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- Chick-fil-A’s latest expansion plans will take the Atlanta-based chicken sandwich chain beyond United States borders for the first time. The company has announced it will open its first international locations in Toronto sometime next year. CFA hopes to have 15 restaurants up and running in the city by 2024. [Update: These Toronto outposts won’t be Chick-fil-A’s first venture into Canada. Asked for clarification, a spokesperson tells Eater the company operates “a limited-menu licensed location in Calgary International Airport, which opened in May 2014.” It previously operated “a licensed location at a university in Alberta that closed in the ’90s.”]
- Congratulations to Australian chef Jock Zonfrillo, who has won the 2018 Basque Culinary World Prize, per the Australian. The prize is awarded annually to “a chef of any nationality who demonstrates how gastronomy can have a positive impact in fields such as culinary innovation, health, nutrition, education, the environment, the food industry, social or economic development, among others.”
- The popularity of the Aperol spritz, a cocktail that is apparently preferred by young, social media-savvy booze hounds and therefore must be classified as “hipster,” is causing a spike in Aperol sales in the United States. Gruppo Campari, the company that produces Aperol, saw double-digit sales growth in the first quarter of 2018, reports CNN Money.
- Hero chef José Andrés is publishing a book about cooking for disaster victims in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda and his father, Luis Miranda, wrote the foreword, and Luis lent his voice for the audio book.
And I thank you for taking the time co-writing the Forword with your boy @Lin_Manuel , and specially to you for recording the audiobook part....what your family did for Puerto Rico was and still Is and will always be awesome! Thanks for helping #chefsforpuertorico tell our story https://t.co/ZLkjxGR3yt
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) July 25, 2018
- The pizza delivery worker who was arrested by ICE while dropping off food at a military base will be released, reports the New York Times. Federal Judge Paul A. Crotty granted a stay of deportation for Pablo Villavicencio Calderon, who is married to a United States citizen, has been petitioning for a green card since February, and has been detained since June 1.
- Mark Gold, brother of Jonathan Gold, reflects on the career of the late dining critic for the Los Angeles Times. “Before Jonathan, there was no equity in food reviews,” writes Mark Gold. “Reviewers focused on Michelin-starred restaurants and ignored those run by Asian, African and Latino immigrants. By writing about the joys of taco trucks and street food, he saved and created hundreds of jobs. Now there are tens of thousands of foodies eagerly tracking the whereabouts of the hottest food truck, all for the chance to wade through traffic and wait in line to eat affordable, extraordinary food.”
- Taco Bell is debuting a few interesting menu items in international markets. T-Bell’s Asia locations are getting a Sichuan-spiced crawfish taco, according to a press release, while South Korea receives a “volcano naked chicken taco.” That’s one of the chain’s fried-chicken shell monstrosities, topped with something called “lava sauce.”
- In not-so-good Taco Bell news, Kraft Heinz has issued a voluntary recall of roughly 7,000 cases of its T-Bell-branded cheese dip. The recall comes due to a potential botulism risk, reports Reuters.
- Hunky actor Justin Theroux is good pals with a few of the Queer Eye guys. Theroux won Antoni, Jonathan, and Tan over by inviting them to his house and baking a quiche on Easter, according to People.
- The Late Show With Stephen Colbert takes on radioactive California wine, which “will give you mutant powers beyond human comprehension.”
- As the nostalgia economy continues to boom, all things 1990s are coming back into fashion. That means, per GQ, flame patterns, championed by rude, crude culinary dude Guy Fieri, are so hot right now.
- People has a photo of Dame Judi Dench and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, enjoying ice cream together. Is this a scene from a sequel to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or some other late-in-life-boomer flick?
- American royalty Beyonce and Jay-Z recently dined at a restaurant in Capri, Italy, and according to TMZ, the couple received a standing ovation as they left.
- Here is a ranking of celebrity liquors, compiled by Esquire. In a bit of a surprise, it turns out shock rocker Marilyn Manson knows a thing or two about good wine.
- Donald Trump’s trade war is hitting American farmers, so the administration is throwing some cash at the industry in an attempt to smooth things over, reports the New York Times.
- Michelin is expanding its Thailand guide, according to Bloomberg, and the highly regarded rating system will consider restaurants beyond the city of Bangkok.
- And, finally, from Clickhole: “6 Items On My Bucket List That I Was Able To Cross Off After Just One Trip To Long John Silver’s.”
