2023

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Disgraced Chef Mario Batali Teases a Comeback on Instagram

EATER

Scott Eisen/Getty Images He’s in his “virtual events” era, apparently After a nearly six-year social media hiatus, disgraced chef Mario Batali is officially back on Instagram. The chef made his comeback to the platform on October 21, complete with a slightly blurry photo of red-sauced pasta and a cryptic announcement: “Mario Batali virtual events coming soon.

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Beef prices are soaring. It won't get better anytime soon

Restaurant Business

With beef inflation expected to stick around for the next few years, steakhouses and meat-focused concepts are creating strategies to manage sourcing and the menu. It's all about being flexible.

Pricing 123
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What’s the future for espresso?

Perfect Daily Grind

It is impossible to deny just how popular espresso is around the world. According to some sources, espresso – after water – is the second most consumed beverage in Italy. Moreover, in the fall edition of its National Coffee Data Trends report, the National Coffee Association states the second most popular specialty coffee beverage in the US is espresso , behind the latte.

Beverage 201
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No One Has What It Takes to Lead Margaritaville

EATER

The exterior of the Margaritaville Resort Times Square. | Clay Williams/Eater Who among us can “work in a constant state of alertness”? Ah, Margaritaville Times Square , a land of contrasts. A beacon of beach chill in the middle of New York’s most upsettingly busy neighborhood. A place with terrible food and surprisingly good cocktails. A place that has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice in an attempt to refinance $309 million in debt , raising the question, “If Margaritaville is foreclosed,

Hiring 137
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Optimize Restaurant Operations With the Right Payroll & HCM Services

Running a restaurant involves juggling numerous tasks, but payroll and HR shouldn’t add to the stress. Our guide, "A Buyer’s Guide to Payroll & HCM Services," is tailored for the restaurant industry to help you choose the best provider. Efficient payroll services ensure timely, accurate payments, crucial for maintaining staff morale. Compliance support helps navigate labor laws and avoid costly fines.

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How Butter Beans Went From Gross to Glamorous

EATER

Lille Allen | Eater The unlikely “it” bean of 2023 has had a meteoric rise, thanks largely to vegan and vegetarian influencers who are embracing it as a main character, not a forgettable side dish About six months ago, I started noticing food influencers on TikTok going gaga over butter beans. As an omnivore who loves meat and whose husband leans vegetarian, I often rely on TikTok for recipe inspiration, so the idea of substituting animal protein with beans wasn’t new or shocking.

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Domino's regains its momentum

Restaurant Business

The pizza chain is regaining delivery customers as profitability improves, thanks to better operations, staffing and higher prices. It is now focused on accelerating growth worldwide.

Delivery 125

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Is Your Restaurant AI the Real Deal? Here Are Five Questions to Ask Vendors

Modern Restaurant Management

The restaurant industry is undergoing a technology renaissance. Everywhere you care to look, AI and automation can be found taking on critical roles and supporting restaurants, bars, cafes, and coffee shops still battling against labor shortages and rising inflation. Robots are helping with food prep and even serving dine-in customers. Data-driven analytics tools are allowing restaurants to optimize pricing and personalize menu options.

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Pumpkin or sweet potato pie? There's a rich history behind both

The Salt

The two desserts have similarities — both are orange, sweet, and have a bit of spice — but they have distinct histories that have led to dedicated followings. (Image credit: Tristen Rouse/St.

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MRM EXCLUSIVE: Consumer Data Analytics Reveal Dining Patterns to Attract Customers 

Modern Restaurant Management

The last few years have not been easy for several key industries in the U.S., including restaurants. According to CNN, there are fewer U.S. restaurants today than in 2019 and it is not clear when —if ever — they’re coming back. In 2022, there were about 631,000 restaurants in the United States. That’s roughly 72,000 fewer than in 2019.

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Clarissa Wei Knows All Too Well That Food Is Political

EATER

An Rong Xu /Eater In her debut cookbook, ‘Made in Taiwan,’ the journalist uses recipes to tell the story of the island’s people, and take a stand on its sovereignty “I’m not a food influencer or a professional chef,” Clarissa Wei says. “A lot of people are really good at coming up with gorgeous new recipes that no one has ever seen before. That’s not my strong suit at all.

Food 144
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HR in 2025: Insights & Predictions

What type of worker is most engaged—hybrid, remote, or onsite? What are the drivers of effective leadership? What does the C-suite think HR is most responsible for? And why is a wave of HR resignations more likely in the next 12 months? Get our annual survey report to find out: The #1 challenge of recruiting & hiring Why remote teams are struggling What are the drivers of effective (and ineffective) leadership And lots more!

