Miscellaneous

🍷 Since 2000, China experienced rapid industrialization, leading to urbanization and a large urban middle-class consumer base. This group drove domestic and international investments. As incomes increased, wine consumption became popular, but it has since declined sharply, prompting traditional wine producers to seek new markets.

🥤 Summer 2025, India: Temperatures soar over 40°C, marking peak sales for soft drinks. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo dominate, but Reliance Consumer's Campa Cola challenges, aiming to shift the market from a duopoly to an oligopoly. April to early June are crucial months, traditionally boosting sales of water, carbonates, and nectars.

📱 Finnish national airline Finnair, in May 2025, introduced ancillary combos, becoming the world’s first airline to offer bundled services. Initially available in limited European markets, these include seat selection and internet access, with plans for more combinations. This innovation follows their transition to native orders, enhancing customer experience by consolidating all booking details into a single record. Finnair aims to improve personalization and pricing through this digital transformation.

🍴 Bret Thorn has been the senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and joined Restaurant Hospitality in 2016. He won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award for his column in Nation’s Restaurant News. Thorn holds a BA in history from Tufts University (1990) and a culinary certificate from Le Cordon Bleu (1986). He has authored entries for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (2012) and Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets (2015).

🍴 Bret Thorn is the Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, with a podcast, "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn." He’s been with Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, covering food trends. A Tufts University graduate and Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, Thorn has extensive experience, including a column for The New York Sun (2005-2008). He was inducted into the Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014 and has authored entries for notable food encyclopedias.

🍴 Nobu Matsuhisa opened his first restaurant in New York's Tribeca in 1994. Over 31 years, his empire has expanded globally, including places like London, Las Vegas, and Malibu. Nobu Dallas, opened in 2005, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Matsuhisa emphasizes strategic partnerships and market choices, and embraces local cultures. Training and consistency enable his restaurants to thrive. He advises against hasty expansion, advocating step-by-step growth with a focus on efficiency and replicable processes.

📐 Duravit and sieger design have maintained a partnership since 1985, spanning over 40 years and resulting in over 25 collaborative projects. The acclaimed "Giamo" bathroom range debuted in 1987, followed by the enduring Happy D. range in 1999. Christian and Michael Sieger continued their father's legacy from 2003. In 2025, they unveiled a revamped D-Code line at ISH, emphasizing functionality and timeless design. Duravit CEO Stephan Tahy highlighted their shared values of long-lasting, accessible design.

🏨 Haunted Hotel, an animated comedy series on Netflix, climbed into the top 10 most-watched shows by the week ending September 21. Created by Rick & Morty writer Matt Roller, it features Katherine (voiced by Eliza Coupe), a single mother managing a haunted hotel with her ghost brother Nathan (Will Forte) and a demon. Rated TV-14, it's intended for older audiences compared to Gravity Falls, offering a humorous take on the supernatural with a stellar comedic voice cast.

🍽 North America's 50 Best Restaurants were revealed on September 25 at Wynn Las Vegas, with Atomix in NYC topping the list. New York City dominated, featuring 13 restaurants. The top five included Atomix, Mon Lapin (Montréal), Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Ontario), Smyth (Chicago), and Tanière3 (Québec City). Awards included the Sustainable Restaurant Award to SingleThread (California) and the Resy One to Watch Award to Ladder 4 (Detroit). Voting involved a 300-member academy of experts.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News, has been with the publication since 1999 and joined Restaurant Hospitality in 2016. A Tufts University graduate, he studied at Le Cordon Bleu and in China. Thorn's career highlights include writing for The New York Sun (2005-2008), winning the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, and serving as IFEC president in 2005. He also contributed to the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012) and Oxford Companion (2015). Thorn resides in Brooklyn.