You know the hotel business can work in diversely fascinating ways. Every now and then you are given the opportunity to experience a moment that can both move and humble you. It is part of the reason I love the work I do.

We have a private tenant who stays in one of the units here at One King West who has a young son who is sick with a life threatening disease. When the time comes for this little boy to go into chemotherapy treatments at the renowned Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, they usually set up base here at hotel until its time for the treatments to begin. He is a bright child; brave in the face of adversity. Intelligent and inquisitive he shows no signs of the terrible sickness that ails him. Instead he takes it head on through the support of his incredible parents.

It pains me to see a child so young afflicted by such stress at an age when he should be out playing with other children. However I am also inspired by this little boy because if he can take on his very serious troubles head on at his age, then I should be able to handle my very minimal issues with no problem at all. It fills me with confidence and hope for the future.

Best of luck little man! I'm sure you're gonna be just fine.


The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is recognized as one of the world’s foremost paediatric health-care institutions and is Canada’s leading centre dedicated to advancing children’s health through the integration of patient care, research and education. They were responsible for diagnosing my brother with his rare genetic condition, Homocystinuria and it was through this diagnosis that Hamza was able to make positive and necessary changes in his life in order to improve his quality of living almost 10 fold in the last 10 years. I will always be grateful.

Richtree - Time for Change?

So I just found out two days ago that the flagship Richtree location at Yonge and Wellington in downtown Toronto would be closing for the next six months. In fact not only are they closing down but the original Movenpick group is returning to the location with their Marche brand. This is an interesting development in a saga that stretches back as far as 1996 when Jorg and Mariann Reichert formed Richtree Inc. in essence splitting their partnership with Movenpick.

I worked for Richtree for over a year as team leader of the Rosti department and consider that year an important stepping stone in my career development. Now while I never had the opportunity to work at the flagship location (I was at Square One in Mississauga), it truly was magnificent. However when looking at the food quality from a customer perspective I find it interesting that Richtree was just never able to maintain the same level of quality as Movenpick Marche had managed to in their 12 years of operation. Even now working down the street as a concierge at One King West, when guests come to me looking for the restaurant, they refer to it as "Marche" and less so as Richtree.

According to a news report by the Toronto Star in March 2009, Movenpick plans to open 10 locations along a variety of brands including their flagship location which will still be at Yonge and Wellington. Other brand varieties include Bistro, Natural Bakery and Marchelino and will each offer a different experience for diners. They are expecting to make up to $30 million dollars a year in sales and are convinced they can lure patrons back to what was a highly successful venture.

The closing of the locations at Brookfield Place will however not affect any of the other Richtree locations currently in place including Square One and the Eaton Center amongst others. This means that Richtree will be in direct competition with Marche for business in Toronto making for a highly interesting situation later this summer. The link for the full article from Taste T.O is pasted below. Stay tuned!!!

Taste T.O. Article

Stonegrill on Winchester: A Review

One of the purposes of this blog, is to share with the world my experiences with quality hospitality environments. Today I'm gonna discuss a fantastic culinary experience that I had the privilege to share with my girlfriend Lauren at "The Stonegrill on Winchester" over the weekend.

Its not often that I go to a restaurant only to be blown away by their originality, excellent service and top quality food. As we drove down Parliament street into the heart of Toronto's iconic Cabbagetown district, I was reminded slightly of why I tended to avoid this neighbourhood so much. The stretch between Queen and Gerrard is run down with no shortage of interesting characters walking about. Yet what a surprise it was to turn onto Winchester st and find a wonderful oasis of a restaurant that shone like a beacon of change for the entire area. After a quick run around the block of older residential homes we found parking easily and headed inside.

I was immediately impressed by the ambiance of the place. The lights were turned down low yet not low enough to be overtly dark. We were immediately greeted extremely pleasantly and led to our corner tables. The restaurant was well spread out and we had a direct view leading into the kitchen where we had the opportunity to send many complimentary glances the chefs way.

