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OBITUARY: Emiliano Sandri: The La Perla Founder Who Brought Mediterranean Sophistication to Cape Town
Emiliano Sandri, the Italian immigrant who founded Cape Town’s iconic La Perla, died at 91 on May 14, 2026. Arriving in South Africa in 1956, he opened La Perla in 1957, introducing olive oil, pasta and Mediterranean flair to a city dominated by British‑American fare. The restaurant became a cultural hotspot, attracting global celebrities and training generations of local hospitality talent. Sandri’s contributions earned him Italy’s Cavaliere Ufficiale and reshaped South Africa’s culinary landscape.
Michelin Guide Recognizes 60+ Orlando Restaurants
The 2026 Michelin Guide Florida announced that more than 60 Orlando-area restaurants earned recognition. Sorekara retained its two‑star status, joining only one other two‑star venue in the state, while five establishments received one star. Fourteen eateries earned the Bib Gourmand...
Looking Back on a Year as Co-Chief Restaurant Critics
The New York Times appointed Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan as co‑chief restaurant critics last June, marking a shift from a single‑voice model. In their first year they reviewed establishments across more than a dozen states and introduced video reviews to the...
José Andrés Is Serving Up Wildtype’s Cultivated Salmon at His DC Cocktail Bar
Spanish‑American chef José Andrés is adding Wildtype’s FDA‑approved cultivated salmon to the menu of his Barmini cocktail lounge in Washington, DC, starting June 3. The partnership follows Andrés’s earlier rollout of Good Meat cultivated chicken at his China Chilcano restaurant, marking his second foray into...
50 Best Names Top Restaurants in North America
Chicago’s Smyth has been crowned the top restaurant in the 2026 edition of North America’s 50 Best Restaurants, capping a list that spans the United States and Canada. The ceremony in New Orleans also honored Eunji Lee of New York’s Lysée as the continent’s...
The Resy Guide to the 2026 Michelin Winners in Miami
Resy’s 2026 Michelin guide spotlights Miami’s culinary ascent, naming 22 establishments ranging from newly‑starred venues like Boia De and COTE Miami to Bib Gourmand favorites such as La Natural and Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink. The guide highlights diverse concepts—from Italian...
The Portuguese Tartlet That’s Conquering the World
Portuguese custard tart pastel de nata has moved from a Lisbon specialty to a global bakery staple. London‑based Santa Nata hit its 10 millionth sale, expanding from one shop in 2019 to six UK locations and an upcoming outlet in Hong Kong....
Your Hong Kong Weekend Food Guide for May 29-31
Hong Kong’s weekend dining scene heats up with three new experiences. Don Pedro, a 35‑seat Argentine‑inspired steakhouse in Sai Ying Pun, opened its doors on May 20 and remains walk‑in only until bookings start on June 2, featuring an exclusive malbec flight and in‑house...
The Leftover BBQ Meat That Turns Cheap Ramen Into A Gourmet Meal
Instant ramen’s low‑cost convenience is being upgraded with leftover barbecue brisket, turning a pantry staple into a protein‑rich, smoky gourmet bowl. The meat’s fat enriches broth texture while its caramelized flavor adds umami depth, rivaling traditional pork garnishes. Chefs suggest...
'This Is a Reckoning': Michael Cimarusti on Connie & Ted's Closure and the State of Restaurants
Chef Michael Cimarusti’s casual seafood spot Connie & Ted’s will shut its doors on July 1, ending a decade‑long run in West Hollywood. The closure follows a perfect storm of rising labor costs—$20.25 per hour for non‑hotel staff—soaring lobster prices that have tripled...
The Hong Kong Chefs Serving up East-West Fusion Food without the Stigma
Hong Kong’s new wave of chefs is redefining “fusion” as a refined culinary language rather than a gimmick. Chef Kasey Chan’s Amalgamate melds French technique with Hong Kong home flavors, while Antonio Au’s Ebauche translates Asian taste profiles into modern French dishes....
Eataly Launches La Piazza Dining Concept in Toronto
Eataly is rolling out a new dining concept called La Piazza in Toronto’s upscale Yorkville district. The venue will open at the chain’s Eaton Centre and Sherway Gardens locations, recreating an Italian public square with live music, surprise tastings, and...
