Food news antipasto

Michelin suspended its star ratings in 2020 due to the pandemic, but it is back in the business of grading restaurants again this year. This week Michelin announced the latest restaurants in the UK and Ireland that earned the coveted three-star rating, and both restaurants are helmed by female chefs. Hélène Darroze at the Connaught and Core by Clare Smyth join existing three star establishments Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Fat Duck, Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) and Waterside Inn.

We now pivot from fine dining to fast food. A recently filed lawsuit alleges that the Subway sandwich chain’s tuna salad does not, in fact, contain tuna. The plaintiffs say they have analyzed the salad and found that it was not tuna – but they are mum about what they found instead. This lack of candor raises questions about the veracity of the claims, which Subway vehemently denies. You might say there is something fishy about the lawsuit.

If you are a fan of Bravo’s Top Chef, you might be familiar Eric Adjepong, a finalist in Season 16 and a contestant in Top Chef All Stars. We just found out that he is not only writing a cookbook set for release in 2022, but is concurrently working on a second book as well. Sankofa, the chef’s upcoming cookbook with Clarkson Potter, is a collaboration with food writer Korsha Wilson that will “focus on the lasting impact of the transatlantic slave trade on the food of the Southern U.S., Caribbean, and South America.” The second book is a children’s book that will explore similar themes.

Since the pandemic began and lockdowns of varying degrees forced many of us to cook more than ever before, a few food items have captured the attention of millions of people. First it was banana bread, then Dalgona coffee, then sourdough. With yet another stringent lockdown happening now in the UK as well as Perth, it’s time for a new obsession. One prediction for the next ‘it’ food: marmalade. The Independent’s Sophie Gallagher and Emily Cope give you tips and recipes to help you make the perfect spread.

Photo of Seville orange marmalade from Room For Dessert by David Lebovitz