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The Digital Revolution, Evolving Consumer Expectations and Other Trends
December 26, 2023
Paul Dameren for ModernRestaurantManagement.com
“Last year saw profound digitalization, sustainability, and technological integration in the restaurant industry. Looking ahead, expect 2024 to include trends like continued tech integration, vertical farming, increased data security, and food innovation. Adapting to these dynamics while prioritizing the customer experience will be essential for success in the ever-evolving, highly competitive restaurant landscape.”
‘AI cannot taste the way a chef can’: are chatbots a threat to fine dining?
August 16, 2023
Holly Kapherr Alejos for TheGuardian.com
“‘Restaurants, especially in fine dining, are typically resistant to technology,’ said the chef Jenny Dorsey, head of Studio ATAO, a research and advocacy organization at the intersection of hospitality and social justice. ‘It’s a human-driven industry, so the actual value and usefulness of AI versus the difficulty of adoption is an equation that isn’t totally solved yet.’ But some restaurants have already started to adopt AI to track inventory more efficiently, forecast sales or perform other routine tasks.”
Restaurant Sustainability Initiatives: Reducing Food Waste, Energy Consumption, and Environmental Impact
August 12, 2023
Jean-Pierre for Startup.info
“Embracing eco-friendly practices not only helps restaurants reduce their carbon footprint but also aligns with the increasing demand for responsible and conscious dining experiences. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how restaurants spearhead sustainability efforts by tackling food waste, optimizing energy consumption, and minimizing their environmental impact.”
How to make your restaurant seriously sustainable
June 29, 2023
HospitalityMagazine.com
“In an era where environmental concerns are top of the checklist, the restaurant industry has a significant role to play in promoting sustainability. By adopting eco-friendly practices, chefs and restaurant owners can not only reduce their carbon footprint but also attract a growing customer base seeking ethical dining options.”
New rules for plastic to-go packaging in the Netherlands from July
June 12, 2023
Victoria Séveno for IAmExpat.nl
“Over a year ago, the Dutch government announced a new policy which is designed to reduce the use of single-use plastics in the Dutch catering and hospitality industry. In essence, the policy differentiates between food and drinks consumed on-site in cafes and restaurants, and anything ordered to take away.”
India’s First Restaurant that Sets a New Standard in Conscious Dining
June 8, 2023
Lathika for TheBrighterWorld.com
“To enhance the interaction between staff and customers, Terrasinne has devised a remarkable method of communication. A viral Instagram video showcased how customers can order using sign language. Each dish on the menu is accompanied by its corresponding sign language symbol, allowing patrons to express their preferences through gestures.”
What Effect Does Michelin Have on a City’s Dining Scene?
April 6, 2023
Nikki Bayley for Eater.com
“…after the flurry of press releases, joyful Instagram posts, and weapons-grade whining from a few who were left off the list, a somewhat altered Vancouver dining scene has emerged from the fray with hiked prices and impossible-to-score reservations.”
The Restaurant of the Future Shares a Home
March 15, 2023
Brooke Jackson-Glidden for Eater.com
“It works like this: Once a chef joins the collective, they can stay as long as they want. They keep 100 percent of their food sales, while Dame’s team keeps the beverage profits. The chefs split the cost of overhead associated with the space with Smith, and the front-of-house staff — servers, bussers — split their time among all of the restaurants’ concepts, which has been a relief for many chefs who have entered the collective.”
CARNA SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON CONSCIOUS DINING IN DUBAI
March 2, 2023
HotelNewsME.com
“Carna by Dario Cecchini is committed to sustainability and pro-environmental initiatives in line with the UAE President H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nayhan declaring 2023 as the ‘Year of Sustainability.’”
The First Black Woman to Lead a Michelin-Star Kitchen Is Popping Up in Detroit
January 25, 2023
Serena Maria Daniels for Eater.com
“Chef Mariya Russell…the first Black woman chef to lead a Michelin-starred establishment — is making her return to cooking… ‘Our vision is more of a destination place where you come in, we cook for you, and we teach you about the food that you’re eating, where it’s coming from — all of those things. It’s more of an experience,’ she says.”
Noma is closing. Are we seeing the death of ‘fine dining’?
January 24, 2023
Jessa Crispin for TheGuardian.com
“Anxious questions fill the silence: is the era of fine dining over? Will we stop choosing our next vacation destination based on hot new molecular gastronomic contraptions we saw on the pages of the New York Times or in the feed of a foodie Instagram influencer? Has the multi-hour, dozen-course tasting menu – with ingredients rendered into mysterious foams, mists, or blobs for your delight and occasional exhaustion – finally come to an end?”
Bompas & Parr — A deep dive into diplomatic dining
September 22, 2022
WEPRESENT for WeTransfer.com
“The power behind the plate and the underlying psychology of shared dining has been shown again and again to be an art form of the most exquisite nature. For centuries, the dining table has been recognized as a unique forum where negotiations can be fought, differences settled and relationships sealed.”
Short menus, local produce, no tablecloth: how to choose a restaurant and help save the planet
September 22, 2022
Tony Naylor for TheGuardian.com
“…diners who are keen to make better choices for the planet in where and how they eat lack direction. You need to know how to decode a restaurant and its menu, spotting the tell-tale signs of a progressive operation. What marks out a greener restaurant and what should we order when we get there? How, as customers, can we embrace that change?”
Is the Minimalist Restaurant Menu Over?
July 21, 2022
Rafael Tonon for Eater.com
“Thanks to the realities of post-pandemic restaurant operations — smaller staff among them — more restaurants are reverting back to full descriptors, with long, double-barreled lists of details about provenance, sauces, cooking methods, and sides... Menus represent the changing values of the restaurant industry…in the late 2000s, menu descriptions changed for a more ‘ethical purpose. The chef wants you to know where he’s getting the chicken, how the veal was raised. The chef realizes that you may make decisions about what to eat based on that information’.”
Feed the Rich, Save the Planet?
July 6, 2022
Meghan McCarron for Eater.com
“At stake was how one of the most influential food and agricultural nonprofits in the country would use its formidable resources — more than $100 million in assets, the backing of the Rockefeller family, and an enormous public profile — to create a better food system.”
Why Yangban Society’s Chefs Chose Casual LA Dining Over the Michelin Chase
June 7, 2022
Matthew Kang for Eater.com
“Opening a casual establishment as longtime fine dining veterans was going to come with its own set of challenges, but the pair always wanted to have a neighborhood spot that more reflected their own Korean American sensibilities.”
Carbon Is the New Carbs as Restaurants Roll out Planet-Saving Menu Tweaks
May 13, 2022
PYMNTS.com
“Bridging the real and the ridiculous, a recent study suggests that menu choices with “carbon labels” on food items estimating the climate impact of each dish may be the future of climate-conscious dining. Score-wise, that’s pasta primavera, 1, and 20-ounce porterhouse steak, zero.”
Equilibrium/Sustainability — The future of climate-conscious dining
May 11, 2022
Sharon Udasin and Saul Elbein for TheHill.com
“Restaurant owners who want to be climate conscious should tell customers how much carbon emissions went into each dish, as well as offer a lower-carbon option as the default menu item.”
At Apricity, Chantelle Nicholson Centres Conscious Dining — And Spreads Joy
April 21, 2022
Hilary Armstrong for Eater.com
“We spoke to Nicholson about her vision for Apricity, her hopes for hospitality, the opportunity that Mayfair presents, and why her vegetable-forward dishes are capable of shattering preconceptions.”
Delivery apps’ obsession with star ratings is ruining lives
March 8, 2022
Max Kim for RestofWorld.org
“…merchants say that a single subpar review is enough to depress business for days. The dire phrase “star rating terrorism” has entered everyday use. A flood of legislation has been proposed to curb the influence of platforms, including review systems.”
Welcome to the NFT Restaurant Boom
February 28, 2022
Adam Reiner for Eater.com
“…if foodies are willing to line up for hours to buy a Cronut, some creators argue, why wouldn’t they get in line for a limited-edition NFT of one? The psychological impetus for wanting to acquire a scarce NFT isn’t all that different from the obsession with “scoring a rez” from a restaurant that’s impossible to get into.”
New Research Claims Displaying Environmental Messages Ahead Of Food Ordering Can Encourage Plant-Based Eating
January 31, 2022
Amy Buxton for GreenQueen.com
“The main takeaway of the study was that a thoughtfully constructed message about environmental food choices can promote plant-based ordering.”
3 technology trends that will shape how restaurants function in 2022
January 13, 2022
Laurent May for NRN.com
“A cold, fully contactless experience isn’t what guests are craving. They want more convenience and control, certainly, but also more connection. Giving your guests the technology to self-serve, but the option not to if they’d like more interaction, will be key to restaurants’ success in 2022.”
How the Pandemic Knocked Chefs Off Their Pedestal
January 3, 2022
Corey Mintz for Eater.com
“I never again want to hear about how great a chef is unless it’s about how great an employer they are... We exalted them as leaders because of their cruelty and allowed their corrosive personalities to define workplace culture, because that was somehow a mark of their dedicated pursuit of perfection. They’ll change only when we change how restaurants are run.”
IFT Scientists' Top 5 Food Trends to Consider in 2022
December 16, 2021
IFT.org
“Our food system is complex and constantly shifting. As we face a burgeoning climate crisis, continually strained food system, growing population, and a renewed focus on what constitutes a nutritious diet, food professionals must look to science and technology to help keep pace with this evolution and develop a sustainable, nutritious, and safe food source for the global population.”
