Miscellaneous

🍵 Le Cordon Bleu's CORD Café launches its first Afternoon Tea in London on Fleet Street near St Paul’s Cathedral. Available Monday to Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm, each tea costs £28 per person with unlimited small-batch tea or £42 with a glass of sparkling wine. The menu features sweet treats, savory bites, and traditional scones. The café, celebrated for over 130 years of culinary excellence, offers a luxurious, accessible experience for tourists and city workers.

🎤 Gen Z and Millennials attending concerts show distinct behaviors: 51% of Millennials stay for the encore, while 39% of Gen Z leave early. The next day, 56% of Millennials feel tired, contrasting with 41% of refreshed Gen Z. Holiday Inn Express offers Fresh or Fried packages at check-in in the UK and Ireland, featuring items like caffeinated gum and earplugs. This initiative, highlighting generational differences, partners with AJ Odudu and Will Best.

🍳 Bret Thorn, a senior food & beverage editor since 1999, is noted for his expertise in food trends, French and Asian cuisines, and restaurant operations. He holds a history degree from Tufts University, studied at Le Cordon Bleu, and spent time at Nanjing and Beijing Universities. His career includes roles at Nation’s Restaurant News, The New York Sun, and Asia Times. Thorn's accolades include a 2006 journalism award and induction into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014.

🍝 Bret Thorn, senior editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, is a prominent figure in food and beverage journalism. Awarded the 2006 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award, he also has a history of writing for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and spending five years in Thailand reporting on business and food. An alum of Tufts University and Le Cordon Bleu, Thorn was also an editor at Asia Times (1995-1997).

🛩 Riyadh Air, the new Saudi Arabian national carrier, has partnered with Amadeus for global distribution. By 2030, Riyadh Air aims to serve over 100 destinations, aligning with Vision 2030 to boost tourism and diversify the economy. The airline will add $20 billion to Saudi Arabia's non-oil GDP and create 200,000 jobs. Vincent Coste of Riyadh Air emphasizes global reach and seamless experiences, while Maher Koubaa of Amadeus highlights advanced retailing and support for Saudi Arabia's tourism ambitions.

💰 Millennium Hotels & Resorts and Maritim Hotels announced a strategic loyalty partnership at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel & Spa, London. MyMillennium and MyMaritim members gain exclusive benefits, including loyalty discounts on room rates. The collaboration expands access to destinations like Singapore, London, New York, Dubai, and German cities such as Munich and Berlin. Key figures include Saurabh Prakash, Roland Elter, and Kwek Leng Beng. This partnership enhances loyalty through joint sales initiatives and shared privileges.

🍽 Bret Thorn, senior editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, is renowned for his expertise in food trends. A Tufts University magna cum laude history graduate, he studied at Le Cordon Bleu and in China. He’s known for winning the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and is a former IFEC president. Thorn contributed to the Oxford Encyclopedia and the Oxford Companion. His career highlights include work in Thailand and with the New York Sun.

🍴 Grand Pacific in Manchester is unveiling a refreshed dining concept from September 8-20, 2025. Located in the historic 19th-century Liberal Reform Club, the restaurant offers a 50% discount on à la carte dining during this period. The new menu highlights British gastronomy with locally sourced ingredients, featuring dishes like Confit Duck leg Bon Bons and Trio of Jersey ‘Rockafella’ Oysters. A refined high tea and Sunday roast are also available. Use code GRAND50 for the discount.

🍷 Max Hayward and Joshua Chapman emerged as champions on 25th July at the Rock Oyster Festival, UK, winning the Don Papa Chefs & Shakers competition. Their winning creations featured a Don Papa Rum cocktail with banana-cello and calamansi soda, and Adobo pork croquette with Filipino mango salad. The event celebrated Filipino culture, using native ingredients such as Ube powder and banana ketchup. Judged by Mae Magnaye-Williams and Cressida Lawlor, the competition showcased the essence of Sugarlandia.

☕ Starbucks aims for service times under 4 minutes for counter and drive-thru; average drive-thru time is 3 minutes 20 seconds at over 7,600 locations. The company will remodel 1,000 U.S. stores by 2024, with a $150,000 investment per store. A new prototype debuts in fiscal 2026, focusing on community coffeehouses. Starbucks Rewards, with 34 million members, will be revamped by 2026 to deepen loyalty and engagement, moving away from a discount-focused strategy.