Food news antipasto

Last year the 2020 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF) had to quickly pivot to an online format due to the coronavirus outbreak. Despite a recent scare with a snap five-day lockdown, the 2021 MFWF will happen in person, from March 12 to 31. Head over to Australian Gourmet Traveller to learn more about the event. Many of the festival’s events are already sold out although a few tickets remain for others – but you best hurry if you want to participate.

Restaurants are still struggling with reduced seating capacity in many areas. One NYC establishment, Peter Luger Steak House, has come up with a novel concept to make its dining room feel more complete. It has partnered with Madame Tussauds New York wax museum to put wax figures at tables throughout the restaurant. Wax figures of Audrey Hepburn’s character Holly Golightly from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, and Jon Hamm as Don Draper in “Mad Men” were on hand to greet customers.

Kwame Onwuachi is a juggernaut in the culinary world. His memoir Notes from a Young Black Chef was a huge success, his Washington DC restaurant Kith/Kin earned him a James Beard Award, and he appeared on Top Chef as a contestant and is returning to season 18 as a judge. His latest venture is joining Food & Wine as an executive producer. F&W announced that Onwuachi will host cooking demonstrations and events at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and will also serve in a new role as F&W Pro ambassador to the hospitality industry. He is taking on additional projects at F&W in this new position.

Many chefs have been idled during the pandemic. Some have turned to takeaway or meal kits to keep their restaurants afloat, although others have been sidelined altogether. In either case, most have now had to cook at home more than ever before. So what do Michelin-starred chefs make for themselves and their families? The Independent checks in on three such UK chefs to see what they have been cooking at home.

Chile crisp is the “it” condiment of the moment. There are dozens of varieties available, all offering different levels of heat and flavor profiles. If you are dipping your toes into the chile crisp waters or are an aficionado of the spicy condiment, you might want to check out James Park’s Ultimate Guide to Chile Crisp over at Eater. He divides chile crisp into two main types – crispier and oilier – and describes several brands under each heading.

Photo of Homemade spicy chili crisp from Serious Eats