TORONTO, ON (February 12, 2026) – is proud to announce the launch of the Global Chef Series set to premiere on March 6 and 7, 2026, with a two-night residency from Felipe Schaedler, the celebrated São Paulo-based chef behind Banzeiro. The residency kicks off a year of refined and rare international culinary collaborations at the hotel. 

The Global Chef Series is an exclusive culinary program welcoming internationally acclaimed chefs for highly limited collaborations at  Restaurant. Each residency pairs a celebrated guest chef with Park Hyatt Executive Chef Jonathan Williams to craft immersive, multi-course tasting menus bringing the distinct flavours and signature dishes of the chef’s home city to Toronto for a brief moment in time. Each residency will be complemented by a curated selection of fine wines and spirits, selected to enhance and elevate each menu.

Chef Schaedler’s cooking is defined by rare ingredients, ancestral techniques, and a deep respect for Brazil’s biodiversity. His Toronto appearance marks a highly anticipated Canadian debut, with a tasting menu inspired by the flavours, textures, and stories of the Amazon.

The multi-course tasting menu presented by Chefs Schaedler and Williams is priced at $165 CAD per person, with an optional wine pairing available for $95 CAD per person. Reservations are now available via .

“Our guests are curious, well-traveled, and eager for experiences that feel meaningful and transportive,” said Eduardo Bressane, General Manager, Park Hyatt Toronto. “Park Hyatt has always been about offering experiences that feel truly rare - the kind of moments our guests can’t easily find anywhere else. By bringing these internationally renowned chefs to Toronto, alongside our own exceptional Chef Jonathan Williams, we’re continuing that commitment, connecting our guests to world-class talent and cultural experiences in our distinct setting.”

Joni has confirmed a distinguished series of six Global Chef Series dinners throughout 2026. Upcoming April and June events include:

 ●      April 24 & 25: Jean-François Rouquette of PUR’, Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme (One MICHELIN Star).

●      June 5 & 6 with Alberto Landgraf of Oteque, Rio de Janeiro (Two MICHELIN Stars; Latin America’s 50 Best).      

Future dinners will feature Ninh Le Trung Hau of Square One, Park Hyatt Saigon (MICHELIN Guide Selected), and André “Matsumoto” Saburo of Taberna Japonesa Quina do Futuro, Recife, with a sixth chef to be announced, to cap the 2026 series in December.

Each chef will present a highly limited engagement, reinforcing the Global Chef Series as one of Toronto’s most ambitious and internationally connected dining programs.

Reservations and ticketing details will be released 30 days prior to each event start date. Early booking is strongly recommended due to limited capacity.

Tech Tuesday Webinars - AI and Cyber Security

In partnership with TNS, TIANS/NSTHRC are offering a "Tech Tuesday" series. Provided by experts at On-Line Computer Services these targeted webinars will provide you with relevant information to build your adoption of emerging digital tools and foster cyber security practices.  All Sessions run from 2-3pm on Tuesdays, except #4 on a Monday.  Register for one, or all – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to sign up or contact Lynn McDonagh Hughes at 902.423.4480.

NOTE: This Webinar Series Kicks off next week! Register now for the February 17th Session!

Webinar #1 - Tuesday, February 17 | Hello, My Name Is AI
  

AI is the current hot buzzword, but not everyone understand its potential use in their tourism business.  Join us for this beginner-friendly short course on the basics of AI and gain confidence in starting to use some elements in your own operation.

Webinar #2 - Tuesday, March 3 | Surviving the Outage  
  

When the Cloud has an outage and the internet goes down, it can create service and communication issues. Learn how to build a business IT continuity plan that enables you to manage an outage, support guest the experience and protect your business data.

Webinar #3 - Tuesday, March 17 | The AI Co-Pilot: Beyond the Hype

This webinar will focus on how to leverage AI to create efficiencies and enhance productivity for your own operation. Join us to learn practical ways you and your team can use AI for daily administrative tasks and save hours of valuable time each week.

Webinar #4 - Monday, March 23 | The Weakest Link: Cybersecurity for Humans

Humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity, roughly 68% to 95% of security breaches involving human error, such as phishing, weak passwords, or improper data handling. Attackers exploit human emotions like urgency and trust, making ongoing training a must.

Workshops to Support your Business

Neurodiversity Workshop

Join us for an educational, interactive session designed to foster understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. This workshop will cover terminology, dispel misconceptions, and provide practical, actionable strategies for creating a supportive environment in your workplace.

Thursday, March 5 | 9:30am-12:30pm | Best Western Plus Chocolate Lake, Halifax
Facilitator:  Ann Divine, Ashanti Leadership

Crisis Management in Tourism On-Line Workshop

The last few years has seen Nova Scotia tourism operators deal with situations ranging from forest fires to government restrictions of wooded areas.  This interactive virtual workshop will include the following topics: what crisis communications actually means in tourism; the role of operators vs. official response agencies; how to communicate when facts are still emerging; aligning with official sources without amplifying confusion and visitor-facing communication principles during disruptions. The session will be practical, tourism-specific and grounded in real-world crisis experience.

Tuesday, March 24 | 2:00-3:30pm | On-Line
Facilitator:  Corrine Bundschuh, Event Muse Consulting

Psychological Safety Workshop

Creating an environment where people feel safe to take interpersonal risks, make mistakes and disagree with others is key to creating a safe working environment. Psychological safety in the workforce enhances trust and community. This training program shares strategies for designing a safe space in the contemporary workplace and will also include raising awareness about the subtle but serious impact of microaggressions.