4 Hottest Food Trends To Watch In 2022
November 25, 2021
Eustacia Huen for Forbes.com
“From cooking robots to plant-based chicken, here are the highlights from their latest food and beverage trend forecast…”
Sustainable gin and family-sized crisps! My week eating a climatarian diet
November 10, 2021
Emma Beddington for TheGuardian.com
“Many of us are keen to eat more sustainably – but is a vegan croissant better or worse than locally sourced sausages? And can climate-conscious eating ever be enjoyable? One writer finds out.”
Congrats to Avocado, You’re Allowed to Be Normal Now
November 3, 2021
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“…avocado is not a surprise on a menu anymore. It has been woven into the West’s culinary fabric as much as pumpkin spice, sriracha, and turmeric. It is the skinny jeans of food, reliable if not fashionable anymore. Which is honestly great. Instead of bearing the weight of our collective trend-chasing, avocado can now go back to just being food.”
Stanford engineers team up with Michelin-star chef to build modular restaurants
November 1, 2021
Christine Hall for TechCrunch.com
“While thinking about how to provide good food at a lower cost, both Kolchinski and Gruebele, who were doing PhD work involving robotics, got to thinking about how robots could help people with meal prepping and other tasks.”
The female cooks who shaped French cuisine
October 13, 2021
Rachel Black for ZocaloPublicSquare.org
“Women have always worked in French professional kitchens. But we hear about them and see them less often than men—in part, my research suggests, because women’s traditional ties to unpaid care work have sidelined them. Ezgulian manages to celebrate domestic cookery while creating a strong connection to professional culinary arts. She telegraphs the notion that women’s culinary accomplishments are equally important in restaurants and at home.”
The 2022 James Beard Awards Will (Hopefully) Be Different
September 14, 2021
Elazar Sontag for Eater.com
“As the restaurant industry has undergone a yearslong reckoning surrounding issues of worker mistreatment, racism, sexism, and general bad behavior…, the foundation has in some ways been playing catchup… The James Beard Foundation is hoping updates to the way chefs are scouted, vetted, and voted on will increase the diversity of award winners...”
Anxiety and biscuits: the climate cafes popping up around the world
September 4, 2021
Elizabeth Gribkoff for TheGuardian.com
“…a virtual “climate cafe”…– a meetup where talking about the climate crisis is not only encouraged, it is the main event. As the effects of climate change become harder to ignore, and climate anxiety continues to rise, more and more such events are cropping up around the world for youth activists and retirees alike to process their climate angst.”
Love Takeout, Hate Waste? This App Helps You Find Restaurants With Sustainable Packaging
September 3, 2021
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“Jybe launched as the first web and mobile app that aggregates restaurant reviews based on their use of sustainable takeaway and delivery packaging. ‘Information leads to better choices, and choice is power for consumers who want their purchases to reflect their social values,’ says the company.”
We’re Getting Rid of Starred Restaurant Reviews at Eater
September 1, 2021
Ryan Sutton for Eater.com
“Using a rating system to score someone’s work often doesn’t jibe with the realities of an industry where simply staying in business and protecting one’s staffers are the chief goals. But the past year has also led me to wonder whether stars really jibe with good food criticism at all, and whether we’re better off permanently dropping this blunt instrument that doesn’t evolve as dynamically as our language or our values.”
World’s First Sustainable Packaging Sourcing Marketplace Launches with Oversubscribed Pre-Seed
August 31, 2021
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“SourceGreenPackaging.com claims to be the first-of-its-kind globally, offering a dedicated online portal for international food companies, retail brands and e-commerce businesses to source plastic-free certified packaging products and materials, seamlessly and safely.”
Off-grid in Marseille, Le Présage is Europe's first solar-powered restaurant
August 13, 2021
TrendWatching.com
“In southern France, Le Présage is harvesting the sun's energy for 'cuisine solaire.' The restaurant…uses solar ovens and a Scheffler mirror — a large, parabolic dish that reflects and concentrates the sun's rays to heat a stove to 400 °C. The kitchen's water is heated by the sun, too.”
HOW FAST-CASUAL RESTAURANTS CAN HELP CHANGE INDUSTRY CULTURE
August 11, 2021
Layla Khoury-Hanold for JamesBeard.org
“Fast-casual concepts are ripe for chef innovation and, with lower barriers to entry, potential scalability, and more diverse revenue streams, the model is good not only for the bottom line, but for employees, too.”
Global food supplies will suffer as temperatures rise – climate crisis report
August 10, 2021
Fiona Harvey for TheGuardian.com
“Rising temperatures will mean there will be more times of year when temperatures exceed what crops can stand… ‘Across the globe, over 80% of calories consumed come from just 10 crop plants, including rice, maize, and wheat. Although a few staple crops – like soybean – may do better in a warmer future, warming temperatures and increasingly frequent droughts are likely to reduce yields of these key crops across many regions of the globe.’”
How Small Restaurant Owners Are Navigating the Labor Shortage
August 10, 2021
John deBary for Eater.com
“The best way to attract long-term workers (back to) the restaurant industry…is to pay people more… For restaurateurs and owners working on a much smaller scale…a few key strategies emerged: paying themselves less (or last) in order to pay their employees more; creating greater employee participation in the restaurant’s operation; and being proactive about adapting to a permanently changed world.”
The Delta Wave Has Arrived: Here We Go Again
July 30, 2021
Elazar Sontag and Terrence Doyle for Eater.com
“Over the past few weeks, the sense that we’re not out of the woods just yet has grown among restaurant operators, who have begun taking extra precautions beyond state or local mandates: maintaining distance between tables, prioritizing outdoor dining instead of indoor dining, requiring workers to be fully vaccinated, and requiring diners to wear masks, show proof of vaccination, or both if they wish to eat indoors. No one…is closing just yet, or changing course on reopening, but the surge in delta variant cases…is yet again changing how restaurant operators are thinking about safety protocols inside their dining rooms.”
The 2021 Restaurant Aesthetic Is Optimistic, Nostalgic, and Vacation-Obsessed
July 26, 2021
Laura Fenton for Eater.com
“A lot has been written about how COVID-19 will change the design of restaurants… As new bars and restaurants have begun to open again, we can finally start to see how all that time at home is impacting restaurants’ interiors…nostalgia-laced vacation decor is one of the first clear trends we can name looking at post-vax restaurant interior design.”
From fly oil to 3D-printed biscuits: the women reimagining the food of the future
June 15, 2021
Georgina Fuller for TheGuardian.com
“Almost three-quarters (72%) of food science technologists in the US are female... And with the urgent need to reduce the environmental impact of food production, many in the sector are turning their attention to dairy alternatives, new protein sources and lab-grown meat.”
Have Delivery Apps Changed What a Restaurant Is?
May 5, 2021
Sara Deseran for Eater.com
“…my real worry isn’t a one-star rating. It’s that over the course of COVID, the average customer — despite shelling out costly fees and tossing a mountain of to-go ware — has adjusted their expectations. Their priorities have shifted to the point that they now conceive of a restaurant less as a place where you go for community and more as a facility that supplies dinner.”
Surprise ingredients in the post-pandemic food story
May 1, 2021
Deloitte.com
“In our poll of 3,000 US consumers, many said they will be buying fresh food and cooking more than they did before the pandemic. While restaurant dining will surely increase from today’s levels, consumers are telling us frequency will remain stunted compared to 2019, at least in the medium term.”
For Pop-Up Owners, a Crossroads as Restaurants Return
April 29, 2021
Naomi Tomky for Eater.com
“…pop-ups started by laid-off workers quietly shone as a tiny bright light in the grim darkness… But a year into the pandemic, with vaccines available or soon to be available to all adults and many states lifting restrictions on business, successful pop-up proprietors have reached a crucial moment in a situation that from day one was conceptualized as temporary.”
The Island Is Idyllic. As a Workplace, It’s Toxic.
April 29, 2021
Julia Moskin for NYTimes.com
“Meredith O’Malley, 29, was a dining room manager…in Manhattan... She immediately decided to move to Lummi to work as a server on the inn’s team of 30-odd people. ‘You think it’s going to be this dream: local sourcing, one service a day, sunsets every night,’ she said.“ But all these problems were swept under the rug. Along with eight other senior staff members, she resigned last season, disgusted by a toxic culture they say begins with Mr. Wetzel’s autocratic, erratic management style and permeates the workplace.”
The Restaurant Industry Is Structured on Racism. This Nonprofit Wants to Rebuild It.
April 14, 2021
Elazar Sontag for Eater.com
“…in 2020, building on its momentum from the successful coronavirus relief fund, the RWCF launched the Racial Justice Fund, aimed at helping to create a more just and equitable restaurant industry, one that will live on after the pandemic has ended... “how much people get paid, gender and race, mental health and ability, all these things are intertwined.”
BentoBox and The Infatuation Partner to Release the Restaurant Delivery Consumer Trend Report
April 8, 2021
PRNewswire.com
“The report indicates that…diners are not going to change their habits when it comes to ordering takeout and delivery. Other key takeaways include: 1. Supporting local restaurants is a major driver of continued delivery/takeout habits… 2. High delivery frequencies will continue despite eases in restrictions… 3. Diners will order directly from restaurants if it is easy.”
The restaurant of the future
April 1, 2021
Jean Chick for Deloitte.com
“…we’ve identified insights into three key trends that are shaping consumption patterns among restaurant guests: Ultimate Convenience; Frictionless Digital Experiences; and Heightened safety in the wake of COVID-19.”
