After winning silver and their golden ticket to the most prestigious yet challenging competition on Earth, in France today, our national culinary athlete Keith Pears and his commis, Joseph Mongillo, placed 10th on the world stage, moving Canada up one place from the 11th position in 2023 and 13th in 2019.

Proud of their accomplishments, Chef Keith Pears fought his way through the five-and-a-half-hour culinary battle featuring venison, foie gras, and tea – mandatory ingredients that paid an homage to the late Paul Bocuse. This 20th edition plate theme celebrated the unique harmony between celery (both stalk and root), stone bass, and lobster, ingredients that we are blessed to find in Canada. With a menu entitled “Canada: The World in Every Bite”, the team included a slew of local ingredients such as Canadian nori, ice wine and hazelnuts in their dishes.

“I’m proud of what we accomplished and excited to have well represented my country and the industry I love”, states Pears. “Ultimately, our participation in the World Cup of cookery talents had the sole objective to put Canada on the world’s list of top culinary destinations with gourmets from all over the globe.”.

Twenty-four teams comprised of some of the best chefs on the planet were gathered in Lyon for what is known to be the most prestigious and difficult culinary competition on Earth. The Bocuse d’Or is an event that makes fine dining an arena sport. It comes with all the trimmings including uniforms, judges, cheering fans holding flags, bronze-silver-and-gold statuettes, and winners on podiums beaming while their national anthem blares in the speakers. And while there’s glory in winning one of the culinary Oscars, the road to Lyon is a long process that takes passion, dedication, and a strong desire for perfection.

From unique set menus to custom cocktails and desserts, each of INK Entertainment spots offers something special for the occasion.

Here’s a look at what each restaurant has in store:

♡Chica: A la carte options and special features, no minimum spend required.

♡Patria: A la carte options and special features, $95 minimum spend.

♡Byblos Uptown: $125 set menu (see menu attached).

♡Byblos Downtown: $125 set menu (see menu attached).

♡Akira Back: $145 sharing-style set menu with a glass of sparkling sake, available Feb 14th-16th (menu attached).
—Special Valentine’s Day dessert: TOU-RIN (Peach Orchard) – white peach mousse, matcha moss, cotton candy (see attached photo).

♡Animl: No minimum spend, plus a custom Valentine’s Day dessert (Strawberry Lemon Mousse) and a special Valentine’s Day cocktail 

♡Daphne: $145 minimum spend.

♡Amal: $125 minimum spend.

♡Laylak: $95 minimum spend.

♡Ultra: $125 minimum spend.

♡Margo: $95 minimum spend.

♡Sofia: $145 minimum spend.

♡KOST: $125 minimum spend.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre is featuring some of the most extensive Lunar New Year experiences and exclusives to mark the Year of the Snake in style.

Measuring an impressive thirty-feet tall, twenty-feet wide and made entirely of sustainable materials, Toronto’s largest indoor Year of the Snake installation is presiding over shoppers in the East Court until February 12. The green hues of the geometric serpent reflect the elegance of jade, attracting prosperity, warding off misfortune, and symbolizing luck, growth and renewal.

The Golden Gateway delivers an immersive visual experience for photos and videos, located near Tiffany & Co. Until February 12, guests can walk through golden archways and a stunning, custom-designed Year of the Snake runway adorned with florals and snakes that beautifully intertwine tradition and modern artistry.

“Lunar New Year is one of the most significant gift-giving events in many Asian cultures. We know from experience that our guests expect some Toronto’s most engaging experiences in addition to our unrivaled array of global brands that often release exclusive, limited edition Lunar New Year collections,” says Rachael Tang, Marketing Manager, Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

Lion Dance & Eye-Dotting Ceremony

A traditional Lion Dance and procession, led by one of Canada’s premier lion dance teams, will begin at 3 pm on Sunday, February 2. The ceremony will be held at the Year of the Snake sculpture in East Court and include the marking of the eyes of the Lion. Traditional scrolls and envelopes will be distributed to the public at this event.

Gift Giving at Yorkdale

Discover Yorkdale’s curated gift guide featuring beautiful luxurious collections at the Centre of Style to bring prosperity and joy this Lunar New Year, including offerings from Tiffany & Co., LOEWE and more.

See here for a full list of offerings.

Culinary and Experiential

Shoppers can treat their tastebuds to exquisite tastes by ordering off the special Lunar New Year menus from some of Toronto’s favorite dining establishments.

