Food news antipasto

Several highly acclaimed US chefs are launching new restaurants in 2026. Brian Lockwood, formerly of NYC’s Eleven Madison Park and a consultant for FX’s The Bear, is opening Gingie in Chicago, which will feature a casual menu with refined technique, writes Kate Kassin. Kwame Onwuachi, whose Caribbean restaurants in New York and DC have earned him high praise, is heading west to Las Vegas, where he will open a new establishment called Maroon. Philadelphia’s Greg Vernick is opening a trattoria called Emilia in East Kensington-Fishtown.

From high-end restaurants to contestants on the Great British Bake Off, people love putting edible gold and silver decorations on food. Since neither metal imparts any flavor to a dish, why is the practice so common? Taste Cooking dives into the details, explaining the appeal – and risks – of adding metallic accents to food. In the past, people believe the metals possessed medicinal properties, and one of the risks is that there are many imitation materials that look like gold and silver but are instead made with potentially toxic ingredients.

What’s the best food city in the world? According to Trip Advisor, it’s London. “From Shoreditch’s swaggering style to Camden’s punky vibe and chic Portobello Road, London is many worlds in one,” said the TripAdvisor announcement. London is followed by Dubai in second place and Rome taking the third spot on the list. Paris, which is often atop such rankings, landed in fifth place. No U.S. or Australian cities made the top ten.

If you are bored with your usual vacation spot, a new one might be opening up to pique your interest. A startup has just began taking deposits for a stay in a hotel on the moon. For a deposit starting at $250,000, you can reserve space in a hotel that GRU Space is planning to build in about six years. This is an ambitious goal considering GRU Space only has one full time employee besides its founder, Skyler Chan, who is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley. I think I’ll wait for the reviews to come in from the first travelers before plunking down any money.

Many people have saving money as part of their new year goals, especially when it comes to food as inflation keeps nicking at the food budget. The creator of Bored of Lunch, Nathan Anthony, offers simple meal planning rules that can help you save money AND eat better. Even if you can’t plan for the entire week, organizing for two or three days’ worth of meals can make a big difference, says Anthony.

Have you ever enjoyed a bottle of wine at a restaurant and purchased the same wine later at a liquor store, only to be disappointed in it? You aren’t alone, and there are several reasons why wine often tastes better at a restaurant, says Food & Wine’s Hannah Howard. Food pairings, storage conditions, and even ambience all play a role in how the wine will be perceived by your taste buds and your brain.

Please note a few author’s book tours have been extended or added to our Calendar:

• Sana Javeri Kadri and Asha Loupy – The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook
• Natasha Pickowicz – Everyone Hot Pot
• Polina Chesnakova – Chesnok

Lastly, a few posts you may have missed:

• Are French fries actually French?
• Sales have lost their luster