 |
|
|
|
 |
Rising to the challenge of feeding and pleasing a crowd sets the conference chef apart from all others.
For a few ideas of what to put on your table for your group event in 2011, we asked one of the Canadian competitors heading to Luxembourg this week for the Culinary World Cup 2010 for hotel and catering chefs.
Chef Tony Fernandes is Group Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director of Royal Equator Inc., which owns and operates the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel and other properties. He’s just one of 10 of our industry’s best on a team representing Canada this week led by Chef Edouard Colonerus on the Golden Horseshoe Culinary Team.
Here are four trends he sees shaping your food and beverage selection in the year ahead: |
|
|
Focus on health & wellness. Gone are the days when heaps of butter and cream were used to enrich flavour. “More than ever, people are looking for healthier food options, especially in the middle of the workday when productivity is of utmost importance,” says Chef Tony. For efficient meeting meals that don’t promote drowsing, he selects lean proteins, colourful nutrient-packed vegetables and whole grains. |
|
|
Go local or organic. Many chefs believe organic, local foods are often the freshest and most delicious, and appeal to serving up a sense of “place.” Although using local and organic ingredients is still quite expensive, as this trend grows, Chef Tony expects the cost of using organic foods and supporting local farmers and manufacturers will drop. “I encourage our industry to support this movement!” |
|
|
Seek cross-cultural inspiration. As we strive to prepare healthier, lower-fat meals, the search for international herbs and spices becomes even more important in order to deliver delicious cuisine to our guests. And, whatever their background, conference-goers deserve a plate that isn't bland: “People are generally becoming more open to trying dishes with cross-cultural influences, which is very exciting,” says Chef Tony. “Think Thai, Indian and Spanish influences for conference dining in 2011.” |
|
|
Choose food for the eyes. Looks aren’t everything, but a pretty plate is worth the extra prep time in terms of the value seen by conference diners. “Today, it’s not enough to simply offer tasty food. We eat with our eyes too, so focus on creative presentation as well as quality food preparation,” says Chef Tony. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
Five Unique Restaurants. One Thoughtful Gift.
With the choice of 5 of Canada’s best-loved restaurants, redeemable at 700 locations across Canada, Bon Appétit Gift Cards are a gift everyone will appreciate this holiday.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
INCENTIVES + MEETINGS
Event goers would pay more green for green
If you’re concerned about costs associated with sourcing and managing “greener” events, consider a recent survey suggesting nearly half of music fans would pay a premium to attend more sustainable festivals, concerts and other functions. Speaking at Baxter Travel Media’s Responsible Travel and Tourism Forum in Toronto, sustainability consultant Steven Pacifico of The Delphi Group cited that 48% of music fans polled would accept a higher price tag, helping make the business case for organizers to go for the green. Recycling measures can also cut costs, he suggested. Simply reusing and collecting name badges for reuse from 1,300 people attending an event can save the organizer around $975, he estimated. |
|
CORPORATE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
Hotel rebound signs of US recovery
While the U.S. continues on its stop-and-go economic rebound, business travellers are leading the way, as the country’s upscale hoteliers report high single-digit percentage increases for corporate negotiated room rates in 2011 according to STR Global. Average daily rates for U.S. hotels during the third quarter of 2010 also increased year over year for the first time in two years, up 1.6%, according to STR. |
|
CORPORATE GIFTS + REWARDS
Companies miss counting cost-effectiveness of rewards
In its recently released Compensation Planning Outlook 2011, The Conference Board of Canada says mid- and large-size organizations expect to spend an average of 11.6% of total base pay spending on short-term incentives for some or all of their employees, a slight increase from 2010 (11.5%). But even though four of every five companies had an incentive pay program in place, 69% indicated they were not able to assess the cost effectiveness of their incentive plan against the level of performance achieved by the organization, team, or individual. |
|
| Share your event news, case studies or story ideas with us here at ignitemag.ca. |
|
|
|
 |
A promotions job to sink your teeth into
Sandwich retail chain Subway needs promotional experts on the ground in Alberta and Quebec to be Community Marketing Liaisons managing the local marketing process. From making the most out of media buys to leading sponsorships and affiliations, this job is the meat between the head office and franchisees in expanding the brand. See details on the corporate website. |
Win the loyalty of Colliers’ best customers
Real estate services company Colliers International is out to expand its national and corporate business. To do this, the company needs a Client Relationship Coordinator, in either Toronto or Vancouver, to help identify and win the loyalty of top prospects, and plan networking opportunities and events among other responsibilities. See the position on this job board or reference Job ID 2010-079 and write to Canada.careers@colliers.com. |
|
|
|
|