Delysees

· Exclusive Lunar New Year Box Sets featuring unique flavors

o Pure Mini Matcha Dome- pistachio macaron (green)

o Roasted Hazelnut Dome- hazelnut macaron (brown)

o Vanilla Honey cake Dome- caramel macaron (white)

o Fresh lychee Rose Dome – raspberry macron (red)

Yu Seafood

· Dried Oyster & Fat Choy Taro Cake

· Ham & Dried Scallop Radish Cake

· Prosperity Coconut Rice Cake

AMERICAN MURDER: GABBY PETITO is coming soon to Netflix and today we get a new Trailer of this intriguing story which shocked the world.

Series Premiere Date: February 17, 2025

Synopsis:

In August 2021, 22-year-old Gabby Petito was killed by her fiance, Brian Laundrie, while the young couple was on a four month road trip across the United States documenting their “van life” journey on social media. Two months later, Laundrie was found to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and his parents were suspected of helping to cover up the murder. While taking viewers on a journey through Gabby and Brian’s final days together, the series will unveil the tragic reality behind their Insta-perfect life and reveal painful moments where their story might have taken a different turn.

Series Premiere Date: February 17, 2025

Production Companies: Cinemart, Stage 29
Directors/Executive Producers: Julia Willoughby Nason & Michael Gasparro
Executive Producers: Dr. Phillip C. McGraw, Sarah Carden

Disney+ unveiled the new key art and official teaser for the highly anticipated Original series, FX’s “Alien: Earth,” from executive producer Noah Hawley. “Alien: Earth” is set to stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2025 in Canada.

When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in the sci-fi horror series “Alien: Earth.” As members of the crash recovery crew search for survivors among the wreckage, they encounter mysterious predatory life forms more terrifying than they could have ever imagined. With this new threat unlocked, the search crew must fight for survival and what they choose to do with this discovery could change planet Earth as they know it.

Lead by Sydney Chandler, the series showcases an expansive international cast which includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille and Moe Bar-El.

Robust parental controls ensure that Disney+ remains a suitable viewing experience for everyone in the family. Subscribers can set access limits on mature content and create PIN-protected profiles alongside the already existing Junior Mode profiles to give parents and guardians peace of mind.

The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) announced today Tonya Williams, founder and executive director of the Reelworld Film Festival and Reelworld Screen Institute, as the recipient of the 2024 TFCA Luminary Award. The award recognizes a Canadian industry figure who has made a substantial and outstanding contribution to the advancement and/or history of Canadian cinema.

Williams began her career as an actress, working on television series such as The Polka Dot Door, Street Legal, Hill Street Blues, and a recurring role on The Young and the Restless. However, recognizing that the challenges she faced as a Black actor seeking substantial work were not unique, Williams founded the Reelworld Film Festival in 2000 with a mission to promote the works of racially diverse professionals. That mandate led to the creation of the Reelworld Foundation (now called Reelworld Screen Institute), which has produced opportunities for professional development. For more than 25 years, Williams has played a starring role in the push for diversity, equity, and inclusion in Canadian film and television, touching many careers and advocating in all corners of the industry.

Additionally, the TFCA announced winners of two awards recognizing those viably seen as forwarding Canadian cinema and culture through their work. J Stevens was named the winner of the 2024 Jay Scott Prize for an emerging artist and Alexander Mooney was named the winner of the 2024 Telefilm Canada Emerging Critic award for aspiring film reviewers.

Stevens directed, produced, shot, and co-wrote their first feature Really Happy Someday, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is a moving account of a stage musical performer regaining his voice after his transition. Really Happy Someday developed out of a collaborative relationship with star/co-writer Breton Lalama and this collective spirit reflects Stevens’ efforts to tell stories that represent a diverse spectrum of 2SLGBTQ+ experiences in films and series. It also reflects Stevens’ work with the Spindle Films Foundation, which supports emerging trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse creatives in the screen sector by providing mentorship and development opportunities.

Mooney’s work has appeared in Exclaim!, In the Mood Magazine, MUBI Notebook, and Documentary Magazine. He graduated with an HBA in Cinema Studies from the University of Toronto in June 2024. The Telefilm Canada Emerging Critic award comes with a cash prize of $1,000, courtesy of Telefilm Canada.

These awards will be presented along with the prestigious Rogers Best Canadian Film and Rogers Best Canadian Documentary on Monday, February 24, 2025, at a gala held at Toronto’s Omni King Edward Hotel, hosted by acclaimed Canadian actress Amanda Brugel (Orphan Black, The Handmaid’s Tale). The nominees for Rogers Best Canadian Film are Rumours, directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson; Shepherds, directed by Sophie Deraspe; and Universal Language, directed by Matthew Rankin. The nominees for Rogers Best Canadian Documentary are Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, directed by Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee; Yintah, directed by Michael Toledano, Jennifer Wickham, and Brenda Michell; and Your Tomorrow, directed by Ali Weinstein. Both awards carry a cash prize of $50,000, courtesy of Rogers Communications. The two runners up in each category will receive $5,000.