Changing Mindsets and Reducing Food Waste
March 31, 2021
Cher Mereweather for BtheChange.com
“Food waste challenges are just as large globally, with food loss and waste costing an estimated $300 billion per year. The environmental impacts are equally staggering... Manufacturers should try first to prevent food waste and then find highest-value ways to repurpose unavoidable waste. After all, there really is no such thing as waste.”
Talk about kelping the environment! Just Eat is testing compostable SEAWEED food boxes in drive to tackle plastic pollution in the takeaway sector
March 31, 2021
Shivali Best for DailyMail.co.uk
“Just Eat has announced that it is testing Notpla's seaweed-coated takeaway boxes with 11 restaurant partners across the UK… The food delivery app estimates that the trial will stop as many as 30,000 plastic boxes from entering the waste stream.”
Meal donation app comes to KC: How the phone-eats-first foodie photo trend can help fight hunger
March 26, 2021
Channa Steinmetz for StartlandNews.com
“GiftAMeal is a free mobile app; each time someone takes a photo of their order from one of our partner restaurants, we make a donation to a local food bank to help give a meal to someone in need… It is great to see the power of a socially conscious incentive, rather than a financial incentive like coupons and discounts.”
TAKING THE TEMPERATURE
March 24, 2021
Eater.com
“After a year defined by a global struggle against a civilization-altering crisis, it’s almost too much to consider that another, even more catastrophic plight is bearing down on us… As dramatically as climate change stands to literally remap the planet, no effects will be more profound than those on ecology— which is to say, in large part, our food system.”
THESE THREE RESTAURANTS ARE MAKING COMMUNITY THE TOP PRIORITY
March 23, 2021
Ellie Simone Scott for JamesBeard.org
“…the community model ‘requires giving without receiving, being flexible, and not narrowly defining some aspects of the business; it goes against making money because it’s not a capitalist model— you will leave money on the table, but you will also be setting your business up for longevity, despite that fact.’”
HALF OF DINERS ARE READY TO EAT OUT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK
March 17, 2021
Maggie Borden for JamesBeard.org
“As we mark a year since the COVID-19 pandemic first forced shutdowns around the country, we…celebrate the innovation and adaptations that arose in the face of unprecedented challenges… 3 out of 4 diners feel it's important that restaurants provide fair wages and benefits to their staff (and more than half of restaurants want to prioritize providing health insurance to their employees in 2021)… 50% of diners want restaurants to give back to their local communities (but 84% of restaurants plan to do so in 2021)…”
4 Surprising Things To Know About The Carbon Footprint Of Your Online Food Delivery
March 11, 2021
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“Spending US$70 each week on takeaways translates to a 450% higher carbon footprint a year compared to those who don’t order food deliveries at all… cutting meat and dairy products from your diet is the single most impactful thing you can do to slash your carbon footprint, and can reduce your individual emissions by a whopping 70%.”
How the Past Year Changed Restaurant Criticism
February 25, 2021
Ellie Krupnick for Eater.com
“The image of the traditional restaurant critic—an older white man, surreptitious in appearance yet hearty in appetite, issuing snobbish judgments from behind a white tablecloth—was out of date long before the pandemic hit. White men aren’t the only ones who have worthwhile opinions on restaurants; upscale iterations of French or Italian cuisine aren’t the only foods worth talking about; and anonymity, the sacred shield of the restaurant critic, doesn’t necessarily work the way it used to.”
Consumers Want Climate Apps & Footprint Labels To Help Them Live Sustainably, Survey Finds
February 25, 2021
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“Overall, more than half of those surveyed described technology as ‘crucial’ in enabling more sustainable lifestyle choices.”
The Activists Working to Remake the Food System
February 19, 2021
Ligaya Mishan for NYTimes.com
“Today, activism exists at every point in the food supply chain... The pandemic has forced many food activists to shift from advocacy to emergency work... Still, the crisis of today won’t fade with the virus... Food has become at once an emblem and literal embodiment of the troubles around us.”
Ghost Kitchens Will Always Be Dumb
February 18, 2021
Rachel Sugar for GrubStreet.com
“Ghost kitchens have been meticulously engineered to be infinitely adaptable and fantastically efficient…But what they really are is a trend that manages, triumphantly, to strip away all joy from the act of eating. They are devoid of every feature that makes restaurants great, and they are not, despite what the many, many headlines say, the true future of the restaurant industry.”
Restaurants Find a New Revenue Source: Feeding the Hungry
February 9, 2021
Jane Black for NYTimes.com
“‘We started with a grand, generous idea,’ Ms. Stein said, ‘and it has come back as a real business opportunity.’”
A Different Kind of Room Service
January 28, 2021
Allie Volpe for Eater.com
“For restaurants housed within hotels, with plenty of empty suites to spare, an inevitable union emerged: Why not briefly fill rooms by offering an exclusive evening of private pandemic dining?”
‘We Have to Help These People’
January 25, 2021
Patrick Keddie for Eater.com
“In the restaurant and in her other social projects, Demir initially focused her efforts on local women who were in dire straits, often mired in poverty, with large families to support. But since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, she has increasingly concentrated on helping refugees from the nearly decade-long conflict.”
Takeout Meal Subscriptions Are Helping Restaurants Find Stability in a Harsh Winter
January 21, 2021
Brenna Houck for Eater.com
“As the pandemic drags on into the new year and a long, dark winter season, subscriptions are emerging as yet another revenue stream for restaurants trying to think beyond the confines of their dining rooms.”
Michelin Star Awarded To Vegan Restaurant In France
January 19, 2021
Alex Ledsom for Forbes.com
“Most French vegetarians and vegans will tell you that it’s not easy avoiding meat in France…although the situation is changing somewhat. Increasingly, vegetarian options can be found across the country... confirmed by the fact that Michelin awarded one of its stars to a restaurant near Bordeaux serving only animal-free dishes.”
Eating out is one of the bright sparks to look forward to this year
January 3, 2021
Jay Rayner for TheGuardian.com
“Restaurants, hotels and pubs are part of an economic web that helps underpin our very cultural life. There are many reasons why we need the hospitality industry to fight its way back to good health in 2021; a good dinner is only one of them.”
Salt Fat Acid Defeat
December 31, 2020
Aaron Timms for nplusonemag.com
“What was the restaurant? To put the question in the past tense implies that it’s no longer possible to ask what the restaurant is.”
Kristina Glinoga Is Reimagining Butchery, Leaving White Male Toxicity Behind
December 23, 2020
Stacy Nguyen for Eater.com
“Watching Kristina Glinoga butcher meat is watching an artist at work... She is a woman and she is also Filipinx, working in an industry where women make up only 28.3 percent of the workforce and whites make up 65.5 percent… ‘We live in an age of misinformation, and I’m just trying to combat it in the meat department,’ says Glinoga.”
HOW CHEFS ARE WORKING TO MAKE MORE RESILIENT RESTAURANTS
December 16, 2020
Layla Khoury-Hanold for JamesBeard.org
“Our industry is in crisis… we're sharing stories from the front lines of businesses reacting to this new landscape.”
2021 Food Trend Predictions: At-Home Coffee, Personalized Tasting Menus, and Heritage Cooking
December 15, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“…the trends seem to be inspired by the big news stories of 2020... Chefs name “Black foodways” and “heritage cooking” as places of growth, as well as more virtual cooking classes, at-home dining experiences, and comfort food. When people do go out, however, they’ll want something celebratory, and a few chefs say there will be more opportunities for individualized tasting menus…”
Key trends defining the food industry post COVID-19
November 29, 2020
EastMojo.com
“These challenging times have forced the diners, restaurant chefs, as well as restauranteurs to lead to a more conscious functioning. Smaller formats with minimal expenses, home delivery kitchens for comfort, and value-added dining shall be the new rules for eating out, mainly. The aim will be to utilize resources in the best possible manner in terms of seasonality, ingredients, recognizing the produce one gets, and the people growing it.”
Meatless, Alcohol-Free & Flight-Shaming ‘Zillennials’ Will Take Over The World, Report Says
November 25, 2020
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“Get prepared for drastic changes that will disrupt everything... The fastest-growing generation in the world…will…surpass millennials’ spending power by 2031… the majority of the group practice meat restrictions of some kind and do not drink alcohol… Gen Zs are more focused on environmental and social causes across all segments of life…”
Factory Farm Emissions and Food Waste Could Be Ruinous to Climate-Saving Efforts
November 6, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“‘We have to do a little bit of everything,’ including boosting crop yields to curb deforestation, and reducing food waste, according to Clark. But diets in wealthy countries like the U.S., U.K., Australia, Brazil, and most of Europe need to change.”
Bangkok To Berlin: The Best Vegan-Friendly Cities In The World (According To Data)
October 30, 2020
Sonalie Figueiras for GreenQueen.com
“We wanted to get an idea of the best cities from multiple criteria: good for visitors good (travel), good for vegan restaurant density (plant-based dining scene), good for vegan-friendliness at omni restaurants (accessibility), good for people who live in the city (community).”
A New Wave of Vegan Restaurants Highlights a Hunger for Change During the Pandemic
October 15, 2020
Emma Orlow for Eater.com
“Vegan dining was gaining momentum in New York long before the pandemic, but the ways in which the meat industry intersects with other issues — like labor politics and climate change — have been given renewed urgency over the last seven months... Pivoting to vegan and vegetarian menus has provided…a chance to…prioritize people and the planet.”
