Miscellaneous

🍽 Chefs Valerios and Barta are shaping the future of food with a focus on Costa Rica's culinary heritage and plant-based cuisine. In Costa Rica, Valerios emphasizes indigenous ingredients like culantro coyote and tacaco, while Barta has spent over a decade mastering plant-based cooking, from Budapest to New York City. Their efforts aim to preserve culinary traditions through innovative techniques and sustainability, as highlighted in Valerios's book "Abuelas de Costa Rica" and work at Huacas Restaurant.

🧡 Starting around age 25, collagen production declines by 1% per year, exacerbated by UV exposure, smoking, alcohol, and poor diet. The global collagen supplements market, valued at $5.91 billion, is projected to grow to $8.02 billion by 2030, driven by both older and younger consumers. Historically animal-derived, newer supplements feature sustainable marine and plant-based sources. Hydrolyzed collagen peptides, broken down for better absorption, are key to supplement efficacy.

✈️ HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) introduces 'HTS Seat Upgrades', boosting airline revenue by over 20%. This platform allows travelers to opt for cabin and seat upgrades, including empty seat blocking. It integrates seamlessly with airline systems for dynamic pricing and upgrades, optimizing across cabins. Corsair utilizes HTS for enhanced customer experiences. Ella Alkalay Schreiber, SVP at HTS, highlights the flexible, customizable approach, allowing airlines to capture high-intent users and maintain brand consistency.

🛳️ On the Beach (OtB), a leading UK beach holiday specialist, has expanded into cruising holidays. Initially offering cruise-only deals from Celebrity Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Royal Caribbean, the company plans to include more cruise lines and full packages soon. Si Morris-Green leads the initiative, leveraging his experience from Planet Cruise and others. Chief Financial Officer Jon Wormald emphasizes meeting customer demand with transparency and value.

✈️ Wizz Air, one of Europe's rapidly expanding low-cost airlines, is enhancing its accounting with Accelya’s FLX ONE Order Accounting. This system supports Wizz Air's retail ambitions, offering real-time transaction precision and visibility. As the airline plans to double its fleet and staff within the next decade, the system will help reduce manual tasks and ensure financial control. According to Michael Berlouis, this aligns with their fast-paced growth strategy, focusing on delivering customer value.

🍴 Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, resides in Brooklyn, NY. He hosts "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast and won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Educated at Tufts University, Le Cordon Bleu, and studied in China in 1988-89. Thorn wrote for the New York Sun (2005-2008) and Asia Times (1995-1997). He was IFEC president in 2005 and joined Restaurant Hospitality in 2016. Thorn's expertise spans global cuisines and restaurant trends.

🍽 Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor at Nation's Restaurant News since 1999, is a key figure in spotting food trends. Thorn, a magna cum laude from Tufts University, studied French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu and spent time in China in 1989. He wrote for The New York Sun from 2005-2008 and won a Jesse H. Neal Award in 2006. Thorn authored works in the Oxford Encyclopedia and Oxford Companion, and was inducted into Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014.

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, a Senior Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News, has over seven years in restaurant and hospitality journalism. From August 2021, she has held her current role at Informa’s Restaurant & Food Group. Joanna’s past roles include Associate Editor (July 2019-August 2021) and Assistant Editor (October 2018-July 2019). She holds a bachelor’s from The College of New Jersey and a master’s from CUNY. Her work appears in The New York Times, Forbes, and more.

🍴 Bistro Sablé opens on November 3rd at 63-69 Canonbury Rd, London, N1 2DG, replacing The Smokehouse. This 65-seater restaurant, part of the Noble Inns collection, offers classic French bistro cuisine in a relaxed setting. Key features include an intimate dining area, open kitchen, and a garden space. With a wine list curated by Alex Froslet, 95% of wines are available flexibly. Bistro Sablé serves French classics, including Sunday roasts of Pork, Lamb, Beef, or Chicken.

🏖 European Camping Group (ECG) has rebranded, two years into its transformation plan, to unify corporate and operational brands. Following Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund investment, ECG aims for a cohesive identity. From 2026, all French operations will consolidate under the Homair brand, which holds a 43% brand awareness. Alannia Resorts, acquired in July 2025, will also adopt the ECG identity. A new Homair website and a Europe-wide campaign are set to launch in December.