The TFCA is extremely grateful to founding sponsor Rogers Communications for the Rogers Best Canadian Film and the Rogers Best Canadian Documentary. TFCA thanks returning sponsors Netflix as Dinner sponsor, Prime Video as Cocktail Reception sponsor and Air Canada as Official Airline. TFCA salutes Telefilm Canada as the Telefilm Canada Emerging Critic sponsor. The TFCA also thanks sponsors Omni King Edward Hotel and salutes stalwart supporters, G.H. Mumm Champagne, L’Eat Catering, Zoomer Magazine, The Printing House, and Chairman Mills.

Under the TFCA’s rules, eligible contenders for the awards include films released in theatres or streaming in Toronto in 2024 as well as films that qualify for the 2024 Academy Awards and Canadian Screen Awards and have a Toronto release scheduled by the end of March 2025.

ABOUT THE TFCA

The Toronto Film Critics Association was established in 1997 and is comprised of Toronto based journalists and broadcasters who specialize in film criticism and commentary. All major dailies, weeklies and a variety of other print, electronic and web outlets are represented. Members of the TFCA also participate in the Federation of International Film Critics (FIPRESCI). As such, they have sat on juries at festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, Montreal, Miami, Palm Springs, Chicago, Pusan, Moscow, Amsterdam, London and Vienna, among others.

Prime Video announced today the premiere date and trailer for 50,000 First Dates: A True Story, a two-part docuseries that challenges the traditional romantic comedy narrative through the true story of Nesh Pillay, a Toronto-based entrepreneur who suddenly loses her memory and forgets her fiancé. Premiering on February 11, 2025 exclusively on Prime Video in 240 countries and territories worldwide, the docuseries showcases the journey of the viral Canadian couple who made headlines around the world as “The Real Life 50 First Dates Couple.”

When Nesh Pillay matches with quirky engineer Johannes “JJ” Jakope, their romance quickly blossoms into plans for a shared future. However, their world is turned upside down when Nesh mysteriously loses her memory, believing she’s 17 again and mistaking her fiancé for an Uber driver. As she grapples with the shocking reality that she’s an adult about to be married, the couple begins documenting their extraordinary journey online. Their story goes viral, making headlines internationally although they soon discover real life is far more complicated than any romantic comedy. With their relationship re-evolving as JJ takes on the role of caregiver and Nesh rediscovers herself, their relationship faces its ultimate test as they await the results of Nesh’s brain scans and race against time to prepare for their wedding. The story begs the question, can this real-life romance overcome its extraordinary obstacles and achieve the fairy-tale ending they both desire?

50,000 First Dates: A True Love Story is directed by Brent Hodge (Third Longest Date, Pharma Bro) produced by Peacock Alley in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios. Executive producers are William Talmadge, Brent Hodge and Carrie Mudd.

50,000 First Dates: A True Love Story joins the critically acclaimed and award-winning slate of Canadian Amazon Original series and films including The Sticky, TIFF 2024 People’s Choice Documentary Award winner The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal and TIFF 2023 People’s Choice Documentary Award and Canadian Screen Award-winner Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, Tom Green Country, Luxe Listings: Toronto, LOL: Qui rira le dernier?, Three Pines, Saving Sakic, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, The Kids in the Hall, The Lake, LOL: Last One Laughing Canada, In Cold Water: The Shelter Bay Mystery, Hard North, and The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith.

Since 2015, Amazon MGM Studios, as well as MGM Television and MGM+ Studios have commissioned more than 50 series and films that have been shot in Canada, including The Boys, Gen V, Reacher, and The Handmaid’s Tale in Ontario; Fargo and Billy The Kid in Alberta; The Man in the High Castle and Upload in British Columbia; Tales from the Loop in Manitoba; as well as parts of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and The Voyeurs in Quebec.

Prime Video in Canada is the home of Prime Monday Night Hockey, which streams all national regular season Monday night NHL games in English throughout the 2024-25 season, and NHL Coast to Coast, the weekly whip around show on Thursday nights. Prime Video also hosts exclusive Canadian coverage of all 16 Tuesday night PWHL games for the 2024-25 season. FACEOFF: Inside the NHL Season 2 is the latest original hockey program Amazon MGM Studios is producing with NHL Productions for Prime Video.

Prime members will be able to watch anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost.

FLIGHT RISK takes flight this weekend with an $11 million opening from 3,161 theatres for Lionsgate/Cineplex Pictures. The Mark Wahlberg-starring Action-Thriller, directed by Mel Gibson, gets 21% on the Tomatometer.