Yelp To Flag Businesses Accused Of Racist Behavior
October 9, 2020
Rachel Sandler for Forbes.com
“Yelp will alert users when a business has been accused of egregious racist behavior in a credible news story…the first prominent reviews platform to make such a move in the wake of racial justice protests across the U.S... the company hopes the alert system will help customers make ‘decisions about whether they’ll be welcome and safe at a particular business.’”
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2020
October 9, 2020
NobelPrize.org
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas... In 2015, eradicating hunger was adopted as one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The WFP is the UN’s primary instrument for realising this goal.”
A Closer Look at Inequality and Representation in Food
October 1, 2020
goop.com
“…the pandemic has essentially compounded many long-standing problems... As people reevaluate how they think about food, nearly all of us must see that in our current system, we don’t value the labor of the people who grow, harvest, prepare, serve, or deliver it. And this must change.”
Why Zero Food Waste Cities Are the Way to 2030 UN Climate Goals
September 29, 2020
Too Good To Go for BtheChange.com
“Governments that produced their own plans in reaction to the SDGs have the power to create change for 50% of the world’s population if they act on them. However, a mere 12% are even measuring their food loss and waste, and a tiny 15% are taking real, scalable action.”
How Community Gardens Became Outlets of Innovation for Former Restaurant Workers
September 28, 2020
Emma Orlow for Eater.com
“Many New York City hospitality workers — thousands of whom remain out of work or are struggling financially, and a growing number of whom are food insecure themselves — are nevertheless finding ways to support their local community gardens, lifelines for many neighborhoods, using skills honed in kitchens.”
‘Food Is Political. It’s a Part of Our DNA.’
September 21, 2020
Brenna Houck for Eater.com
“Devita Davison, executive director of FoodLab Detroit, has long advocated for an equitable and sustainable restaurant industry. She still sees a lot of work to do.”
I put negative reviews on pause after lockdown. Here's why that must continue
September 17, 2020
Jay Rayner for TheGuardian.com
“Some places simply won’t ever be reopening... I wince now when I read a so-called rival going brutally negative on a restaurant business. In such dire economic circumstances, it just feels unnecessary... I do this job because I love restaurants. And now is definitely the time to show them a bit of that love.”
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame
September 17, 2020
Rafael Tonon for Eater.com
“I think that the way we have defined success in this industry has been upsetting because it plays on incredibly subjective things. The output of a restaurant cannot be defined in numbers or data like a game. It is based on the interaction between the sender and the receiver. It goes both ways.”
THESE CHEFS ARE TURNING GRIEF INTO GROWTH
September 16, 2020
Layla Khoury-Hanold for JamesBeard.org
“The hospitality industry is all about serving others, so prioritizing oneself represents a radical shift. Harris is looking to change her habits by cooking nourishing meals for herself and journaling... [Chefs] are always the martyrs: ‘Look at me, I worked 18 hours and haven’t had a day off in weeks,’ she says. ‘I look at the pandemic as way of shaking the industry up in a sense of ‘we need to slow down.’”
RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX PARTNERS WITH SLOW FOOD TO CELEBRATE THE THIRD ANNUAL FOOD FOR CHANGE FESTIVAL
September 16, 2020
SlowFood.com
“Together Relais & Châteaux and Slow Food have developed a thoughtful series of events, curated menus for both in restaurant and to go dining options, and virtual forums… While the novel coronavirus pandemic has devastated not only the hospitality industry but also the greater world as a whole, experts continue to point to environmental issues as an even bigger threat…it is imperative to ensure that this way of living does not die as a momentary shift but, remains a real repositioning for humanity in the name of slow living, slow travel, and slow food.”
2020 HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR: ZERO FOODPRINT
September 15, 2020
Sarah Maiellano for JamesBeard.org
“Zero Foodprint aims to make it easy for chefs to get involved and use their position to better the food system. ‘Restaurants and their guests can make small steps that add up to a real, positive impact… If we can come together, we can create a direct pathway to climate solutions.’”
Plant-Based Review App abillionveg Announces US$3 Million Pre-Series A Round & Partnership With Impossible Foods
September 10, 2020
Sonalie Figueiras for GreenQueen.com
“abillionveg is an Asia-based food tech app featuring community reviews for vegan and vegetarian restaurant dishes and products. The young startup, founded in 2017 by former hedge fund manager Vikas Garg, has as its founding mission the goal to convert a billion people to a plant-based lifestyle over the next decade.”
What Is an Anti-Gentrification Restaurant?
September 1, 2020
Monica Burton for Eater.com
“‘“Foodie” culture often serves as gentrification’s leading edge…’ As developers in cities…recognized the cultural appeal of restaurants, they began courting chefs to open restaurants as flagship tenants, often expressly to attract new residents from outside the community… restaurants that otherwise espouse liberal philosophies, like fair wages and ethical sourcing, are often less cognizant of how they may contribute to displacement… Accessibility should be a goal of neighborhood restaurants.”
Rise In Vegan Menu Offering Globally, Plus More Data From New abillionveg Report
August 31, 2020
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“From the number of vegan-friendly restaurants to new product launches on supermarket shelves, there is no doubt that the plant-based trend is taking the world by storm. But there are differences between regional markets, with some cities and countries showing faster growth, or certain food segments experiencing greater consumer interest than others.”
Restaurants Are Closing, Not Failing — That Difference Matters
August 24, 2020
Talia Saxe for Eater.com
“In order for small restaurants to survive, we will need help: federal help, state help, local, and communal help... As businesses close all around us, my hope is we will reevaluate how we…understand failure. I do not believe that every closure is a failure, and if the restaurant I work at should close, I will not see it as a failure for my family… We have done more than serve food.”
Eco Pizza Delivery? This Filipino Café Is Serving Pizzas In Reusable Handwoven Pandan Leaf Boxes
August 21, 2020
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“…The BrickOven Café is gaining national recognition for its creative use of locally-made, reusable tampipi boxes for takeaway and delivery orders of their wood-fired pizzas. Each box is crafted by hand out of dried pandan leaves by local weavers based in the province. After devouring the pizza, diners can reuse the box at the restaurant and receive a discount, or choose to repurpose the beautiful tampipi at home for storage. Pandan leaves are cultivated across all parts of the Philippines and the wider Southeast Asia region, making them an abundant resource that can be used to create eco-friendly containers.”
The 2020 James Beard Awards Are Effectively Canceled
August 20, 2020
Monica Burton for Eater.com
“There will be no James Beard Awards handed out to outstanding chefs and restaurants this year… In another huge announcement, the Foundation will also forgo its 2021 awards… Instead, a May 2021 event, tentatively planned for an in-person ceremony in Chicago, will celebrate members of the restaurant community who have emerged as leaders and positively impacted their communities during the coronavirus crisis.”
Mask Etiquette Tips for Dining During the Pandemic
August 18, 2020
Becky Duffett for Eater.com
“…we are all in this pandemic together, and for the health and safety of staff and patrons, it’s time to start minding those masks. Here’s how to not breathe like a jerk while dining during a pandemic.”
Dan Barber Announces Major Shake Up at Michelin-Starred Stone Barns
August 17, 2020
Ryan Sutton for Eater.com
“The goal of the culinary residency program, set to debut next year, will be to ‘support a rotating, diverse set of chefs’ voices that interpret the farm and the region through their own cuisines and experiences... There has been a reckoning in our industry, and we’ve heard and discussed many pointed, structural questions about the system that we uphold, especially about racial and gender inequities.’”
How Chefs Can Use Their Voices For Change
August 4, 2020
Morgan Carter for JamesBeard.org
“‘Everyone’s talking about systems—capitalism, socialism, communism, racism. We forget that -isms are all people. We have a voice. We make individual choices each day that contribute to where we are right now’… ‘We have to make sure that we meet people where they are, and that we give them tools so that the quietest among us and the loudest among us are speaking at the same volume.’”
Just Salad Becomes First U.S. Restaurant Chain To Carbon Label Its Entire Menu
August 3, 2020
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“Each label will reflect the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of the ingredients in each menu item. Production is by far the most important determinant of the carbon footprint of foods… the pledge is a part of its ambitions to make sustainable choices more convenient for consumers.”
James Beard Employees Demand More Diversity in Leadership, Salary Transparency in Internal Letter
July 24, 2020
Elazar Sontag for Eater.com
“The foundation, which has been criticized for historically favoring men and white chefs through its award-granting, has made some modifications and updates to their programs in recent years... These changes…were aimed at diversifying the awards and making them more equitable. But the employee-signed letter suggests a divide between the Foundation’s stated values, and the way employees are treated and compensated within the organization.”
Delivery and the future of dining: ‘Convenience is eroding that little extra effort’
July 16, 2020
Sofia Levin for TheGuardian.com
“The more delivery orders received, the more staff Khoo has to employ to fulfil them. Staff costs consume a significant proportion of a restaurant’s profit margin, Khoo explains, which means it only makes sense for him to use third-party delivery apps to a point… ‘If you speak to any profitable, smart person about what sector they’re forecasting growth in, it’s food delivery, and that’s a global perspective,’ he says. ‘I’m a restaurant tragic; I want nothing more than to see people back in restaurants, but the old way wasn’t working.”