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Starbucks Workers United’s Red Cup Rebellion, Explained

EATER

Red Cup Rebellion 2022 | Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images Starbucks workers are striking again on Red Cup Day, and this year more people are getting involved Red Cup Day, the day Starbucks releases its collectible holiday cups, is one of the company’s most profitable. But last year, Starbucks Workers United used the occasion to draw attention to its ongoing fight for unionization.

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What We Lost in the Lahaina Fire

EATER

Lille Allen/Eater The fire razed Maui’s densest dining town, destroying the fifth-generation-owned Nagasako Okazuya Deli, Maui’s oldest dive bar, the pickle mango stand on Front Street, and so much more Throughout its centuries-long history, Lahaina has been many things to many people: a royal residence, a missionary post, a hard-partying harbor town, a tourist trap.

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Feast on Sushi, Steak, and Globalization at Iraq’s American-Themed Buffet

EATER

Inspired by a Florida Golden Corral, developed in the Netherlands, and imported to Kurdistan, ABC Restaurant features an assortment of global cuisines all filtered through the semi-autonomous region’s relationship with the U.S. Every Friday at dinner time, a spry-looking Uncle Sam — stovepipe hat, stars-and-stripes suit, surprisingly brown beard — dances his way around the 11 sprawling buffet stations of ABC Restaurant.

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The Many Causes and Effects of Keith Lee

EATER

Lille Allen | Eater Known to 15 million TikTok followers for his candid restaurant reviews and multi-thousand-dollar tips, here’s how the MMA-fighter-turned-social-media-phenomenon became the voice of a generation of diners There is no shortage of food opinions online. (Hi, you’re on Eater.) But over the past year, Keith Lee has emerged as the voice millions of people turn to for their restaurant recommendations.

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New DOL Final Overtime Rules: Quickstart Guide for Employers

There’s a new overtime salary threshold that will impact employers across the country. If you have an employee making less than $43,888 on July 1 or less than $58,656 on January 1, you’re going to have to start paying overtime. Download Paycor’s guide to learn: Which groups of employees are affected? How should you classify employees? Best ways to mitigate risk.

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Clarkisha Kent Isn’t Afraid of a Changing Body

EATER

In her memoir “Fat Off, Fat On: A Big B h Manifesto,” the author navigates fatphobia, ableism, and the good intentions that can fuel social inequalities Listen to this article Very early in Fat Off, Fat On: A Big B h Manifesto , cultural critic Clarkisha Kent’s new memoir unpacking how fatphobia, disability, and other social issues intersect, Kent makes her most salient identities known: She is a dark-skinned, first-generation, Nigerian American, bisexual, disabled woman.

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Confessions of a Tableside Flambéur

EATER

Lille Allen/Eater A former fine dining server dishes on how the flambé, a dying convention of French haute cuisine, became the ultimate tableside flex I can feel sweat soaking through the armpits of my $5,000 Tom Ford suit and a nagging itch along the starched collar of my custom-fitted tuxedo shirt. Even though I’m working at one of the most popular restaurants in New York City, I’m dressed better than most of the men in the dining room.

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The Kikkoman Soy Sauce Bottle Is Priceless

EATER

The Kikkoman soy sauce bottle in its many iterations. | Photos by Nippon & Co, lottaocean , modemedia , and irokk. Photo illustration by Lille Allen Special releases of the iconic soy sauce bottle can fetch hundreds of dollars online, especially among Americans, who have formed a deep relationship with the Japanese brand It’s a shape so ubiquitous it’s become nearly invisible: an easy-to-grip, pear-shaped glass bodice planted on a sturdy base, a tapered neck swooping up to a red cap, and mos

Design 134
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Finding Joy in the Garden

EATER

My first experience of gardening was a lesson in scarcity and sustenance. Returning to it years later, as an adult with a connective tissue disorder, I would also discover the joy. The summer stretched long and hot in southeastern Ohio, where the Appalachian hills begin their climb. The dirt road painted everything white with dust; a drought had hit us early and promised to cling late.

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Join Full Course Navigator: Your Path to Professional Growth in Restaurant Leadership

Full Course Foundation is dedicated to nurturing excellence in restaurant leadership. Our Navigator program offers a wide range of resources tailored for professional growth. From high-quality training to personalized coaching, Navigator equips restaurant leaders with the tools they need to thrive in their careers. Unlock your potential with three months FREE access to Navigator by Full Course!

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In ‘Les Troisgros,’ a Restaurant Documentary That’s Well Worth Watching

EATER

Zipporah Films In “Menus-Plaisirs — Les Troisgros,” Frederick Wiseman turns his attention to fine dining at three-Michelin-starred restaurant Troisgros None of the cinematic tropes that have come to define today’s food documentaries — sweeping pans, glistening surfaces, a climactic symphony of strings — are present in Menus-Plaisirs — Les Troisgros , a spellbinding new four-hour documentary about the three-starred Michelin restaurant Troisgros.