In second is MUFASA: THE LION KING with $7.4 million, a tally of $219.7 million for Disney over seven weeks.

Third is ONE OF THEM DAYS with $7 million, a two week total of $24 million for Disney.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 gets fourth with $4.4 millIion, a tally of $225 million for Paramount Pictures.

In fifth is Steven Soderbergh‘s PRESENCE with $3 million, from 1,730 theatres for NEON/Elevation Pictures.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and “Severance” executive producer and director Ben Stiller engaged in a conversation over X, complete with “Severance”-themed video starring Tim C. and Mr. Milchick, played by Tramell Tillman. See it below!

Don’t forget to tune-in for a new episode streaming now on Apple TV+. Praise Kier! 

Critics and global audiences alike hail “Severance” as “one of the best series of the decade” and “arguably the best show on television.” Brought to you from the un-severed minds of director and executive producer Ben Stiller and creator, writer and executive producer Dan Erickson, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning workplace thriller premiered globally with the first episode on Friday, January 17, 2025 on Apple TV+, and follows with one episode every Friday through March 21, 2025.

This week’s episode “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig” premieres today and finds Outie Mark contemplating the meaning of a message while Helena, Irving and Dylan grapple with the fallout of the Overtime Contingency. 

Today, Sexyy Red and Bruno Mars join forces to release their brand new single “Fat Juicy & Wet” available now via Rebel / gamma. / The Smeezingtons / Atlantic HERE. The track arrives alongside an official music video directed by Daniel Ramos and Bruno Mars that features iconic cameos from Bruno’s recent collaborators Lady Gaga and ROSÉ:

“Fat Juicy & Wet” follows Bruno’s global chart-topping tracks “Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga and “APT.” with ROSÉ, which have spent a combined 19 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Global 200—with “APT.” holding the #1 spot for 11 weeks and “Die With A Smile” for eight weeks. Additionally, “Die With A Smile” has spent three consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Beyond achieving massive global chart success, “Die With A Smile” also earned two GRAMMY® nominations this year for “Song Of The Year” and “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.” Bruno is currently the #1 most-listened-to artist on Spotify and has become the first artist to surpass 140 million monthly listeners on the platform.

Sexyy Red is one of the hottest rappers in the game today. In 2024, Sexyy tied with Drake as the only artist with four number-one songs on Apple Music, surpassed 2 billion on-demand global streams, was crowned “Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist” at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and hailed as the #5 best-selling female rapper in the US. Sexyy’s recent collaborations include” WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” with GloRilla (#1 Billboard TikTok Top 50, #1 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, #17 Billboard Hot 100) with whom she graced the cover of XXL Mag’s most recent issue, and “Sticky” with Tyler The Creator, GloRilla, and Lil Wayne which hit #1 on the Hip-Hop/R&B songs chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

ABOUT SEXYY RED:

Dubbed by Rolling Stone as “the hottest thing in hip-hop, all while just being herself,” St. Louis native Sexyy Red is taking the rap world by storm with her bold, confident style and chart-topping hits. Known for her signature flame-red hair and breakout tracks like “Pound Town” and the soulful, Jamie Foxx-sampled “U My Everything” ft. Drake, 2024 marked a banner year for the rising star. After welcoming her second child, she dropped her highest-charting solo single, “Get It Sexyy,” and her In Sexyy We Trust project, which peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200. Sexyy headlined the summer’s biggest hip-hop tour, the “Sexyy 4 President Tour,” and made waves internationally with a festival run. She also launched entrepreneurial ventures with Ed Hardy and her lifestyle and cosmetics line, Northside Princess. Her accolades include winning “Best Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist” at the 2024 BET Hip-Hop Awards, alongside nominations for “Album of the Year” and “Song of the Year.” With new music and projects on the horizon in 2025, Sexyy Red continues her meteoric rise as one of hip-hop’s most exciting and unapologetic voices.

ABOUT BRUNO MARS:

Fifteen-time GRAMMY® Award winner and thirty-three-time GRAMMY Award nominee Bruno Mars is a celebrated singer, songwriter, producer, and musician who is one of the best-selling artists of all time and now continuously the number-one most listened-to artist on Spotify. With recent hits like “APT.” with ROSÉ and “Die With A Smile” with Lady Gaga—the latter earning him two nominations for “Song Of The Year” and “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” at the 67th Annual GRAMMY® Awards—Mars has celebrated another extraordinary year in music. Among his robust list of accolades, some of which include “Album of the Year” for 24K Magic at the 60th Annual GRAMMY® Awards and “Record of The Year” for Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open” at the 64th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, Mars has held the number one global song for more weeks than any artist in 2024 with both “APT.” and “Die With A Smile.”