The emphasis at The Stonegrill in on taking your time. You order your appetizers and there is plenty of opportunity for conversation before they arrive. The quality of the appetizers was terrific as I had the Sea Scallops which came individually placed over incredible cilantro pesto in little Chinese soup spoons. Perfectly cooked with some ingenious presentation, my taste buds were practically dancing. I think I will go for the tartar the next time I'm there as I am a big fan of Sambal sauce and I don't believe I've ever had quail egg before.

The real quality of The Stonegrill doesn't set in however untill the main course. Now one could do this two ways. Take the safe route and pick from one of their excellent main course items, such as the Surf and Turf burger which Lauren had. The meat had a real homemade burger feel to it and came shaped as a nice big patty. The lobster meat was a garnish on the burger and combined with the guacamole, was just phenomenal. Despite only having a taste, I could have easily gone for more. For the real meat lovers however, The Stonegrill has a selection of fine cut meats ranging from 10 oz AAA certified Angus beef to more obscure choices like swordfish and ostrich. These come out raw sitting on top of a volcanic stone that is heated to 750 degrees. The meat then cooks right in front of you playing havoc with your senses until you decide it is done. I like mine medium and 8 minutes of cook time had the most perfect juicy steak ready to eat with just a seasoning of rock salt so the true quality of the meat comes out. Pure heaven.

Finally you can't have a solid meal without a shot at dessert and my creme brule was very well prepared with a hint of orange jam and cream on the side. Just a superb roundup to a great meal.

Cabbagetown has taken its fair share of stick in recent times, but it seems that efforts are underway to boost the image of this landmark Toronto area. The Stonegrill on Winchester is leading this charge from the front, bringing some quality food and class back to an area that richly deserves it.

Giorgio Armani to open first hotel in Dubai

With all the financial troubles that have plagued Dubai over the past year, they finally had something go right for them. The much heralded Burj Khalifa has finally opened and with it promise of brand new luxury hotel designed by Giorgio Armani. The building marks the end of an era of unfathomable spending by the middle eastern city and also the beginning of an era of serious uncertainty. It is safe to say the glory days are long over. Will they ever return? If so when? More importantly should they ever return? It can be argued that those few years of glory are primarily responsible for the uncertainty that exists today.

I would never have imagined when I left Dubai in 1997 that things would ever grow as grand as they did. Part of me always wishes that I had a chance to see some of it. The Dubai I knew was in no way grand or expensive. It was a good life, yes but in no way grand. I will go back one day and it will probably be one day soon; and even though the Dubai I know is from another place in time, I look forward to getting to know an older, wiser city.



The following article has been taken from the Hotel News Resource:

The groundbreaking Armani Hotel is set to debut March 18 inside Dubai's spectacular new Burj Dubai tower. The hotel marks legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani's first hospitality industry venture, and is expected to lead the way for several other Armani hotels and resorts in key international cities within the next decade. 'Burj Dubai is a remarkable architectural achievement and provides the perfect setting for my first Armani residence,' said Giorgio Armani of the 162-floor mixed use tower, currently the tallest building in the world. Armani Hotel will occupy six floors of the tower and feature 160 rooms and 150 suites. Despite its March inaugural ceremony date, the Armani Hotel will begin accepting reservations in January at www.Dubaishortstay.com. There, travelers can also pay in advance for visits to Armani Hotel restaurants or Dubai excursions on yachts, boat cruises or fishing vessels. Armani Hotel will occupy a very exclusive place of honor among the distinguished landscape of Dubai Hotels.

The hotel will feature Armani's signature design style throughout guest rooms and suites, as well as the upscale lounge, spa, chocolates store and floral shop. Even if opting not to stay in this world-class Dubai hotel, tourists may visit one of its eight restaurants for a unique dining experience and excellent fare. The flagship Giorgio Armani's Hotel Dubai will greet travelers at the intersection of style, comfort and excellence. A stay at the Armani Hotel is a breathtaking, luxurious experience nestled inside a remarkable tower that is sure to become a top tourist destination. Surrounded by downtown Dubai markets, spas, and sightseeing excursions, the Armani Hotel is a must for any serious world traveler.