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The Next Era of American Fine Dining Is Here, Care of West Africa

EATER

Photos: Teranga, Dept of Culture, Nok by Alara | Illustration: Eater Chefs are spotlighting their culinary heritage on tasting menus, at buzzy pop-ups, and at new restaurants across the country At Dept of Culture, a soft white cheese called wara comes plated with stew — blended and cooked tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, spiced like many Nigerians prefer it.

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The Bitter Taste of ‘Not Too Sweet’

EATER

Asian Americans have claimed the phrase “not too sweet” as a defiant shorthand and a cheeky rallying cry. But is that maxim really true? The finale of every childhood family function was the same. Aunties would unveil a tray of gulab jamun and start to circulate the house, or the servers at whatever restaurant was hosting would plop a bowl on the table in front of us.

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The Best Food Books to Read This Fall

EATER

For when you want to read about food, not just eat it. | Lille Allen/Eater With these 11 works of food-focused fiction and nonfiction you won’t mind being cooped up inside as the temperatures drop As the blistering heat of summer subsides, giving way to cooler temperatures and changing leaves, there’s no better time than the present to cozy up with a good book.

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Planning Your Restaurant's Path to Profitability

Speaker: James Kahler, COO of Full Course

Ever wondered where to splurge and where to safely conserve when it comes to operating and growing your restaurant? 🤔 Join James Kahler, COO of Full Course and industry visionary, in this new webinar where he'll talk all about best practices to invest in your restaurant's success! Whether you're a new business or an established restaurant, a seasoned pro or a rookie, you'll learn the keys to sustainable success in this competitive industry.

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Why Do All Chefs Cross Their Arms in Photos?

EATER

Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a master of the crossed arms look, in 2007. | Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images A completely serious investigation of the most popular pose on restaurant websites, TV cooking shows, and photo ops Jamie Oliver does it. David Chang and Christina Tosi do it. Giada De Laurentiis and Emeril Lagasse don’t know what to do with their hands, but they’ve done it.

Magazine 140
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Another big Burger King franchisee declares bankruptcy

Restaurant Business

Meridian Restaurants Unlimited, which operates 118 Burger King restaurants in nine states out west, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, blaming a combination of low sales and soaring inflation.

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The Many Lives of Banana Ketchup

EATER

UFC is one of the many brands of banana ketchup readily available in the U.S. The condiment is a Filipino food icon and a platform for chefs to reimagine the cuisine of the Philippines “Banana ketchup was always there,” says Paolo Campbell. The chef grew up eating it with chicken and as the basis of sweet Filipino spaghetti sauce, and today he serves the condiment at the Chicken Supply, his Filipino fried chicken counter in Seattle.

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Soul Food Does Not Need Saving

EATER

Tilda Rose I thought we should “upgrade” our family’s traditional southern holiday feast. I was wrong. “This year, we should do something different ,” I said to my mother on the ride from the airport. I had just flown home to Houston to celebrate the holidays with my family after my first two years away at the University of Pennsylvania. “What should be different ?

Food 138
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Top 5 Ways to Optimize Your Loyalty Strategy

Speaker: Lauren Barash, Vice President, Brand Marketing

In an ever-evolving industry, building and retaining loyal customers is critical to the success of any restaurant business. Join Lauren Barash, VP of Brand Marketing at Full Course, as she delves into the world of restaurant loyalty programs, and reveals the top five essential strategies to optimize your approach! This webinar will explore: Loyalty trends and what you should be focusing on 📊 Actionable insights and ideas to help you develop the most powerful and effective loyalty program

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Jay Pandya, who owns Boston Market, files for personal bankruptcy

Restaurant Business

The operator of the struggling rotisserie chicken restaurant chain is also accusing US Foods of overcharging for food and keeping supplies low, leading to substitutions and closures.

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A big Burger King franchisee declares bankruptcy

Restaurant Business

TOMS King Holdings, which operates 90 locations in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, blamed the pandemic for hurting traffic and inflation for draining cash flow.

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Bonded by Masa

EATER

In my family, like many Mexican American families, the communal act of making tamales leaves us with a lot more than a Ziploc full of dinner I’m a Detroit resident now, but when I lived close to my family in California, we tried our best every year to make time for a tamalada, a holiday tamale-making gathering and culinary ritual that reconnected us to our ancestral ways of communing.

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Training for the Olympics of Cheese

EATER

A cheese plate by Courtney Johnson | Courtney Johnson After months of rigorous practice and study, Courtney Johnson and Sam Rollins are set to represent the United States at the World’s Best Cheesemonger competition this month. Courtney Johnson and Sam Rollins are currently in training. They’re meeting with a team of coaches to finesse their routines.

Training 137
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How to Design a People-First Benefits Package for Your Unique Team

Benefits are central to any HR strategy. A strong benefits package attracts top talent, boosts engagement, and retains top performers.