New Orleans & Company, Sirha Food and LRA Showcase are proud to announce that the Americas selections for Bocuse d'Or and Pastry World Cup are back in New Orleans on Saturday 25^th and Sunday 26^th July 2026, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, following a historic and highly successful debut in New Orleans in 2024.

LOUISIANA, A CROSSROADS OF CULTURES AND TASTES

Louisiana, nourished by French, Creole and Cajun influences, offers a unique, warm and spicy gastronomic variety, which seduces far beyond its borders. Renowned for its seafood, its emblematic dishes such as okra, caramelized pecan praline, or jambalaya - a mixture of rice, meat, seafood and vegetables - and its attachment to traditions, the region radiates a recognized gastronomic mastery. With more than 3,000 restaurants, including several Michelin-starred, a vibrant culinary scene and numerous gourmet festivals, Louisiana is a destination of choice for food lovers. Its attractiveness goes beyond the plate: each year, more than 20 million visitors discover the richness of its heritage, its special energy and its unique atmosphere.

The American qualifying phases will be held at the LRA Showcase, a major professional event for the restaurant and agri-food industry in America. Held at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the event will bring together chefs, restaurateurs, suppliers and industry experts, with 150 exhibitors, giving American cuisine greater visibility. By being part of this unmissable trade show, which welcomes 6,000 professional visitors, the continental selections underline the anchoring of the competitions in a dynamic ecosystem, conducive to innovation, exchanges and the celebration of gastronomic know-how.

THE AMERICAS SELECTIONS: A DECISIVE STEP TOWARDS THE GRAND FINALS

The Americas selection of the Pastry World Cup will bring together 8 teams from all over the American continent. Each team, made up of 3 specialists (a sugar expert, a chocolatier and an ice cream specialist), will have to demonstrate technicality, audacity and mastery to convince the jury. At the end of this demanding day, only the four best teams will qualify for the Grand Final.

On a theme of their choice, teams will have 5h30 to create 32 tasting desserts, 3 artistic pieces and a buffet:

• 10 individual pecan tarts revisited with a side dish (+3 dummies)
• 12 individual plated frozen desserts
• 12 chocolate-based sweet creations (+3 dummies)
• 1 artistic piece made of sugar
• 1 artistic piece made of chocolate
• 1 artistic piece made of sculpted water ice
• 1 buffet including the artistic pieces made of sugar, chocolate and water ice, the mock-ups of the pecan tarts and the mock-ups of the sweet chocolate creations

As in the previous cycle, one of the challenges will invite candidates to embrace a speciality that is emblematic of the host country, in tribute to its culinary heritage. For the Americas selection, pecan tart will take centre stage – a timeless classic of American pastry-making – which candidates will be asked to reinvent in their own way.

Following on from the 2025 Grand Final, the chocolate challenge is also evolving to embrace street food trends. Contestants will be required to design 12 sweet creations in finger food format, which they will finalize live in front of the jury, all staged in a set design consistent with their theme.

Regarding the Bocuse d'Or Americas, 8 teams, from 8 different countries, each composed of a chef, a commis, a coach and a jury will defend their vision of gastronomy in order to obtain a place for the Grand Final of the Bocuse d'Or 2027. Commitment, rigour and teamwork will be essential to enter the Top 5 of the ranking.

The Bocuse d'Or Americas tests will be revealed at a later date.

SPOTLIGHT ON WORLD GASTRONOMY

Through the international competitions Bocuse d'Or and Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Sirha Food highlights and crosses the different gastronomic and pastry cultures from all over the world. Each edition is an opportunity to discover the new generations of chefs who are committed to enhancing their culinary heritage through their passion, commitment and technicality. Since their creation - in 1987 and 1989 respectively - the Bocuse d'Or and the Pastry World Cup have continued to inspire and actively contribute to the effervescence and dynamics that drive the entire profession around the world.

