good, which points to an economy on the rebound from the worst impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In September, according to recent figures from Statistics Canada, employment reached pre-pandemic levels for the first time. This is great news in general, but a closer […]

Navigating the vaccine passport rollout

By David Hopkins The vaccine passport has now rolled out in Ontario, and with it comes increased uncertainty and complications for restaurant operators, who have already faced incessant turmoil and scrutiny over the past year and a half. While the details of the vaccine passport and its enforcement vary from province to province, the gist […]

B.C. vaccine passport coming in September as province follows Quebec

British Columbia announced on August 23 that it is following Quebec by becoming the second province to require proof of vaccination for entry to establishments including restaurants. The B.C. vaccine passport will come into effect on September 13, two weeks after Quebec’s goes live. Unlike Quebec’s, the B.C. vaccine passport will only mandate that patrons […]

Pür & Simple: Pushing for female empowerment in foodservice

COVID-19 has stunted progress in addressing foodservice’s gender imbalance, but Pür & Simple is on a continuing mission By Tom Nightingale The foodservice and restaurant industry has been thrust under a newly intense spotlight throughout COVID-19. During a pandemic that has devastated foodservice and hospitality to an extent felt by few other industries, there has […]