World Hunger is Getting Worse, and Africa Will Pay the Worst Consequences
July 15, 2020
SlowFood.com
“The number of people who suffer from hunger is continuously increasing, reaching in 2019…8.9% of the world population... The most dramatic situation, according to data published by FAO, concerns the African continent, where one out of five inhabitants goes hungry… According to the UN, the health crisis that erupted in recent months is destined to aggravate the situation, risking to bring tens of millions of individuals on the abyss of chronic hunger…”
Conscious Consumers: 10 Ways Millennials & Gen Zs Are Changing How & What We Buy
July 10, 2020
Sally Ho for GreenQueen.com
“Thanks to millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Zs (referred to as the group born between 1997 and early 2010s) – whom together make up a whopping 64% of the market – businesses from all sectors of the economy are now having to adapt quickly to keep up with changing habits.”
The Results Of The Zagat Future Of Dining Study
July 9, 2020
Chris Mohney for Zagat.com
“Delivery and takeout understandably surged (a 19-point lift versus pre-crisis) as lockdowns closed off dine-in business. Furthermore, 38 percent of respondents had ordered nontraditional delivery items from restaurants, like meal kits, grocery, and alcoholic beverages… Consumers emphatically expressed how much they miss the community and social aspects of dining out.”
In Survey of Nearly 24,000 Restaurants, Yelp Finds That 53 Percent Have Permanently Closed
June 26, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“Between a baffling PPP loan system, no cancelation of rent or mortgage payments, and the necessity that restaurants turn a profit while operating at half-capacity or through takeout only, it’s sadly unsurprising that 53 percent of Yelp’s restaurants have closed permanently.”
Food Brands Tweet #BlackLivesMatter, but What’s Behind the Words?
June 11, 2020
Tejal Rao for NYTimes.com
“Fast food runs on cheap food and cheap labor — most companies offer low wages with limited benefits, and black workers and people of color are overrepresented among their staffs…with great financial resources and the potential to bring about lasting, meaningful change, they work on their image.”
Black-Owned Restaurant Lists Circulating the Internet, Organized by City
June 11, 2020
BonAppetit.com
“As many of us have been inspired to stand in solidarity with the Black community, so has food media. Across the country, restaurant critics, writers, and local food lovers have been pulling together extensive lists highlighting Black-owned businesses in their respective cities. We wanted to share what they’re creating…”
Lists of Black-Owned Restaurants Are a Start, but They’re Obviously Not Enough
June 10, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“The fact that these spreadsheets are spreading with such speed in non-black spaces speaks to the power these protests have had, but also to one of the reasons why black-owned restaurants have been considered by non-black patrons as non-mainstream spaces, rather than fully integral parts of any community’s dining landscape: Food media is VERY, VERY WHITE...”
Restaurants Must Use This Moment to Change, Too
June 8, 2020
Amethyst Ganaway for Eater.com
“Discrimination comes from angry and ignorant guests, but even more so from the people who brush shoulders in restaurants every day, working in dining rooms and kitchens. Restaurants are still often obviously segregated by staff, and Black people are often denied employment or progression in fine dining and corporate restaurants. This doesn’t even begin to cover the countless acts of discrimination and stereotyping Black guests death with.”
How Local Restaurants are Supporting Black Lives Matter
June 3, 2020
Cheyenne Buckingham for EatThis.com
“…local restaurants in over 140 cities across the U.S. have taken the initiative to help fight against systemic racism by leaving out food, water, and other supplies and donations for protestors.”
NYC’s Laid-Off Fine Dining Chefs Find Glimmers of Hope With New Home Businesses
June 3, 2020
Emily Wilson for Eater.com
“But with so much uncertainty in the restaurant world, these new enterprises are not only a way to make some cash right now. Some say the ventures allow them to connect more deeply with their neighbors — and provide an opportunity to rethink the entire restaurant model.”
The Uncertain Future of Pop-Up Restaurants
May 28, 2020
Elazar Sontag for Eater.com
“The pop-up model has long been an alternative for cooks who lack access... For women and people of color in the restaurant industry…the pop-up model serves to democratize... But as it becomes increasingly unclear what restaurants will look like in a post-pandemic world, these businesses are also uniquely positioned to meet the needs of local communities, and maybe even offer a vision for dining in the future — if they can last that long.”
This Chef Has a Michelin Star and a Mission: Feeding Millions in India’s Lockdown
May 27, 2020
Shalini Venugopal Bhagat for NYTimes.com
“…in the past two months, Vikas Khanna, a Michelin-starred chef, has turned his focus to India’s hungry, providing millions of meals to poor Indians who have suffered greatly under the coronavirus lockdown... ‘I wanted to show that solidarity still exists... This has been the most gratifying two months in my culinary career.’”
With restaurant doors still shut, there’s only one thing to be done: order a takeaway
May 24, 2020
Jay Rayner for TheGuardian.com
“In the depths of lockdown, the arrival of a takeaway can feel like a promising message from a lost world; one where restaurants continue to do what they always did. It’s a sudden spike on the emotional heart monitor.”
The Long View This Week: How Does Travel’s Foodie Experience Change Going Forward?
May 19, 2020
Rafat Ali for Skift.com
“The role and profile of food and beverage (F&B) in hospitality has been rising over the last decade, as all of us have become foodies, in our daily lives and especially when we travel… At the same time, all of us are rediscovering the value of community in these times, and food seems to be the best way to share that sense of community and togetherness, whenever we can safely do that.”
Some Restaurants Are Making Permanent Pivots to Adapt to a New Normal
May 8, 2020
Hillary Dixler Canavan for Eater.com
“Like many other restaurant operators, Nite Yun of Oakland’s Nyum Bai switched to takeout-only… The new concept ‘will definitely be cheaper to operate, because with the tasting menu, we were getting higher-priced ingredients in. We’ll definitely see less food expenses,’ she estimates. ‘Labor goes up a bit with this, [so ultimately] I think it evens out.’”
An Amsterdam Restaurant Made Little Greenhouses So Diners Can Enjoy A Meal While Social Distancing
May 7, 2020
Ashlyn Davis for SecretLosAngeles.com
“Amsterdam has given us a glimmer of hope with this greenhouse dining concept. While concepts like glass tanning boxes were starting to make us feel a little uneasy about the future, these are more aligned to the highly popular, pop-up igloos that toured the world—except these have a little more charm... Long wooden planks are used to serve diners, which is a simple but clever way of ensuring staff can maintain a 6-foot distance.”
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
April 22, 2020
@theworlds50best
“A San Francisco-based non-profit helping low-income women and people of colour to open and grow restaurant businesses, La Cocina…immediately pivoted to help the 60 businesses and 33 brick-and-mortar locations it has assisted to open, advising them on how to secure rent abatement, loan holidays and employee assistance, while creating a list of resources for all small businesses, restaurant owners and hospitality workers, which is freely available online.”
How a Brand New Restaurant Is Surviving Lockdown
April 21, 2020
Amanda Kludt for Eater.com
“Chef Helen Nguyen’s first restaurant, Saigon Social, was on track to open in the middle of March right when reduced capacity guidelines and shelter in place orders swept the nation. Since then, her New York restaurant operation has become part delivery-only business, part charity hub, and she has no idea how long she can keep it going.”
Feeding Essential Workers, and Putting Restaurants Back to Work
April 16, 2020
Sara Aridi for NYTimes.com
“Over the past month, World Central Kitchen has served more than one million meals, to essential workers and the hungry, in at least 95 cities across the country. It has also been working in seven cities in Spain, which has one of the world’s highest coronavirus mortality rates… In the process, World Central Kitchen is also helping restaurants whose business has slowed.”
New Instagram Buttons Let Restaurants Link To Delivery, Gift Card Sales, and Donations
April 15, 2020
Caleb Pershan for Eater.com
“With bars and restaurant dining rooms closed to customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses…are leaning hard on their Instagram accounts to maintain crucial connections with customers… An “order food” profile button and story sticker links directly to third-party delivery apps, and more buttons and stickers let customers buy gift cards or donate to fundraisers.”
COVID-19: Implications for business
April 13, 2020
Matt Craven, Mihir Mysore, Shubham Singhal, and Matt Wilson for McKinsey.com
“…our latest insights on the COVID-19 pandemic, starting with a survey of the current epidemiology and the five dynamics leaders need to watch: the efficacy of the surge in critical care, the expansion of testing and other traditional approaches, the development of antibody testing, the unknown nature of immunity, and a wave of innovation that might produce treatments and vaccines.”
San Francisco Caps How Much Delivery Services Can Charge Restaurants
April 10, 2020
Nikita Richardson for GrubStreet.com
“Today, San Francisco Mayor London Breed passed a temporary measure that will cap delivery fees at 15 percent for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak. The move is meant to help restaurants that are continuing to offer delivery to make ends meet... Delivery services, which were courting their fair share of controversy before the outbreak, have been called on to help the restaurants that they depend on amid the coronavirus crisis.”
DoorDash will cut commissions by 50 percent for local restaurants through the end of May
April 9, 2020
Jay Peters for TheVerge.com
“DoorDash will be reducing commission fees by 50 percent for orders placed on DoorDash and DoorDash-owned Caviar for all of its local restaurant partners, the company announced on Thursday… The program will benefit more than 150,000 local restaurants in Australia, Canada, and the US, DoorDash says. DoorDash defines a local restaurant as one with five or fewer locations.”
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is postponed to 2021 as the brand focusses its attention on supporting global recovery
March 30, 2020
TheWorlds50Best.com
“50 Best has taken the decision to postpone the event programme in Antwerp, Flanders until 2021, if the situation allows. Its destination hosts, Visit Flanders and the City of Antwerp, look forward to welcoming the gastronomic community next summer... In place of the global gastronomic gathering, 50 Best will design and develop impactful initiatives that will help the world work together in this time of need.”
