Foodservice and hospitality industry advocacy group Restaurants Canada commended the Federal Government for committing to continue to provide relief to people and businesses as long as the pandemic lasts in its Throne Speech this past week.

One of those relief measures was acting upon Restaurants Canada’s recommendation to extend the Canada Emergency Wage subsidy to help ensure hardworking restaurant owners will be able to keep their operations going and workers employed.

The Canadian foodservice and hospitality industry indirectly supports more than 290,000 jobs and typically spends more than $30 billion per year on food and beverage purchases, playing a critical role for Canadian farmers and the agri-food sector.

BIG props to one of our hands-down favourite, fearless and feisty chefs, Andrea Carlson of Vancouver farm-to-table staple Burdock and Co.

Andrea was recently honoured with the Chef of the Year award at the 2020 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, and we couldn’t be more proud that her dedication to craft and culinary creativity has been given the props they so rightly deserve.

Well done, Chef. Keep up the great work.

A recent article on the Black Foodie blog shines a spotlight on the Congolese restaurateurs and mother-daughter powerhouse team of Maria-José de Frias and Zoya de Frias Lakhany of intimate Montréal bistro known as Le Virunga — they’re on a mission to change the way the world thinks of African food.

“There’s this idea that there’s only one kind of African food or that we can only do a few recipes, but it’s beyond one thing,” says daughter, Co-Owner and Bar Manager Zoya. “Pan-Africanism includes everyone and that’s a philosophy we truly believe in, so our menu will always reflect that.”

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