GALLERY: Issy Sharp and Daniel Boulud cut the ribbon on the new Four Seasons Hotel

By Toronto Life | October 6, 2012

By Toronto Life | 10/06/2012

Fittingly, the Four Seasons, Toronto’s homegrown hotel chain, capped the recent parade of luxury lodgings openings in the city. The company, which operates 88 locations, opened its flagship in Yorkville last week, and a tanned chef Daniel Boulud, television personality Liza Fromer and Ontario tourism minister Michael Chan were among those who showed up for the ribbon-cutting, champagne and canapés.

The best joke of the day went to Chan, who, referring to the mystery buyer who purchased the tower’s top condo (Canada’s most expensive ever), assured the crowd, “I’m not the guy who bought the $28-million penthouse.” (The second-best joke was from the hotel’s general manager, Dimitrios Zarikos, who jested, “The best thing about this job is that there’s no pressure.”) However, Issy Sharp, who opened the first Four Seasons hotel on Jarvis over 50 years ago, netted the longest round of applause—and not just because he was sporting a bad-ass fedora.