ORLANDO, FLA.—Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group has made the decision to postpone the 2021 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and Healthy Food Expo Florida that were scheduled for September 19 to 20 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. This decision was made following conversations with exhibitors, operators, sponsors, and speakers who recommended moving the next in person live event to 2022 because of health and safety conditions related to the pandemic in Orlando. Dates and venue will be announced shortly. “Our events are here to support the industry as a partner, and although disappointed that we will not be able...

IBIZA—Six Senses Ibiza recently opened, establishing itself as one of the world’s most discerning destinations for today’s generation of creatives and culture seekers. Conceived by architect and developer Jonathan Leitersdorf, the year-round destination set in secluded Xarraca bay offers a comprehensive range of amenities and programming, farm-to-table dining, music, art, sustainable fashion, culture, longevity and wellness. Each experience is inspired by the traditions and values of the island’s north to deliver an intentional destination that provokes meaningful moments of community, spirituality, and celebration. Xarraca Bay is a long-hidden secret on Ibiza’s northern tip. Integrated into its contours to enjoy unobstructed sunsets,...

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—Renaissance Asheville Hotel received its Native Pollinator Garden Certification from Asheville Greenworks, a community-based, volunteer-led environmental conservation and education organization. Renaissance Asheville is a long-time supporter of pollinators, hosting the annual Black Jar International Honey Tasting Contest each June in honor of Pollinator Month. Every year, the Center for Honeybee Research invites beekeepers to enter their honey in a tasting contest. While many honey contests are judged based on a variety of criteria including clarity, moisture, and foam, the Black Jar relies solely on taste. Jars of honey are wrapped in black cloth and tasted over a variety of...

TALLAHASSEE—Yesterday, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), the National Restaurant Association, and other state restaurant association partners sent a letter to Congressional leadership sharing new national consumer confidence survey findings and urging swift replenishment of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). Florida has more than 11,500 pending applications that total nearly $2.7 billion in stabilization funding that would be addressed by the $60 billion proposed replenishment bills. The letter urges Congress to complete the mission of the RRF and provide adequate funds to replenish the program and offer relief for the applications still pending. “There are thousands of Florida small business owners stuck...

MIAMI—Overproof, the first and only business intelligence company that creates commercial planning, execution and tracking tools for the beverage alcohol and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce its not-for-profit virtual happy hour initiative, CompanyToast, generated $700,000 for the hospitality industry in its first year. Since May 2020, CompanyToast has worked with more than 300 bartenders, who have led virtual cocktail-making classes for more than 3,000 consumers. CompanyToast was created to offer an interactive way for companies to boost morale and keep remote teams engaged, while providing job opportunities for bartenders. Bartenders handle all aspects of the execution, including sourcing, packaging, and delivering kits...

LOS ANGELES—Following the release of the United Nations World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) urgent climate warning, Los Angeles City Councilmembers Paul Koretz (CD5) and Mike Bonin (CD 11) got approved by City Council a motion institutionalizing their Regenerate LA healthy soils initiative, which they are calling “an antidote to global warming.” The legislative action will help to “drawdown,” or pull greenhouse gases from the atmosphere through a holistic, comprehensive effort by using the City’s annual estimated 280,000 tons of food waste to build healthy soils on parklands and open space. In the wake of the COVID-19 economic crisis, the additional...

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIF.—Soul Community Planet (SCP)—a purpose driven Holistic Hospitality company—redoubled its commitment to its core values of healthy, kind, and green. Specifically, SCP announced it will become fully vegetarian across all its venues, will achieve net zero waste company-wide, and will standardize all its guestrooms on its signature “Peaceful Rooms” design, which provides sleep and relaxation experiences centered on non-toxic, plant-based bedding and Zen design elements, but which are free from traditional guestroom distractions such as clocks and TVs. SCP’s goal is to fully implement these three new programs during 2022. “Born out of a vision to help...

FREMONT, CALIF.—Power Knot LLC, a market leader for on-site organic waste management solutions, announced that it has successfully installed an LFC-500 biodigester at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru. The LFC-500 biodigester is capable of digesting up to 1500 kg (3300 lb) of food waste per day. The Maldives is a nation of small islands in the Indian Ocean that is a popular tourist destination spot. Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru is a natural 44-acre wilderness in the secluded Baa Atoll UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The resort incorporates 103 thatched bungalows and villas of contemporary Maldivian design, featuring four restaurants and bars as well as...

TORONTO—1 Hotels, the mission-driven, sustainable, luxury hospitality brand has opened 1 Hotel Toronto, the sixth property in its portfolio, in partnership with Mohari Hospitality. To mark its Canadian debut, the hotel hosted a ceremonial tree planting with Tree Canada whereby 2021 native trees will be planted throughout the city. “1 Hotel Toronto sets a new standard for responsible luxury hospitality and serves as a city escape where guests can connect with nature,” said 1 Hotels Founder and CEO & Chairman of Starwood Capital Group, Barry Sternlicht. “1 Hotels embraces the idea that living well includes protecting the natural beauty around us...

My family and I just returned from a week of vacation in New Mexico. I love the West and it was a great opportunity to visit natural destinations as well as businesses. We ate out the entire time and one thing I encountered repeatedly was over portioning of food. At an eatery in Santa Fe, I ordered a chicken dish that easily could have fed several people. Perhaps you have encountered this trend in your travels? “When eating at many restaurants, it’s hard to miss that portion sizes have gotten larger in the last few years,” the CDC says. When vacationing,...