Thursday, March 26 | 9:30am-12:30pm | Best Western Chocolate Lake, Halifax
Facilitator: Ann Divine, Ashanti Leadership

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR ALL WORKSHOPS

SIGN UP BY EMAILING This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 or contact Lynn at 902.423.4480

BELONG - Employer Workshop: Creating Truly Accessible Tourism Workspaces

Coming Soon!  Watch for the March Date and South Shore Location to be Announced

Creating inclusive and accessible tourism workplaces takes more than good intentions – it requires leadership, mindset shifts, and practical tools. This interactive session introduces employers to key concepts from the Belong training program, developed by Tourism HR Canada and funded by the Government of Canada.

Participants will:

• Experience select Belong training content firsthand;
• Explore strategies for inclusive hiring, onboarding, and workplace design;
• Learn how to shift mindsets around disability and accommodation;
• Discover tools and approaches to embed accessibility across the employee lifecycle.

Registration is Open - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">

Emerit - Real Skills for the Real World

Emerit online learning offers the ultimate in easy-to-use, portable, and engaging skill development—for job seekers, frontline, workers, supervisors, owners, operators, and entrepreneurs. Emerit eLearning is based on current , developed with input from thousands of tourism professionals from across Canada.

All Emerit training is focused on building real skills - not just memorizing information. Emerit eLearning enables individuals to use the best approach for their learning style.

• Accessible training anywhere, anytime
• Self-directed and flexible
• Independent or group settings
• In the workplace, the classroom, or at home
• Optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile

Learn More at

Cerritos, Calif. – Feb. 12, 2026 –Continental Girbau West (CG West), a leading distributor of Continental Laundry Solutions (Continental), has officially changed its name to Continental West and announced its move to a new facility in Cerritos, Calif. The new name reflects the company’s evolution, tighter alignment with Continental Laundry Solutions and commitment to serving the western region with a stronger, more unified brand identity.

“Changing from CG West to Continental West just made sense,” said Tod Sorensen, vice president of Continental West. “The simplified name is cleaner, easier to remember and better represents who we are — a trusted extension of Continental Laundry Solutions and a local partner our customers can rely on.”

Celebrating 17 years in business, Continental West delivers end-to-end laundry solutions and support to the textile care, vended, on-premise and industrial laundry markets across Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico. With offices in Cerritos, Calif. and Tempe, Ariz., the company provides a comprehensive suite of services designed to help customers succeed — from equipment selection and installation to financing, marketing, training and technical support.

Continental West’s full-circle support includes:

• ·Ongoing technical service
• Laundry design and planning to maximize space and efficiency
• CustomSelect financing assistance tailored to each business
• Marketing expertise through Continental Creative Services
• Hands-on technical training and workshops
• A fully stocked parts department supporting most makes and models

“While our name has evolved, we’re still the same team our customers know and trust — just with a name that better reflects our growth and future direction,” said Sorensen.

To learn more about Continental West’s products, services or career opportunities, visit www.continental-west.com or call 866-950-2449.

TORONTO (February 3, 2026) – Le Germain Hotel Toronto is proud to unveil its newest addition: , a chic, intimate, cocktail bar opening today. The European-inspired, Canadian-born concept revives the timeless elegance of old-world hotel bars, reimagined here at a property Vogue Magazine recently called one of the best in Toronto.

Tucked away in the lobby across from the ever-buzzy  - the acclaimed restaurant that’s been turning heads since its fall debut, you’ll find its European counterpart, Mercer Lounge. While PUNCH hums in a grand room with vibrant energy and an impressive British-Indian menu, Mercer Lounge shifts the tempo: its effortlessly refined lounge is putting the spotlight on the martini. 

Guests are invited to relax by the warm, double-sided fireplace, where flattering lighting sets the mood, and every detail - from glassware to garnishes - is carefully curated, lending the space a sense of quiet intention. With its understated charm, it serves as the perfect avant or après hideaway.

At the heart of the experience is a cocktail program built on reverence for the classics.

The signature? The Freezer Door Martini. Chilled to the precise, silken temperature cocktail purists dream about, each Martini is poured from the freezer at peak perfection - crisp, smooth, and ideally balanced. Handcrafted in artisan bottles and poured tableside, the martini ritual honours the timeless classic with a menu featuring Classic Gin or Vodka, Extra Dirty, Gibson, Vesper, Espresso and Cosmopolitan, alongside a curated selection of classic cocktails, fine wines, and spirits.

To complement the drinks, the menu weaves in gentle British-Indian accents - a discreet nod to PUNCH just across the lobby. PUNCH Executive Chef Mandar Kulkarni’s refined, cross-cultural lens reveals familiar comforts with unexpected nuance. Highlights include Fried Mozzarella crowned with caviar; Gunpowder Pâté with pork shoulder, kasundi, and plum jam; Tuna Tartare with guava-yuzu dressing, black radish, avocado and tapioca crackers and Chicken Tenders with North Indian spices, yoghurt and chef’s sauce alongside other elevated small plates and snacks.

Adding to the experience, soulful music, including live vocalists flows between house remixes and original tracks, shaping a laid-back, lounge-driven soundtrack every Wednesday and Thursday from 7-10 p.m.

“Hotel lobby bars are often afterthoughts, convenient, but not special. With Mercer Lounge, we wanted to change that story completely,” said Jean-Philip Dupré, General Manager, Le Germain Hotel Toronto. “We envisioned a bar that feels like a secret destination - a place our guests wouldn’t think of as just a stop along the way.”

No reservations are required. Mercer Lounge is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until late. Valet parking available. Follow @mercerlounge for updates.