Latest news with #SousChef
Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
It's the latest boast: I have a cheese grotto
Where do you stand on grottoes? I don't mean the small cave-like places adorned with seashells — I mean, weird: why would you have an opinion about those? — or indeed the tinsel-strewn garden sheds where men in fake beards pretend to hang out in the run-up to Christmas. No, we're talking cheese grottoes, which are apparently the ultimate accessory for the cheddar-loving classes. Sous Chef, the online larder for epicureans, has recently highlighted them as a 'hero' product, and there's an entire website, dedicated to them. Their popularity seems to have swept across the Atlantic from the land of the Swiss slice. Oprah Winfrey, not content with foisting on us the ludicrously overhyped Our Place Always Pan, is advocating a small wooden
Travel Daily News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Tourism Enhancement Fund launches groundbreaking culinary programme
Tourism Enhancement Fund launches Sous Chef Development Programme in Jamaica, to upskill hospitality professionals and boost its culinary tourism appeal through international certification. MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – In a bold step that signals a new chapter for Jamaica's tourism industry, Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, officially launched the Sous Chef Development Programme on May 8 at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort. This pioneering initiative is being implemented by the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). The 12-month programme, which commenced on May 5, brings together 25 sous chefs from six of Jamaica's leading hotel chains in an unprecedented show of collaboration. Designed to strengthen the island's culinary capacity, the initiative seeks to upskill tourism workers while enhancing the country's appeal as a global gastronomic destination. 'I am passionate about human capital development. That is why I have been in tourism so long – the people,' said Minister Bartlett. 'Nothing else defines my stewardship in tourism over the last 13 years more than the professionalisation of the sector – where our workers are equipped with stackable credentials that offer them mobility and portability.' The programme is being delivered through a strategic partnership involving the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, the American Culinary Federation, and HEART/NSTA Trust. Upon completion, participants will earn two internationally recognised qualifications: the ManageFirst Professional credential from the National Restaurant Association and the Certified Sous Chef designation from the American Culinary Federation. Participating hotels in this inaugural cohort include Princess Senses the Mangrove & Princess Grand Jamaica, Iberostar Resorts, Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Jewel Grande Montego Bay, Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa, and Hyatt Ziva and Zilara Rose Hall. Structured into quarterly modules, the programme blends rigorous theoretical coursework with immersive practical training. It was launched with SERV Safe Manager training and certification, facilitated by Dr. Shelly-Ann Whitely-Clarke and Professor Kevin Scott of Go Global Food. Over the course of the year, participants will rotate through specialised culinary areas including pastry, garde manger, hot kitchen, specialty cuisine, classic soups and sauces, and butchery. On the academic side, they will explore topics such as foodservice cost control, hospitality and restaurant management, human resources management, and the principles of food and beverage management. During her address, Dr. Whitely-Clarke stated that the aim of the programme is to prepare candidates to become better leaders and managers within the culinary operations of Jamaica's tourism sector. 'We want to better equip them to become our Executive Chefs – that's the overall aim of the programme,' she explained. She also noted that the ManageFirst Professional credential validates a strong foundation in restaurant and hospitality knowledge, while the Certified Sous Chef designation confirms that candidates have reached a recognised benchmark of culinary skill and experience. Dr. Carey Wallace, Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, addressed the participants and underscored the wider impact of their participation. 'Your responsibility is not just in your kitchen or hotel, but the entire region is looking at you. When you shine, you are lifting the entire Caribbean with you.' This landmark culinary initiative reflects TEF's enduring commitment to innovation, professional development, and excellence within Jamaica's thriving tourism industry.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TOST Q1 Earnings Call: Revenue Misses Estimates, Margin Expansion and Enterprise Growth Highlighted
Restaurant software platform Toast (NYSE:TOST) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, but sales rose 24.4% year on year to $1.34 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.24 per share was 30.1% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy TOST? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $1.34 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.35 billion (24.4% year-on-year growth, 0.8% miss) Adjusted EPS: $0.24 vs analyst estimates of $0.19 (30.1% beat) Adjusted Operating Income: $133 million vs analyst estimates of $107 million (9.9% margin, 24.3% beat) EBITDA guidance for the full year is $550 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $524.9 million Operating Margin: 3.2%, up from -5.2% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow Margin: 5.2%, down from 10% in the previous quarter Annual Recurring Revenue: $1.71 billion at quarter end, up 31.3% year on year Billings: $1.34 billion at quarter end, up 23% year on year Market Capitalization: $21.18 billion Toast's first quarter results were shaped by accelerating customer adoption across its core U.S. small and medium restaurant segment and expanding presence in new markets, including enterprise and international. CEO Aman Narang pointed to over 6,000 net new locations added and highlighted marquee wins such as Applebee's and Topgolf as evidence of Toast's ability to serve both traditional restaurants and complex, large-scale operations. Management attributed performance to increased attach rates for its platform solutions and ongoing investments in sales productivity and product differentiation, particularly in AI-powered tools like Sous Chef and ToastIQ. For the rest of the year, management's guidance reflects expectations of sustained location growth, stable consumer demand, and margin expansion—tempered by a cautious approach to macroeconomic uncertainty and hardware tariff impacts. CFO Elena Gomez stated, 'We are on track for another year of strong top line growth and expanding profitability, while continuing to invest in our highest priority long-term growth initiatives." The company is maintaining a balanced approach to pricing and cost control, with an emphasis on