Market Trends

🥗 Patatas bravas, a traditional Spanish dish, is becoming popular in the U.S. with 75% of the population familiar with it and 45% having tried it. The dish appears on 0.5% of U.S. restaurant menus, marking a 10% increase in the last four years. Its popularity is especially high among Asian and Hispanic consumers. It's commonly seen in independent and fine dining establishments, showcasing global flavors and comfort food appeal.

🏠 Archipelago's Aston Hotel & Residences to open in Madinah's Knowledge Economic City (KEC) by 2027, featuring 519 hotel rooms and 130 serviced residences. Located near Haramain High-Speed Rail Station, the development aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's Pilgrim Experience and Quality of Life Programs. Archipelago, with 55,000 rooms across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, also plans two hotels in Makkah for 2026. KEC will contribute 18,000+ hotel rooms to Madinah, supporting Saudi's tourism under Vision 2030.

🍳 Eleanor Bardon, 21, former psychology student at University of Leeds, shifts career to hospitality by joining English Lakes Hotels Culinary Academy's apprenticeship at Wild Boar Estate near Windermere. The training program partners with Kendal College offering Level 2 Commis Chef and Level 3 Chef de Partie qualifications. Bardon enjoys the team environment and living on the estate's 72-acre woodland, engaging in hiking and photography. English Lakes Hotels is hiring for various positions.

🍺 Launched in April, Restaurant Hospitality's podcast 'Menu Talk' collaborates with Restaurant Business, featuring weekly episodes with senior editors Bret Thorn and Pat Cobe. Based in New York City, over 30 episodes have aired, discussing foodie adventures, industry events like Menu Directions and the James Beard Awards, and interviewing chefs such as Pepe Moncayo. Listeners can subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday throughout 2025.

🍽 Rake, after an incubation at The Gun in Hackney, starts a long-term residency at The Compton Arms, Highbury on January 9, 2025. Three chefs with 30 years combined experience, formerly of Quo Vadis and BRAT, focus on British cookery, whole beast butchery, and sustainable Cornish fish. The menu features British classics with a twist like the braised squid beef and ale pie. On Arsenal match days, a Cumberland sausage hotdog is served. Sundays offer roasts with traditional sides and British desserts like Treacle tart.