Named for a knuckle-walking primate, this gourmet wine bar/cafeteria marks the latest stage of evolution for the team behind Kitchen Igosso and Pekotan bakery. Gori combines central elements of both: the excellent bread and a wall of wine from Pekotan complement the expertly made Japanese-style Italian cuisine of Igosso.

December is a regal time for food. From Christmas cookies and gingerbread men to panettone and eggnog, an elite class of food specialties grace our markets every winter. Three lump-shaped members of this noble pedigree embody its style, tradition and allure: Yule logs, stollen and fruitcake.

President and Founder of China Entrepreneurs, Eric Schmidt has been working with venture capital and private equity investments since 2005, as well as incubating start-up companies. Agenda caught up with Schmidt as China Entrepreneurs prepared to host The China Mega-Forum for Entrepreneurship and Innovation October 25 & 26 at the Kerry Centre.

Adjacent to the Beijing Capital Airport’s iconic Terminal 3, Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport is poised to accommodate both in-transit and longer term guests who value 5-star lifestyle ambience as well as convenience. A British national, Director of Sales & Marketing Simon McHendry has more than 14 years experience in hotel rooms operations and sales. He spilled the beans to Agenda on some of what to expect from Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport.

FIZZtastic Sunday Champagne brunch at Hilton Beijing Wangfujing is one year old this month. This unique brunch experience continues to roll out the fun and good times with two special celebratory anniversary brunches (on September 19th and 26th).

Two of the heroes behind the magic of FIZZtastic are F&B Manager Sun Young Moon and Executive Chef Yu Xiang Gu. The enthusiasm and creativity of South Korean Sun and Beijing native Yu are key ingredients in the continued success of FIZZtastic. Agenda caught up with them both to go behind the scenes of FIZZtastic.

This super-hip Yunnan chain has now landed a branch in the nightlife mecca of the Workers’ Stadium West Gate. Fans of South Silk Road’s time-honored take on the distinctive spicy and sour flavors of Southwest China’s culinary powerhouse will be pleased to have this as another option for what is a fabulous neighborhood for dining.

Austrian national Johannes Mayr is the Kempinski Hotel Beijing’s new Director of Food & Beverage. With over a decade of international F&B management experience under his belt and a lifetime affinity, Mr. Mayr will step in to oversee the daily operation of seven highly respected restaurants and bars within the hotel.

For centuries, Beijingers have been whiling away the summer on the breezy banks of city’s lake systems – some natural, some manmade. Check out today’s top venues for keeping this enjoyable tradition alive in the new issue of Agenda – out now, and available around town.

This issue’s Spotlight features shine on another bumper crop of Beijing luminaries, including
Comptoirs de France Executive Chef Philippe Ancelet, Kokoh Conley jazz trio, the people behind the Chinese dining reviews supersite Dianping.com and founding blogger Dan Harris of China Law Blog. In The List, we sort you out with roundups of Beijing’s time-honored merchants (laozihao 老字号), A-list hair salons and Solana’s smorgasbord of eatery options.

Montreal native, trained chef and entrepreneur Joel Shuchat has been doing his thing in Beijing since 2004. Aside from his primary business importing and exporting tea, he instructs cooking classes and caters for The Hutong community center and runs tea tours of Maliandao, Beijing’s massive tea market mecca (teatrips.com). Mr. Shuchat sat down with Agenda to demystify the marvels of what is perhaps the world’s most treasured leaf.

Native Beijinger Steven Yang has been frying up sizzling hot plates of delectable Teppanyaki since 1987. For the past two years, as the proprietor of Haru, Chef Yang built a modest Teppanyaki empire, first opening a branch in Shunyi, and now an outlet in Sanlitun.