A food crisis looms as coronavirus forces farms to stay idle and countries hoard supplies
March 30, 2020
Huileng Tan for CNBC.com
“‘We risk a looming food crisis unless measures are taken fast to protect the most vulnerable, keep global food supply chains alive and mitigate the pandemic’s impacts across the food system,’ said the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations... ‘Any restriction of movement, including the workforce, will affect the stability of food production. The situation has now been exacerbated by the global increase in demand for food.’”
Is factory farming to blame for coronavirus?
March 28, 2020
Laura Spinney for TheGuardian.com
“Where did the virus causing the current pandemic come from? How did it get to a food market in Wuhan, China, from where it is thought to have spilled over to humans? The answers to these questions are gradually being pieced together, and the story makes for uncomfortable reading.”
David Chang isn’t sure the restaurant industry will survive Covid-19.
March 27, 2020
David Marchese for NYTimes.com
“‘I’m not being hyperbolic in any way,’ Chang said about the future of the field in which he made his name. ‘Without government intervention, there will be no service industry… Call your representatives… And support any restaurant that’s doing delivery. The short-term solution is to buy as much as you can from a restaurant.’”
With Their Restaurants Closed, Chefs Turn to Instagram Live to Inspire Home Cooks
March 26, 2020
Aaron Hutcherson for Eater.com
“For chefs who have seen their restaurants close or cut back operations due to the pandemic, the videos are motivated by boredom, yes. But for many, they’re outlets that can also be used to stay in contact with restaurant regulars, fundraise for their staffs or other industry organizations, and combat a sense of helplessness during this weird time.”
It’s Like Starting A Whole New Restaurant: Take Out In The Time Of COVID-19
March 24, 2020
Jeanne O’Brien Coffey for Forbes.com
“‘We are not looking at a successful [profit and loss statement],’ Canty says. ‘We are trying to provide jobs and a sense of normalcy for our community during these hard times...’ O’Neil agrees. ‘Every chef needs to look at this as playing defense,’ he says. ‘You can't be looking at offense. It’s a challenge in itself just to stay open. Keep your people working. Keep some income coming in, keep the doors open, keep the brand relevant.’”
In China, a Glimpse at the Future of Restaurants
March 24, 2020
Aaron Fox-Lerner for Eater.com
“From fine dining restaurants to small mom and pop noodle shops, nobody has managed to make up for the overall loss of income caused by COVID-19 with delivery, nor have all the new visible safety measures been enough to get customer volume back to pre-virus levels. This doesn’t bode well for the future of restaurants around the world…”
In 'Wine Girl,' Taking On The Old Boys Of The Wine World
March 24, 2020
Rachel Martin for npr.org
“James writes about all the challenges she faced in her new memoir, Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier. She faced all kinds of challenges— outright discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault. But through it all, she was determined to find her own way.”
Starbucks is closing thousands of café-only stores across the US, keeping drive-thrus open and paying workers for 30 days whether they come to work or not
March 21, 2020
Kate Taylor for BusinessInsider.nl
“The decision represents the most widespread closure in the chain-restaurant industry, as major national chains like McDonald’s and Dunkin’ attempt to continue carryout services in which customers order at the counter.”
How Food Scenes Around the World Are Coping Amid Coronavirus
March 20, 2020
Eater.com
“…cities and their food systems are being affected by the spread of the novel coronavirus in a variety of ways, and drastic changes being enacted with varying degrees of efficacy. Eater Travel reached out to our correspondents around the world, asking them to shed light on how their own communities are coping with and adapting to this strange new (but still very, very wide) world.”
Restaurants Are Evolving Into Corner Stores to Stay Alive
March 20, 2020
Brenna Houck for Eater.com
“…many establishments across the country that may never have considered dabbling in delivery before have now adopted it wholesale... And a few have even taken things a step further by becoming a go-to destination for pantry staples, cleaning, supplies, and, yes, toilet paper in addition to the usual carryout toast...it’s likely that many restaurants will be starting to look at these models to supplement income outside of just food service.”
Slow Food: Building Community and Solidarity as one Global Movement
March 19, 2020
SlowFood.com
“Get in touch with local farmers, responsible producers, and food outlets, and support initiatives that help to keep the local economy moving. Respecting local health authorities and the advice to keep everyone safe, while creating resilience within each community’s food system to fair the difficulties ahead.”
Grubhub $100 Million Relief Effort Isn’t What It Seems, Restaurant Owners Say
March 19, 2020
Jenny Splitter for Forbes.com
“What Grubhub is actually offering, according to its terms and conditions, is a short-term deferral of marketing commission fees that will only last during the “relief period,” described as not “anticipated” to end later than March 29… In addition, the terms of the relief program require restaurants signing up to continue partnering with Grubhub for at least one year.”
What Restaurants Need Right Now to Actually Survive
March 19, 2020
Caleb Pershan for Eater.com
“In lieu of private insurance, restaurateurs say they need immediate government assistance to pay fixed costs, starting with rent abatement or deferment, and options like interest-free loans. Their workers need immediate unemployment benefits and emergency universal basic income.”
The Livelihoods of Food-Service Workers Are Completely Uncertain
March 18, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“…to combat the spread of COVID-19, the livelihoods of food-service workers are all but disappearing. Without measures like stimulus checks for small businesses, unsalaried servers, bartenders, line cooks, and dishwashers could go without pay or be laid off entirely — some already have been — without a clue as to when they’ll come into gainful employment again. The uncertainty leads to unfathomable stress for workers — and risks to public health…”
Restaurants and Attractions Around the World Are Donating Their Excess Food During Coronavirus Quarantine
March 17, 2020
Cailey Rizzo for TravelandLeisure.com
“Due to the various precautionary measures around the world in light of the coronavirus pandemic, eateries ranging from cafes to theme park-sized restaurants have closed — and in turn, many are helping out their communities by donating perishable food… If you have extra food to donate during the outbreak, there are many options...”
OpenTable on Restaurant Impact From COVID-19
March 13, 2020
Andrea Johnston for OpenTable.com
“Please support your local restaurants during this turbulent time, as they are a vital part of our communities. Many operate on thin margins and fear staff layoffs and shut downs. Home delivery through the OpenTable app is a good alternative to dining out. Another option is to buy restaurant gift cards for future use… To help our partners we’ve prepared guidance on how restaurants can handle downturns in business.”
Vote Every Day with B Corps Disrupting Fast Food
March 10, 2020
Tripp Baird for BtheChange.com
“The alternative fast-food future can be realized— some people, like Leslie Silverglide and her team at MIXT, are already working on it… Scaling a company like MIXT is also about scaling a model that is laser-focused on impact through its operations: building a culture that values development, steady operational improvement through real-time data analytics, and unit-level profitability through sustainability-enabled efficiency.”
What Does It Really Cost to Run a Restaurant?
March 9, 2020
Erin Spencer for Eater.com
“‘The lack of willingness to talk about finances in this industry is holding us back…. Culturally, we don’t talk about money at all, and my experience, even with other restaurant owners who I’m really friendly with, is that we’ll talk about all kinds of stuff…but we definitely don’t talk about money. I feel like that is the last barrier that we have to break down in order to really all get on the same page and all figure out how to do a better job.’”
The small Dutch town that wants to shape the future of your food
March 5, 2020
Vidhi Doshi for TheGuardian.com
“The mystery of how this tiny patch of northern Europe does it draws government delegations, multinational companies and agriculture students from around the world to marvel at the nucleus of the Dutch innovation juggernaut: Wageningen University.”
Restaurants Are Finally Prioritizing Workers’ Mental Health
February 28, 2020
Carolyn Alburger for Eater.com
“…74 percent of chefs are sleep deprived to the point of exhaustion, 63 percent of chefs feel depressed, and more than half feel pushed to the breaking point… In this pressure-cooker atmosphere, most kitchen and dining room workers feel like they shouldn’t expect praise or concern for their needs. Instead, they should remain calm and carry on… But now, restaurant owners and managers are seeking out seminars, trainings, and consultants to help their workers feel safe and stable at work.”
America’s First Celebrity Chefs Were Black
February 27, 2020
Glynn Pogue for Eater.com
“‘The bottom line is these chefs and cooks are responsible for food we still eat today in American culture, not just black culture... Everyone wanted to know what the president was eating. What was on his table? Hemings was sent to Europe for culinary training, and he brought back knowledge of how to use the sous stove, which was the precursor to the stovetop. He brought back recipes for mac and cheese, ice cream, waffles, and so much more. If you pick these dishes apart, you see all these influences.’”
“I FAIL ALMOST EVERYDAY”: AN INTERVIEW WITH SAMIN NOSRAT
February 23, 2020
Helen Rosner for NewYorker.com
“‘What I tried to do with my show is convey this idea that good food around the world is more similar than it is different, and that we, as humans, are more similar than we are different. The idea was that, maybe by learning about somebody’s food culture, maybe you’ll have some more compassion for them. Well, that all felt real great in the moment, but the world keeps getting darker.’”
How Childcare Can Change the Restaurant Landscape
February 21, 2020
Amanda Kludt for Eater.com
“For hourly restaurant workers, who oftentimes lack consistent schedules, work outside the hours of normal daycare operations, and don’t earn enough money to live close to their workplaces, finding safe and affordable childcare is an all-consuming problem… Vivvi— a VC-backed childcare startup…aims to build a more flexible, employer-sponsored daycare...”
