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The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has partnered with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) to take joint ownership of the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute (AHLEI). Currently owned by AHLA, AHLEI is recognized as the training and certifying body for the hospitality industry.

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, the brainchild of veteran restaurateur Cameron Mitchell and operator of 13 different concepts including OCEAN PRIME, will host the first ever CMR Millennial Concept Challenge.

800 Degrees Pizza, an L.A.-based, authentic Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizzeria founded in 2012 by former Michael Mina Group Chef Anthony Carron, announced the opening of its newest restaurant, located in the Playa Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. The new location is the sixteenth outlet for the brand, the seventh in Los Angeles.

Round Table Pizza, a pizza franchise with over 450 restaurants on the West Coast and in Alaska and Hawaii, introduced a Clubhouse concept to expand its brand. Of the chain’s 70 company-owned outlets, 14 locations fall under the Round Table Clubhouse brand, and another are 14 anticipated to open by the first quarter of 2017.

Restaurateur Ric Addison of the Dream Hotel brand has announced the opening of two new Midtown Manhattan venues that will join the Addison Hospitality Group (AHG) portfolio. Magnolia Restaurant and Lovage Rooftop & Indoor Lounge, located at 350 West 40th Street, will open on December 5.

A round up of interesting bits of news that came across the editor’s desk, including news about market research, branding, design and chain restaurants.

In March, Washington, D.C.-based GrizForm Design Architects teamed up with Chef Tim Ma to bring his Chinese-French inspired restaurant, Kyirisan, to the city’s burgeoning Shaw neighborhood. Triple hung windows and simple white tiles on the facade set the minimalist tones for the 2,500-square-foot space.

California Pizza Kitchen opened its first restaurant in Australia at the landmark Hillarys Boat Harbour in Perth. Operated by franchisee California Pizza Kitchen Australia, the 370-seat, 9,500-square-foot restaurant is the world’s largest CPK and the first of three new restaurants planned for the area following recent openings in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, UAE and Mexico.