TORONTO — Le Creuset, a cookware brand known for its colourful, enameled products, ranging from French ovens to pots, recently announced the opening of a flagship store in Toronto.

“With so many world-class restaurants and chefs residing in Toronto and the surrounding areas, it only makes sense to open a store in this city,” said Faye Gooding, Le Creuset CEO. “Not only will this implement the strength of our brand, it will bring forth many more culinary enthusiasts.”

The store will feature cooking demos and culinary evenings with Canadian chefs, authors and winemakers as well as a showcase to give customers a feel for the products. The flagship is set to open Aug. 18 at the Sherway Gardens shopping centre.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Rational is bringing back its successful Cash for Trash rebate program in a promotion that will run from now through September.

The 2010 program allowed operators to upgrade to more efficient cooking equipment. Today, customers who meet all the promotion guidelines and purchase a SelfCooking Center unit have the choice between a rebate of up to $1,000, up to $2,000 in Rational accessories or a three-year warranty.

"In this challenging economy many operators are continuing to use outdated, inefficient or space-hogging equipment to avoid the costs of an upgrade, and they’re being forced to forego the kind of investment that can help their business grow and thrive,” said Vinod Jotwani, director of Sales and Marketing for Rational U.S.A. and Canada. “We started the Cash for Trash program in 2010 to make the advanced SelfCooking Center technology more accessible for operations that want to grow or are in need of an equipment makeover.”

TORONTO — A blend of interior designers, food critics, media and notable Toronto chefs — including Jamie Kennedy of Jamie Kennedy Kitchens; Mark Cutrara of Cowbell and Adam Colquhoun of Oyster Boy — gathered at the Sub Zero Wolf showroom on Toronto’s tony King St. East recently to celebrate the 40th anniversary of All-Clad, a foodservice cookware staple.

Attendees at the lighthearted affair were treated to cocktails created for the occasion, a little bubbly and fare from Canadian culinary legend Michael Stadtländer, who was on hand preparing various appetizers such as smoked whitefish, artichoke and oyster soup, roast pork ribs and a whole roast lamb.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The National Restaurant Association’s 2011 Kitchen Innovation Awards, which recognize the best in “groundbreaking kitchen equipment in the foodservice market,” have been announced.

Some of the winners — who will display their wares at the upcoming NRA Show at Chicago’s McCormick Place from May 21 to 24 — include Ecolab, Cambro Manufacturing and the Coca-Cola Company.

One of Ecolab’s two award-winning products was its Cleaning Caddy, a pre-measured product with a pressure spray wand and on-board wet vacuum, which has been proven to improve overall cleanliness of bathrooms by 50 per cent. Cambro Manufacturing was recognized for its Camduction Complete Heat System, an efficient hot-meals delivery system that charges 20 heat retention bases in one unit, allowing a base to be ready every 12 seconds. And, Coca-Cola was awarded for its Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispenser that integrates the latest technologies to dispense more than 100 sparkling and still beverages. The device also offers web-based consumption reporting to help manage inventory and make ordering easier.