‘It’s personally insulting’: 17 chefs on the customer antics that most enrage them
February 20, 2020
Tony Naylor for TheGuardian.com
“Everyone is a critic now… Generally, chefs suck up this feedback silently; that is how the hospitality industry works. So, we thought it might be fun…to turn the tables for once and ask chefs: what do diners do that really winds you up?”
The Most Powerful Restaurant Workers in America
February 20, 2020
Meghan McCarron for Eater.com
“…the Culinary Workers Union…is renowned for its ability to organize its 60,000 members as a potent force— and to sway elections... The union’s strength is built on its success at transforming economically precarious food service jobs into foundations of stable middle-class life…the results speak for themselves.”
50 things we love in the world of food right now
February 16, 2020
TheGuardian.com
“Brilliant bakers, sibling chefs and the biochemist who became Britain’s best brewer: presenting Observer Food Monthly’s food favourites for 2020”
Why Your Favorite Restaurant Also Has a Butcher Shop
February 14, 2020
Bridget Shirvell for Eater.com
“The two-year-old eatery [Grass & Bone] serves not only as a place to pick up hamburgers or learn how to cook a new cut of meat, but also as a place to get a meal. All the while, the owners and staff are working tirelessly to reconnect area residents to their local meat producers.”
A Portland Chef Going Above and Beyond
February 10, 2020
Amanda Kludt for Eater.com
“Obsessed with sustainable seafood and underutilized ingredients, he harvests gooseneck barnacles…and dives for butter clams…and then serves them in a tasting menu. He also focuses on bycatch and invasive species, sourced directly from fishermen. In an industry where the words “sustainable” and “organic” are used too loosely, it’s inspiring to see someone with such a stringent commitment to his sourcing.”
When the chef is king
February 7, 2020
Rebecca Spang for the-tls.co.uk
“From new urbanism and gentrification to identity politics, venture capital, and the difficulty of “eating local” when the local is subject to abrupt climate change, Alexander gets at how the buzzy restaurant scene of the past twenty years has depended on trends much bigger than its own.”
What’s Wrong at Tripadvisor?
February 5, 2020
Dennis Schaal for Skift.com
“Tripadvisor recently laid off well over 200 employees to reboot its once-market-darling Experiences business as part of a wider reorganization... How it got to where it is today reveals missteps, a changing competitive environment, and a corporate structure that left little accountability.”
Better Food for People and Planet
Winter 2020
Amanda Faison for Edible Santa Barbara
“Knowing thy farmer, rancher and producer is not only critical for business but also for flavor, nutrition, ingredient diversity and the overall satisfaction that comes from enjoying a thoughtful meal.”
Where to Eat in 2020
January 2020
Eater.com
“Eater Travel’s first-ever list of the most dynamic food cities in the world… These 19 vital destinations are places where, for whatever reason, the food scenes today are resonating with appetites more than ever before.”
‘You’ve Created a Standard. But How Does That Actually Work?’
January 24, 2020
Caleb Pershan for Eater.com
“‘There are so many factors in the success or failure of a restaurant… It’s a business of pennies and nickels and dimes. Saying that ‘paying people a decent wage is killing the restaurant business’ is either self-serving or just plain myopic.’”
You want to reduce the carbon footprint of your food? Focus on what you eat, not whether your food is local
January 24, 2020
Hannah Ritchie for OurWorldinData.org
“Eating locally would only have a significant impact if transport was responsible for a large share of food’s final carbon footprint… The most important insight from this study: there are massive differences in the GHG emissions of different foods...”
How the Dutch Use Architecture to Feed the World
January 23, 2020
Niall Patrick Walsh for ArchDaily.com
“The Netherlands is the world’s second-biggest exporter of agricultural products… The secret to the Netherlands’ success lies in the use of architectural innovation…defined by vast landscapes of greenhouses, some covering 175 acres, which dominate the architectural landscape of South Holland.”
Wendy’s advances animal welfare initiatives
January 22, 2020
Krissa Welshans for Feedstuffs.com
“This week, the company released its 2019 corporate social responsibility (CSR) report, highlighting…animal care best practices, including responsible use of antibiotics and animal housing conditions, by the end of 2024. The report also includes efforts to enhance benefits for employees and reduce the company's environmental footprint.”
Choosing Your Own Adventure
January 15, 2020
Vonnie Williams for Eater.com
“…Martin, chef, travel expert, and creator…sees Kalisa Marie Eats evolving into a source of food knowledge, clarifying the barrage of inaccurate information that permeates pop culture, and empowering others to make fully informed, educated decisions about their food.”
Heston Blumenthal bemoans trend to take snaps instead of bites
January 14, 2020
Kevin Rawlinson for TheGuardian.com
“‘Social media has become such a big part of our lives, our sight has become almost the more important sense rather than smell or taste’… Blumenthal…said that he previously felt ‘stuck on a hamster wheel’…and had to ‘perform a bit of a reverse manoeuvre’ in order to rebalance his life.”
Panera Is Making Its Menu More Plant-Based to Become More Sustainable
January 13, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“…consumers are increasingly turning to vegetarian cuisine, whether it’s for health, concern for animal welfare, or because reports keep saying avoiding meat and dairy is a good way to combat climate change. With that, Panera Bread announced that it has a goal of 50% plant-based entrees.”
Under Pressure, Grubhub Changes Its Ordering System
January 9, 2020
David Yaffe-Bellany for NYTimes.com
“For years, Grubhub used an algorithm to determine whether calls resulted in orders… But that formula was far from perfect…a restaurant owner in Brooklyn…called the changes a ‘good direction’ for the company. But he still wants his money back.”
The Pros and Cons of Going Corporate
January 9, 2020
Jonathan Kauffman for Eater.com
“Cooking on the line is easiest on young bodies, and cooks often hit a point…where they’re confronted with the question: Is it time to move on to something else? What does it mean to cook long-term..? What happens when the incessant stress of restaurant kitchens…siphons off your health?”
Fast Company
January 9, 2020
@gabrielacamara for @fastcompany
“‘People in restaurants are used to solving problems. That is one of our biggest strengths. When you’re successful in restaurants, it means you’re doing something that the public finds attractive enough to make it a business and to make it keep on existing.’”
We’ve Lost Connection with Food. This Founding Mother Is Recovering It
January 8, 2020
Polina Peg for BtheChange.com
“‘In Europe, food and seasonality is an integral part of the culture… America has lost so much by outsourcing…food to convenience and grocery stores…this is a time when women are on the cutting edge of regenerative economies and are deeply committed to change.’”
Travel Advisors Stay Fresh on Trends as Demand Grows for Culinary Experiences
January 7, 2020
Paul Biasco for Skift.com
“‘The notion of traveling with food as the primary focus is definitely catching on and is a new category…’”
What Does ‘Plant-Based’ Actually Mean?
January 6, 2020
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“The term ‘plant-based’ was coined in 1980…to present a non-animal-product diet…that…wouldn’t be clouded by politics…the phrase has come to signal health…But the term doesn’t come with the baggage of ‘vegan.’”
Food in 2050: bacon grown on blades of grass and bioreactor chicken nuggets
January 1, 2020
Sirin Kale for TheGuardian.com
“‘Our current method of growing crops to feed to animals so we can eat animals is shockingly inefficient…’ By 2050, climate change will directly affect what we can eat and drink.”
Every Ridiculous Food Trend Predicted for 2020
December 26, 2019
Brenna Houck for Eater.com
“Along with explosively popular trends like plant-based protein burgers and chicken sandwiches, the hive mind seems to universally agree that zero-proof drinking will continue into the new year.”
The State of European Food Tech 2019
2019
Five Seasons Ventures and Dealroom.co
In the free report: an European food tech industry overview, geographical insights, top deals per category, and investor activity.
Top 100 Corporate Social Responsibility Influence Leaders
2019
Assent Compliance
Three food-centric business leaders have made the top 50: Sarah Kaeck— Founder, Bee’s Wrap (#25), Michelle Burns— Senior Vice President, Global Coffee & Tea, Starbucks (#36), and Francesca DeBiase— Executive Vice President, Chief Supply Chain and Sustainability Officer, McDonald’s.
Reach ‘peak meat’ by 2030 to tackle climate crisis, say scientists
December 12, 2019
Damian Carrington for TheGuardian.com
“‘Reducing human demand for resource-intensive animal protein would considerably slow the rate of global forest loss, with huge benefits for biodiversity and ecosystem services, in addition to carbon storage.’”
Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash made online food delivery a $10 billion business. Restaurants aren’t happy about it
December 16, 2019
Amelia Lucas for CNBC.com
“Delivery providers typically charge restaurants 15% to 30% on every order they fulfill. But commission fees have been decreasing in part because of competition…‘Restaurants are now pushing back and figuring out how to be better partners and find better partners…’”
The Pressures of Being First
December 18, 2019
Angela Burke for Eater.com
“In September, Russell became the first African-American female chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant…in and industry that systematically undervalues African Americans and women.”
Canadian Journalists Keep Publishing OpenTable’s Problematic Best Restaurant List
December 11, 2019
Tim Forster for Eater.com
“…these lists are highly skewed, and exclude the vast majority of…restaurants. Only restaurants that use OpenTable are even eligible…Then there are popular spots that just don’t take reservations…they’re excluded too…the problem is ultimately journalists repackaging press releases.”
