Miscellaneous

🍳 Huddle House, led by CEO James O’Reilly and COO Blain Shortreed, celebrates 60 years with a significant brand evolution. The transformation includes a new logo, taglines, and restaurant designs, focusing on urban and non-traditional settings like airports and malls. After 18 months of development, menu innovations feature items like Smashed Huddle Burger and waffle tacos. In 2024, Huddle House led in guest sentiment in the family dining category, achieving record franchise signings, targeting continued growth through 2025.

💕 This heartfelt reflection underscores how a mother's love manifests through everyday tasks like cooking and cleaning, creating an atmosphere of hospitality that is deeply human and soul-nourishing. It emphasizes that true hospitality is not about grand gestures but a lifestyle that celebrates the beauty and importance of everyday acts. The author expresses gratitude to their mother and wife, acknowledging their profound impact on creating a loving and nurturing environment.

🏁 AAA predicts 45.1 million people will travel over Memorial Day weekend from May 22-26, 2025, an increase from the previous year's 44 million. Driving is preferred by 87% with 39.4 million people traveling by car, enjoying lower gas prices compared to last year's $3.59 per gallon. Air travel is up by 2% to 3.61 million passengers, with domestic flights averaging $850. Other modes, including trains, buses, and cruises, will see 2.08 million travelers, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Overall, 19 million Americans plan to take cruises in 2025.

🍻 Suwincha "Chacha" Singsuwan, who leads the beverage program at Bangkok Supper Club in New York City, received the Michelin Guide New York 2024 Exceptional Cocktails Award. At the club, cocktails are crafted with kitchen ingredients and leftovers, aiming for sustainability and unique flavors. Examples include the Fish Sauce cocktail and the Beets ‘n’ Cream cocktail. Similar culinary cocktails are found across the U.S., such as Austin's Equipment Room serving the Lady Marmalade, and Houston's Aiko offering the Furusetto. The trend reflects a generational shift towards viewing cocktails as companions to food, leading to lighter, more refreshing drinks that complement dining experiences.

📍 TPConnects Technologies reports a tenfold increase in Qantas NDC bookings through its Iris platform in six months. Australia and New Zealand make up 30% of TPConnects' global booking volume, with Qantas as a significant contributor. Stephanos Kykkotis, TPConnects' director of product, highlights the success with Qantas in driving NDC adoption. Nadine Dawood Morgan, head of distribution and payments, emphasizes the collaboration's role in enriching travel experience.

🍴 Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, reports on food and beverage trends. Hosted "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast, wrote "Kitchen Dish" for The New York Sun (2005-2008), and contributed to Manager magazine and Asia Times during his five-year stay in Thailand. A magna cum laude Tufts University graduate, studied at Peking and Nanjing Universities, and learned French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu. His work earned him the 2006 Neal Award and presidency of IFEC in 2005. Authored entries in the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012) and Companion (2015), joined Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Contact him at [email protected] or through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (@foodwriterdiary), and Instagram.

🍴 Patina Restaurant Group, with over 40 venues including New York City's Empire State Building and Disneyland, rebrands as Patina Group after nearly 40 years. Under Delaware North, it plans to double its portfolio and expand into luxury catering, new eatertainment concepts, and culinary digital content within five years. The first of 10 new locations, Hundredfold by chef Timothy Hollingsworth, will open in Belmont Park Village, New York, this summer with more projected by 2030. Additional concepts include a 2026 venture with chef Carlos Gaytán and a San Diego lounge. Patina Group also operates Space 220, an eatertainment venue in Walt Disney World's Epcot.

🏖 Jumbo Collection presents "Sogni sul Lago" catalogue set in Lake Como's atmosphere, showcasing luxury furniture with artisanal craftsmanship. Key pieces include the Guirlande collection with a gold leaf and White Namibia Rhino marble table, the Floral dining table with brass inlays, and the Jupiter dormeuse inspired by Jugendstil. These items embody a connection between the local landscape and design, reflecting Jumbo Collection's 30-year dedication to Italian craftsmanship as art and lifestyle.

🌿 In the post-COVID-19 landscape, the plant-based food trend has surged, fueled by consumer desires for health, sustainability, and ethics. This shift includes an increased demand for beans, lentils, nuts, and mushrooms, with popular products like pre-made veggie burgers and vegetable-based ready meals offering alternatives to meat. The trend reflects a significant movement within the foodservice industry.

🌐 Lightning struck, causing significant damage to a home wired with ~$20k of salvaged materials, with an estimated $100,000 in repair costs. The incident cancelled a New York work trip and impacted the family, including car hail damage and post-surgery eye pain. Despite the hardships, a warm greeting from a child brought solace, emphasizing the value of simple gestures and joys.