Pipit Claims Restaurant Category at 2026 Seafood Excellence Awards
Pipit Restaurant in Pottsville captured the Restaurant Award at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Awards, held for the first time at the Sydney Seafood School within the Sydney Fish Market. The biennial ceremony recognized eight categories across the Australian seafood sector,...
Josh Emett Joins Air New Zealand as Culinary Ambassador
Air New Zealand has named Michelin‑starred chef Josh Emett its Culinary Ambassador, tasking him with creating signature dishes for the airline’s premium long‑haul cabins. The new menu, debuting in October 2026, will showcase native ingredients such as venison, kūmara, and kahawai across...
Park Hyatt Toronto Hosts Parisian Chef
Park Hyatt Toronto’s Joni Restaurant hosted Michelin‑starred French chef Jean‑François Rouquette for a two‑night Global Chef Series event, delivering a multi‑course tasting menu that blended his contemporary French style with Ontario’s seasonal produce. The collaboration is part of the hotel’s...
How to Spend a Perfect 72 Hours Eating Your Way Through New York
The guide outlines a 72‑hour culinary tour of New York, starting with classic French breakfast at Pastis in the Meatpacking District, then a High Line walk to lunch at Locanda Verde in Hudson Yards, pre‑theater cocktails at Pebble Bar near Rockefeller Center,...
This Type Of Fish At A Sushi Restaurant Signals A Bright Red Flag
Head sushi chef Akar Win of the Uchi restaurant chain warns diners that a menu simply labeled “white fish” is often a euphemism for escolar, a fatty, oil‑rich fish sometimes marketed as “fake tuna.” Escolar contains indigestible wax esters that...
The Best Mexican Restaurant In Florida Holds 2 Different Types Of Michelin Stars
Los Félix, a Mexican restaurant in Miami's Coconut Grove, has earned both a Michelin Green Star for sustainability and a traditional Michelin Star for culinary excellence. Founded in 2021 by Grassfed Culture Hospitality, the venue showcases a rotating menu built...
This Is The Only Burger Seasoning Blend You'll Ever Need
Burlap & Barrel’s Umami Steak Seasoning is being promoted as the definitive burger seasoning, despite being formulated for steaks. The blend combines granulated garlic, shallots, sea salt, Urfa chile, dual peppercorns, smoked paprika and Vietnamese coriander, delivering a layered umami...
Restaurant Review: Tavern, East London
Tavern, a new British bistro on Old Street, is the latest venture from the team behind Michelin‑starred St Barts. The restaurant centers on whole‑animal butchery and inventive takes on classic British flavors, with dishes like pork‑cuttlefish sausage and a black koji...
Spanish Chefs and Culinary Experts Bring Premium Gastronomy to Manila
Spain Fusion: The Premium Experience, hosted at The Westin Manila on April 20, gathered top Spanish chefs, including Albert Adrià and Ricard Camarena, alongside local talent Chele González. Organized by Vocento Gastronomía and backed by Foods and Wines from Spain,...
Review: This New Dublin 8 Spot Is Now My Favourite Restaurant
The Irish Times’ food columnist Corinna Hardgrave names Mongoose, a new restaurant on Thomas Street in Dublin 8, her favourite dining spot. Chef‑owner Keelan Higgs delivers phenomenally crafted pasta using seasonal Irish produce, showcasing a blend of modern technique and classic...
The 10 Best New Restaurants in the D.C. Area
Washington Post food critic Elazar Sontag lists the ten most notable restaurants that opened in the D.C. area over the past year, ranging from French brasseries to modern Nikkei concepts. The list highlights Rye Bunny, a counter‑service offshoot of Michelin‑starred Tail...
South Australia Welcomes Michelin Guide for 2027
The Michelin Guide announced its first foray into Australia with the South Australia 2027 edition, slated for release in October 2026. Inspectors have been touring the state’s coastal, wine‑country, and inland venues to assess culinary talent. International Director Gwendal Poullennec...