Food Service Is Grueling Work — So More And More Workers Are Organizing
December 10, 2019
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“2019 has seen a labor awakening in America, the re-sprouting of an ethos and a movement that’s been building for years (and has existed for generations), and the business of how we eat has become a locus of organizing effort.”
The conscious capitalists at Sweetgreen are addressing wage inequality in their own ranks
December 9, 2019
Sarah Todd for QZ.com
“In an era in which restaurant companies are under close scrutiny for their treatment of employees, Sweetgreen, a brand widely associated with health, wellness, and sustainability…depends on extending ethical considerations not just to salads themselves, but to the people who make them.”
What Does ‘Good Food’ Really Mean?
November 25, 2019
Monica Burton for Eater.com
“There are problems with traditional restaurant awards. They favor fine dining above other styles, the winning chefs are mostly men, and they’re consistently lacking in cuisine diversity…one restaurant recognition vehicle…has decided that to truly change the kinds of restaurants that get recognized, the definition of good has to change first.”
What Did ‘Authenticity’ In Food Mean In 2019?
December 3, 2019
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“Like gender, race, and money, authenticity is a social construct — something that we’ve given a certain amount of power to as a society, but that is ultimately ours to define, or to give up on entirely.”
‘Utterly delicious’: top chefs on the best thing they ate in 2019
December 8, 2019
TheGuardian.com
“Eggs in Mexico City, pickles in New Delhi, king crab in Vancouver — chefs and cooks…on the mouthfuls that made their year”
Being a good host is about more than just the food
November 24, 2019
Priya Basil for TheGuardian.com
“…the act of accepting from another, of receiving the other, only begins, only touches the rim of true hospitality, when it pushes you beyond your limits, discomfits you, allows in the unexpected, brings about what you never imagined.”
South Korean Chef Sues Michelin Over ‘Insult’ of Being Included in Guide
November 21, 2019
Monica Burton for Eater.com
“‘…I don’t want any help from an opaque, subjective company.’…In Seoul, chefs have repeatedly raised concerns about the guide’s credibility…”
To eat or not to eat: 10 of the world’s most controversial foods
November 20, 2019
Claire Finney for TheGuardian.com
“‘When you come to ‘judge’ food, you end up with an enormous list of variables, from taste to health outcomes to biodiversity.’”
At the Hot Bread Kitchen Conference, Ideas for a Better Restaurant World
November 7, 2019
Aaron Hutchinson for Eater.com
“‘Sometimes within industries, people can get stuck in the way things have always been. So if we want to think about how do we make change, we need to expand our imagination about what change could be.’”
Why am I happy to spend £20 on four pints of beer - but not on a bottle of wine?
November 7, 2019
Zoe Williams for TheGuardian.com
“Many concepts of value are locked down in childhood…Food is its own currency, as emotional as the lira, as stubborn as the deutschmark, as up-on-its-dignity as the pound.”
How to Overcome the Unique Challenges of Conscious Business
November 7, 2019
Charlie Gilkey for BtheChange.com
“For conscious business owners, the challenges…that are most likely to be most weighty are competing priorities, head trash, and no realistic plan...how are you addressing them?”
Fast Company
November 5, 2019
@bhorowitz0 for @fastcompany
“You don’t necessarily set or dictate culture, you move it. And you move it in the direction you want to go.”
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
November 3, 2019
@theworlds50best
“Our new content series that promotes equality, inclusivity and balance has kicked off with this article by Chef Dominque Crenn… Crenn has shared her blueprint to help ensure that women - and all individuals - can feel welcome and valued in workplaces across the globe.”
Attica Is the Antidote to Fine Dining Fatigue
October 23, 2019
Besha Rodell for Eater.com
“The act of translation, of revelation, was new to me. Even as someone who mined every meal for deeper meaning, I rarely found it at the fine dining table, which seemed primed only to pamper the braggadocio of the 1 percent. Here was something different…that mirrored the ambitions and accomplishments of…artists.”
A Well-Intentioned Brunch
October 2, 2019
Pelin Keskin for Eater.com
“Chaney wants to center people of color in the wellness movement...Vegan…eating is no longer just a personal health matter, but also an altruistic mission…But…the narrative…has been driven by white people of the West.”
Whose Dish Is It Anyway?
October 8, 2019
Jonathan Kauffman for Eater.com
“The courts don’t necessarily consider food intellectual property…The fact that the laws are unclear doesn’t keep young cooks from encountering contracts they have to sign…and recipes they’re required to share…the best way to claim stake to their most popular dishes may be to declare ownership early and often.”
There Will be No Restaurant Awards Ceremony in 2020
October 22, 2019
Monica Burton for Eater.com
“A new TV format is in the works for the awards which were billed as a more “inclusive” reflection of the restaurant industry.”
Harvard Business Review
September 30, 2019
@harvard_business_review
“What year do you think we will reach gender parity in the U.S.? According to the World Economic Forum, it will take more than 200 years…Melinda Gates proposes a three-part strategy to accelerate women’s access to power and influence — all by 2030.”
Waste not, want not - It’s time we get serious about food waste
September 29, 2019
Ameerah Husna Zaki for NewStraitsTimes.com
“…49 per cent of waste in landfills is made up of organic food waste...Food waste releases methane gas…there’s much that we can do to be a part of the solution towards the food waste problem that the world is experiencing.”
Respecting Non-Formal Culinary Education Is One Way to Empower Women Chefs of Color
September 27, 2019
Muriel Vega for Eater.com
“‘It’s important to begin to demystify these ideas behind our current way of understanding and knowing food…We’re challenging colonial models that have been established through formal culinary institutions as the only way to achieve...’”
Climate crisis seen as ‘most important issue’ by public, poll shows
September 18, 2019
Matthew Taylor for TheGuardian.com
“…climate breakdown is the most important issue facing the world, ahead of migration, terrorism, and the global economy, in seven out of eight countries surveyed.”
Bridging the Gap Between Food Waste and Hunger, One Apron at a Time
September 24, 2019
Adi Tzadok for BtheChange.com
“By using eco-friendly fabrics, providing work to marginalized women, and redistributing food waste to feed the hungry, Sanghavi is a driving force for good while improving the Cooks Who Feed bottom line.”
French chef sues Michelin guide, accusing them of cheese mix-up
September 24, 2019
TheGuardian.com
“The celebrity French chef…plunged…into depression, and later demanded…he be removed from the vaunted red guides…The intense strains of reaching cooking’s highest spheres - and the financial effects of losing Michelin stars - have been highlighted in recent years by the suicides of several top chefs.”
‘Can’t I just say it’s tasty?’ Why food critics go too far
September 18, 2019
Zoe Williams for TheGuardian.com
“The problem is not that you run out of words for the best of it, nor that you take no demonic enjoyment from having unearthed the worst…The problem is the smörgåsbord of food that is just tasty.”
The Restaurant Trends You’ll Be Seeing This Fall
September 6, 2019
Martha Daniel for Eater.com
“…a few noteworthy patterns: The fall of the power duo; America’s still fixated on French cuisine; and Big-time chefs are branching out and getting more casual.”
Why Young Black Chefs Need Black Mentors
September 5, 2019
Angela Burke for Eater.com
“In an industry where only 17 percent of chefs nationwide are black...mentorship may be directly correlated to achieving expertise…and ongoing career advancement.”
Your Yelp Results Will, Like Everything Else, Now Be Determined by an Algorithm
August 27, 2019
Jaya Saxena for Eater.com
“…Yelp is rolling out a new version of its app that’ll sort your search results based on what it’s determined you want to see, based on information you’ve provided.”
Prince Harry Launches Sustainable Travel Initiative with TripAdvisor, Booking.com
September 3, 2019
Rosie Spinks for Skift.com
“...a focus of the initiative will be to make sustainable travel options easier...71% of travelers…believe companies should offer more sustainable travel choices.”
Top 10 Ideas That Show Business Roundtable CEOs How To Create Value For All Stakeholders
September 4, 2019
Jay Coen Gilbert for Forbes.com
“We are in the process of putting into practice a new social contract between business and society.”
Inside the Weird World of Restaurant Critics
August 23, 2019
Martha Daniel for Eater.com
“We’re not inspectors; we’re storytellers. And we find interesting stories that we then can connect to people. And we like to place a restaurant within the cultural framework of the city.”
Jamie Oliver to create ethical ‘B Corp’ from remnants of his empire
August 22, 2019
Zoe Wood for TheGuardian.com
“The former Naked Chef sees it as a way to knit his campaigning on issues such as childhood obesity and animal welfare into the fabric of the business...”
‘Molecular Coffee’ Startup Atomo Coffee Receives $2.6 Million Seed
August 14, 2019
Nick Brown for DailyCoffeeNews.com
“Atomo…is more consistent and more sustainable than current commercial coffee.”
World Central Kitchen
August 6, 2019
@chefjoseandres for @wckitchen
“We are in this world for a reason. We can be passive, observant, of what’s happening. Or we can be people who decide to say, I have to be part of the solution, and I’m going to do something about it. Food is an amazing mechanism to change society because it touches everything and everyone.”
Super Sad True Chef Story
August 12, 2019
Samuel Ashworth for Eater.com
“...the young, classically trained chefs...see the end of French supremacy not as an existential threat but as a liberation...“We are at a moment of unleashing.”
The restaurant that teaches homeless people to barbecue with the best
August 14, 2019
Felicity Cloake for TheGuardian.com
“Beyond Food...uses food as a catalyst for change, hoping to break the cycle of poverty, homelessness and unemployment.”