scaling its platform and carefully navigating potential macro headwinds. Management's commentary emphasized the company's multi-pronged growth strategy and the operational drivers behind the quarter's performance. Key drivers included strong execution in Toast's core segments, early traction in new markets, and a focus on product innovation. Core SMB Segment Growth: Toast's main source of expansion came from increasing its footprint among small and medium-sized U.S. restaurants, supported by higher sales productivity and targeted go-to-market initiatives. Enterprise and Upmarket Momentum: Wins with brands like Applebee's and Topgolf showcased Toast's increasing ability to serve large chains and complex operations. Management cited lower churn, attractive payback periods, and healthy average revenue per user (ARPU) in enterprise deals. International and New Verticals Expansion: Progress in international markets and ventures into food and beverage retail and non-traditional formats illustrated the scalability of Toast's platform. Management expects new segments to become more meaningful contributors over time. AI-Driven Product Differentiation: Investments in products such as Sous Chef and ToastIQ are aimed at simplifying restaurant operations and increasing customer value. Early pilots have shown improvements in order size and marketing effectiveness, though monetization remains at an early stage. Cost Discipline and Margin Focus: Operating expenses were managed tightly, with sales and marketing investments prioritized for growth areas. Efforts to optimize payments and hardware costs, along with supply chain diversification to mitigate tariffs, supported margin expansion. Looking ahead, management expects location growth and product attach rates to remain the main drivers of revenue, while ongoing investments in AI and international expansion will shape the company's margin profile. Expansion Across Core and New Markets: Sustained growth in the U.S. core restaurant market and increasing contributions from enterprise, international, and retail segments are expected to drive both top-line and recurring revenue expansion. AI and Platform Integration: Further development and rollout of AI-powered features, such as ToastIQ and Sous Chef, are projected to enhance customer value and platform differentiation, though management cautions that monetization will occur gradually as adoption grows. Macroeconomic and Tariff Uncertainty: The company is monitoring consumer spending trends and potential tariff impacts on hardware, with plans to balance pricing actions and cost management to maintain attractive payback periods and margin growth. Timothy Chiodo (UBS): Asked about differences in payback periods for large enterprise wins like Applebee's versus SMB clients. Management responded that paybacks remain attractive due to scale and low churn, and most enterprise deals include payments. Darrin Peller (Wolfe Research): Questioned macro trends and the degree of conservatism in guidance. Management indicated stable consumer and new business formation trends but acknowledged monitoring for any changes. Stephen Sheldon (William Blair): Sought updates on the timing and monetization of AI solutions such as Sous Chef and ToastIQ. CEO Aman Narang said the focus is on driving customer impact, with monetization to follow as adoption grows. Dominic Ball (Redburn Atlantic): Inquired about competition from emerging POS providers, including DoorDash's hospitality suite. Narang emphasized Toast's vertical platform strategy and ongoing investment in differentiation. Harshita Rawat (Bernstein): Asked about hardware tariffs and supply chain strategy. CFO Elena Gomez said incremental costs are manageable, with supply chain diversification reducing exposure and pricing actions considered holistically. In future quarters, the StockStory team will be watching (1) whether Toast can sustain net new location growth in both core and enterprise segments; (2) the commercial rollout and customer adoption of AI-powered features like ToastIQ and Sous Chef; and (3) the company's ability to manage hardware costs and tariff impacts without eroding margins. Progress in international and retail verticals will also serve as a measure of Toast's long-term expansion potential. Toast currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 3.5×. At this valuation, is it a buy or sell post earnings? See for yourself in our free research report. Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Central Illinois businesses taking customer first approach during price inflation of goods
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Many of your favorite items to buy at the store cost more, why is this? Central Illinois residents have noticed that when they check the price of their groceries recently, the number by the dollar sign has gone up. Sous Chef in Peoria is a small business that sells locally sourced products and ready to eat food. The manager and operator, Patrick Couri, said the price hikes at places like Walmart or Costco hasn't quite reached them yet. 'I think it's hit larger places more because they get sort of a bigger network that has already been hit, and my network is smaller and thus more insulated, but it all trickles down,' Couri said. The cost of coffee has risen as well, and CxT Roasting Company in Peoria has stayed firm on not raising prices for years. 'We have had to raise some prices very recently,' said CEO Mitchell Popadziuk. 'We haven't raised prices since basically 2019. We've tried to eliminate some of the supply chain burden from going on to the customer, but unfortunately, at this point, it's getting to the point where we can't quite shoulder all of that and the coffee just needs to be purchased at the price that it is.' Popadziuk said customers get the cafe experience when they walk into the store, and so the rise in some of their prices was met with understanding from a loyal customer base. 'We've actually had customers tell us that our prices are seeming too cheap,' he said. 'So, you know, we're trying to like take all those factors into account when we're making our adjustments and we try not to do it too lightly. We take it very seriously because we know that this coffee is such an important part of many people's day.' Greg Johnston, president and chief investment officer for Johnston Investment Counsel, said inflation is better now than it was a couple of years ago, but is still not easy for people to afford. However, he doesn't advise you to look at your savings when heading to the grocery store. 'Should you be tapping your emergency fund because groceries are higher? I probably don't think so,' Johnston said. 'An emergency fund is, exactly, for an emergency.' According to an article posted on the Economic Security Project, in 2023 alone, Illinois residents needed nearly $12,000 more to cover the same expenses as in 2021. This includes expenses like groceries. Inflation is a fluctuating process, and it will go down and back up again. Johnston said right now, we are sitting around a 3% inflation rate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