VANCOUVER, March 3, 2026 – Fionn MacCool’s locations across Canada are looking to be the official destination for Canadian pub-goers on St. Patrick’s Day. To mark the occasion, the brand is launching a series of special offers including a limited-time menu, a $5 Jameson shot offer and in-pub celebrations designed to bring people together, the way the holiday is traditionally celebrated in Ireland.

“Fionn’s has always aimed to offer authentic Irish hospitality, food, drinks and live music, capturing all that defines a great Irish pub,” says Bryan Fiddler, Marketing Director of Fionn MacCool’s. “We’re capturing the true Irish spirit and inviting communities to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the way it’s meant to be celebrated: together, in the local pub.”

Available for a limited time, the St. Patrick’s Day menu features Irish-inspired flavours and drinks, including Guinness & Jalapeno Cheddar Bread, Beef Croquettes, Spice Bags, and favourites like Guinness and Jameson. Participating locations will offer $5 shots of classic Jameson and the Green Tea Jameson shot.

Many Fionn MacCool’s locations will also host live music on St. Patrick’s Day and distribute branded merchandise, with all stores offering guests a chance to win a Guinness mini fridge. Fionn MacCool’s has 11 locations across Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as three other Ontario locations under the banners of Tir Nan Og, D'Arcy McGee’s, and Paddy Flaherty's.

For more information and to view the menu, visit 

What best practices does the Hotel Association of Canada recommend to help properties identify and prevent human trafficking, and how are frontline staff being trained to recognize and safely report red flags?

Through our national No Room for Trafficking initiative, the Hotel Association of Canada is helping establish consistent standards across the country - grounded in training, clear reporting protocols, and property-wide accountability. We encourage hotels to provide role-specific training for guest-facing teams so staff can recognize potential indicators, document concerns appropriately, and escalate safely through established procedures.

This work is rooted in awareness, consistency, and close coordination with local law enforcement and community partners. Today, more than 1,400 HAC member hotels are participating in No Room for Trafficking, committed to training all team members, alongside hundreds more properties across the broader industry. Together, we are strengthening prevention efforts nationwide.

Resources are available at hotelassociation.ca/no-room-for-trafficking, including many free training resources available in a wide range of languages. 

What metrics or benchmarks should hotels be tracking to evaluate whether their anti-trafficking and security policies are actually effective, and how can operators share best practices across the industry?

Human trafficking prevention is not a one-day campaign - it is a 12-month-a-year responsibility. Hotels should measure implementation and accountability through training completion and refresher rates, staff understanding of reporting protocols, and consistent adherence to escalation and documentation procedures. These indicators reveal whether policies are not only in place, but actively practiced across the property. Regular policy reviews and operational safeguards - including identity verification practices and security coordination - are also key indicators of program strength.

Best‑practice sharing is also essential. Through No Room for Trafficking, and through collaboration across industry associations and brand networks, hotels are sharing tools, training resources, and lessons learned to continuously strengthen standards across the sector.

At the Hotel Association of Canada, we work closely with the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, which operates the national Human Trafficking Hotline. In 2025, the Hotline received more than 5,900 calls - the highest number on record. The link between awareness and reporting is clear: as understanding grows, more potential cases are identified. Through our industry’s collective efforts, we expect that even more trafficking activity will be detected and ultimately prevented.

 The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking is a national charity that works to advance systemic change to prevent human trafficking and support victims and survivors. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline (1-833-900-1010) is a confidential, multilingual service available 24/7/365 that connects victims, survivors, and concerned community members with local supports. 

“Last year’s inaugural West Coast Coffee Connect exceeded our expectations — the energy in the room and the level of engagement showed just how important it is to create meaningful opportunities for connection in Western Canada," said Robert Carter, President, Coffee Association of Canada. "We’re excited to build on that momentum on May 27 and continue strengthening relationships across the coffee community.”

May 27: CAC West Coast Coffee Connect