Not The Oven, Not The Grill: Prime Rib Is Melt-In-Your-Mouth Tender When You Cook It Like This
A new recipe shows how to make prime rib in an Instant Pot, delivering melt‑in‑your‑mouth tenderness in about 90 minutes. The method sears the roast in butter, pressure‑cooks with red wine and beef stock, then rests and finishes with a...
Peppered Pork Cutlets with Mustard Crème and Pickled Cabbage
Peppered pork cutlets are paired with a bright mustard crème and quick‑pickled red cabbage and beetroot. Sweet potato fries, tossed in garlic‑thyme oil, roast until golden, adding a crunchy, fiber‑rich side. The pork is marinated in peppercorn‑infused oil, then seared...
Eight Australian Restaurants Earn Mexican Seal of Authenticity
Eight Australian restaurants have been awarded Mexico’s Sello M seal, the first such certification in the country. The seal, administered by Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and the Academia Mexicana de Gastronomía, confirms that the venues serve authentic Mexican dishes using...
Judges Complete Nominations Ahead of The Top 50 Gastropub Awards
Hospitality and Australian Hotelier have completed the judging panel for the inaugural Top 50 Gastropub Awards, a new initiative that will honor Australia’s best food‑focused pubs. Seventeen senior chefs, CEOs and hospitality directors, including Oliver Brown and Siobhan Needham, have submitted...
The Reason Rotisserie Chicken Can Look Pink (Even When It's Not Undercooked)
Rotisserie chickens often appear pink even when fully cooked, a phenomenon explained by the birds’ young age, gas‑fired cooking methods, and brine injections that preserve pink‑colored pigments. USDA guidelines state that safely cooked poultry can range from white to pink,...
This Canned Soup Gives Pot Roast A Rich, Silky Texture
Canned tomato soup is being championed as a shortcut that transforms pot roast texture and flavor. A single 10‑ounce can provides enough velvety, acidic liquid to tenderize an eight‑serving roast while adding a subtle sweetness. The article advises using chunky,...
Odd Culture Group Reveals First Look at CBD Osteria Bar Bruno
Odd Culture Group is set to launch Bar Bruno, its second central Sydney venue, on 21 May. Located above the Razz Room in the CBD, the all‑day osteria blends coffee and pastries in the morning with an à la carte...
France’s Next Dining Revolution Might Start Before Lunch
The article reports that the traditional Lyonnais mâchon—a hearty, communal meal served between breakfast and lunch—is being introduced at London’s Bouchon Racine, positioning it as a cultural alternative to the generic brunch. Chefs such as Henry Harris and the La...
Melbourne’s The Atlantic to Close with New Iteration Pending
Melbourne’s flagship seafood restaurant The Atlantic will close its Crown venue on 27 May, ending a 15‑year run at the 220‑seat location. Founder Hatem Saleh announced plans for a new iteration in a different destination, promising to retain the brand’s...
Asheville's 5 Best Breweries For Food, According To A Local
Asheville, North Carolina, dubbed “Beer City, USA,” boasts one of the highest brewery densities in the U.S. A local author highlights five breweries that excel both in craft beer and kitchen fare. Burial Beer, Asheville Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada’s Mills...
The Menu Feature That Signals A Quality Seafood Restaurant
Executive chef Alan Gosker warns that an overly extensive seafood menu often signals compromised quality. He argues that sourcing many species fresh is logistically difficult, leading restaurants to rely on frozen products. A concise menu focused on a few species...
Is It A Brewery Or A Brewpub? Here's The Difference
A brewery primarily produces beer for distribution, often offering a taproom or occasional food trucks, while a brewpub pairs brewing with a full restaurant menu and must sell at least 25% of its beer on‑premises. Both operate their own brewing...
Yes, There Was Fast Food In Medieval Times, But It Looked A Bit Different
The article reveals that medieval Europe hosted “cook shops,” early fast‑food venues that catered to laborers with cheap, ready‑to‑eat pies and meat‑filled breads. Unlike today’s kitchen‑based homes, most workers ate out, and these stalls operated late and offered the option...
