Canada Government is bringing some positive news for the residents and businesses and especially for the hospitality industry as the summer approaches. Just yesterday, Atlantic Canada announced a bubble system where the residents of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and PEI can travel freely within the cities without having to quarantine starting July 3^rd. This has brought enlightenment to the holiday makers and the hospitality industry professionals. Quebec has announced, all the hotels, malls, restaurants, bars, casinos can now open in July as the cases continue to drop in the province. British Columbia has stepped into phase 3 and gathering up to 50 people are allowed in the province, so lots of exciting news coming up from Canada. Canadians are still advised to take precautions and maintain safe distance and hygiene as the things reopen to avoid the further outbreak.

In addition to reopening of FB and restaurant patios. We have brought to you another story for you in this article, as we feature Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana restaurant in Milton. Hozpitality Group spoke to the owners about the new guidelines and safety protocols as they welcome patrons after reopening of their patios post covid.

When it comes to Indian cuisine, Chef Sanjeev Kapoors name tops the list! He received the national award for Best Chef of India, followed by the Padma Shri Award in 2017 (Indias highest civilian award) for his culinary contribution and for putting India on the world's culinary map. Starting his own food channel and starring in the TV show Khana Khazana, which ran for 18 years, he has impacted more than a billion hearts! Today over 175 cookbooks, 81 restaurants around the world and over 500 million viewers are connected to Chef Kapoor.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana was brought to Canada by Shailesh and Rashmi Gangwani who now have the only two locations (Brampton and Milton) that serve the people of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Khazana stands for treasure, a treasure trove of spices and flavours that helps create a wealth of culinary experiences. A fine dining restaurant that boasts a menu which integrates the best of traditional Indian cuisine with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's signature dishes. These recipes showcase quintessential Indian ingredients and cooking techniques.

Hozpitality Group: How do you plan to maintain the social distance while seating?

Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana: The safety of our employees and patrons is of the highest priority. Keeping this and the government regulations for the reopening of restaurant patios we have maintained at least 6 feet between table placement, extended patio areas and limited group sizes to 10 people (which matches the allowed group gathering limit in public spaces).

Hozpitality Group: What are the perimeters of checking staff health before they report every morning?

Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana: We hold the deepest level of trust in our team and as our human capital their health and safety is of utmost importance to us. We have asked them to monitor their health and stay home if they are not feeling well or have any symptoms. All our staff wear PPE when interacting with guests as part of our efforts to help limit the spread and ensure and set an example for the new norm for others in our industry.

Hozpitality Group: How do you make sure the food quality is good enough to serve the guests?

Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana: There are three things that we do to ensure the highest quality of food:

1. We use premium quality ingredients for all our menu offerings, from the highest-grade Ontario lamb to the brand of paneer.
2. Our recipes follow a scientific approach to ensure consistency in flavour and aesthetic.
3. Given the current times, we are taking extra precautions in the preparation of the ingredients to make them ready for use by the chefs.

Hozpitality Group: Do the guests need to wear protective gear while dining?

Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana: Guests do not need to wear PPE while dining but may choose to if picking up takeout. We do recommend maintaining social distance in common passages and washrooms.

Hozpitality Group: How was the response from the public on the first day of opening?

Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana: We were full. Guests were as eager as us to open our patios and were extremely welcoming of the contactless e-menu designed for patio ordering. We extended our patio area as a result of the demand and are now accepting reservations for our patio over the phone (905-635-9992).

Hozpitality Group: Are there any specific cleaning measures you have introduced recently which weren't done before?

Sanjeev Kapoors Khazana: We are offering a white linen patio service, ensuring frequent cleaning between patrons and increasing the number of touch-less sanitization stations. Additionally, we have implemented several measures to ensure employee and guest safety during the pandemic. The main areas are highlighted in the info-graph below.

Businesses need to run but it is really important to have trust before exploring the new normal. We are all as thrilled as we now have thoughtful people running businesses. The above questions give a sense of confidence that the businesses are taking precautions and making sure the hygiene and safety of the patrons is the priority. We hope we will get used to our new normal soon.

Non-Promotional article written by Vandana Raj Bhatt