MenuMasters Winning Chef Grant Achatz Reflects on a Career of Constant Innovation
Grant Achatz, the chef behind Chicago’s three‑star Alinea, reflects on a career defined by relentless innovation, mentorship, and personal resilience. After early stints with Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, and a stage at elBulli, he launched Alinea in 2004, later adding the...
What Makes Denver's Mexican Hamburger So Special
Denver’s Mexican hamburger is a regional twist on the classic burger, swapping a traditional bun for a large flour tortilla and layering refried beans, a thin well‑done patty, cheese, and Colorado’s signature green‑chili sauce. The dish traces its roots to...
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Piragua De Crema (Puerto Rican Shaved Ice)
Chef Danny Garcia introduces Piragua de Crema, a creamy Puerto Rican shaved‑ice dessert that blends mango, lime, evaporated and condensed milk over fine, fluffy ice. The recipe transforms a traditional street snack into a spoonable, dessert‑like offering suitable for upscale...
Giada De Laurentiis Gives Her Pesto A Creamy Twist With 2 Tasty Swaps
Giada De Laurentiis unveiled a creamy white pesto that swaps basil and pine nuts for ricotta and toasted walnuts. The sauce blends ricotta, walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, salt and lemon zest, delivering an Alfredo‑like richness. She advises using whole‑milk...
Why Your Baked Potatoes Always Explode In The Oven
Baked potatoes can explode because their 80% water content turns to steam, building pressure against a thick, non‑porous skin. The risk exists in ovens and especially microwaves, where heat is applied rapidly. Simple prep steps—piercing the tuber with a fork...
Julia Child's Pantyhose Method For Storing Onions Honestly Makes So Much Sense
Julia Child’s quirky pantyhose hack offers a low‑cost way to keep onions fresh for weeks. By threading individual onions through a leg of hosiery and tying knots between them, the mesh promotes airflow while preventing the bulbs from touching. The...
The Best New York City Neighborhoods for Restaurants
The New York Times critic highlights three NYC neighborhoods where restaurants are redefining the city’s culinary map. In Queens, Elmhurst’s dense corridor of Thai, Indonesian and Taiwanese spots includes three eateries on the paper’s 100‑best list and a $15 banana‑leaf lunch at...
The Rat Pack Was Enamored With This Old-School Cocktail
The Rat Pack—Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and their peers—made the Rusty Nail, a mix of Scotch and Drambuie, a cultural icon. While the cocktail’s exact origins are murky, the group’s frequent ordering turned it into a staple of mid‑century lounge...
A List of 100 Best Restaurants? For These Marathon Eaters, It’s a Dare.
Jewelry designer Ellen Hunter set out in 2017 to eat at every Michelin‑starred restaurant in New York City, a list that then numbered 72. She completed the challenge in two years and now tracks each new star addition annually, documenting...
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Meet Kasundi, Bengal’s 'Queen of Pickles'
Kasundi, Bengal’s famed fermented mustard pickle, blends mustard seeds, salt, mango and a host of spices into a thick, fiery condiment. Historically a household‑crafted luxury reserved for elite Bengali kitchens, it embodies regional identity and culinary tradition. Modern urban living...
Meet the Wine Entrepreneur Working to Diversify Cape Town’s Wine Scene
Lindile Ndzaba founded Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines (KFW) in 2018 to bring premium, township‑sourced blends to Cape Town’s wine scene. By partnering with established vineyards in Stellenbosch, KFW creates expressive labels that feature a map of Khayelitsha, making the community visible...
Fortnum & Mason Is Opening a ‘Biscuitorium’ This Week – What You Need to Know About the Immersive Biscuit Paradise
Fortnum & Mason is unveiling a 200 sqm “Biscuitorium” on its Piccadilly mezzanine on May 14, featuring 70 biscuit flavours and an interactive library that categorises treats by taste, texture and tea pairing. Executive pastry chef Roger Pizey has crafted an exclusive...
This Legendary New York Bakery (Which Featured in ‘Sex and the City’) Is Coming to London
Magnolia Bakery, the New York institution famed for its pink cupcakes on “Sex and the City,” is launching a three‑week pop‑up in London. The kiosk will sit inside Café Ciel at The OWO in the Grand Courtyard of Raffles London,...