This post originally appeared on June 8, 2019, in Amanda Kludt’s newsletter “From the Editor,” a roundup of the most vital news and stories in the food world each week. Read the archives and subscribe now.

I’ve mentioned previously that we’re going all in on our Young Guns program this year, launching a whole new section dedicated to this year’s class of talent and topics that appeal to younger food lovers just getting a start. The IRL component to all this is coming up at the end of July, when we’ll host a full day of programming and dinners in Brooklyn, New York, during our Young Guns Summit.

The run of show includes talks, panels, demos, tastings, and more with the people who we think either a) represent the future of food or b) can inspire the next generation. That means Young Guns past and present and food world figures like Alison Roman, Ruby Tandoh, Martha Hoover, Preeti Mistri, Mike Solomonov, and Marcus Samuelsson. We’re going to hear solo talks about what some of these major talents learned from failure. We’re going to hear about how two people left coveted culinary positions to join the world of politics. We’re going to learn about the hustle from some master hustlers. And we’re going to eat. So. Much.

I can’t think of anything more exciting than getting all these inspiring people in one place to speak to and interact with the wider food-loving community.

And tickets are $60. Sticking to that price was a difficult proposition given how much we’re planning and how many non-New Yorkers we’re inviting to participate, but it was crucial to keep the price sub-$100 if we wanted actual young people to attend. (We’ll also have ways for people who can’t afford the $60 to attend.)

It’s going to be great. You should come. And if you DO, please make sure to find me to say hi. We’ll have more details about programming, talent, and in-restaurant experiences at night in the weeks to come.

Opening of the Week: Pastis

Louise Palmberg/Eater

Five years after its closure, Keith McNally’s celeb magnet and Meatpacking District fixture Pastis is back. What was meant to be a year-long hiatus due to a building renovation turned into a full relocation. Now the old Pastis is a Restoration Hardware, and new Pastis is co-run by big-box restaurateur Stephen Starr, who came in to save the day after original investors bailed following McNally’s stroke.

But hey, better late than never. It looks pretty, the aging celebs are happy for its return, and it should do well in the MePa of 2019.

On Eater

• Intel: Iconic culinary figure Leah Chase died at the age of 96 and queen of cakes Maida Heatter died at 102; chef Thomas Keller is fighting a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit in court in California; Seattle has a new record bar; Portland’s new Indonesian-Chinese restaurant Gado Gado debuted; an all-day restaurant in a new hotel from the people behind the Ace opened in New York; the wife-and-husband duo behind lauded Chicago restaurant Parachute will open a follow-up called Wherewithall down the street next month; the team behind New York restaurant Charlie Bird will open a restaurant with dating app Bumble; Dave Chang named a CEO for his fast-casual chain Fuku, signaling massive expansion plans; Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook will close their philanthropic restaurant, Rooster Soup Co. in Philly; Sriracha sauce-maker Huy Fong Foods is in a nasty legal fight with its pepper supplier; SF doughnut favorite Bob’s opened a second location; a giant French restaurant complex in San Francisco is finally complete; and NYC taco favorite Los Tacos No. 1 will open a location near Grand Central.
• Boasting how similar an Impossible Whopper tastes to a beef Whopper seemed like a good marketing campaign... until vegetarians got tricked into eating meat.
• Meet Eater Young Gun Ashleigh Shanti, the chef behind Benne on Eagle, an Appalachian restaurant that declares a celebratory and exploratory focus on black regional foodways.
• Alcohol brands are trying to hop on the wellness bandwagon.
• Take-out windows are becoming a big thing in D.C.
• Michelin released its guide to California, and people were (surprise!) disappointed. Most chatter focused on the guide’s LA list, which seems to ignore the way people in Los Angeles actually eat. No restaurants earned three stars there, and the city’s wonderfully multicultural scene was not given proper due. Meanwhile, San Diego got just one star, and an expert interviewed by Eater San Diego says that won’t change unless the city’s surf culture changes. Here’s the LA list, the SF/NorCal list, our national analysis, and the takes from our LA editors.
• People on Twitter are not pleased, but I think Jamesy might be right: chicken pot pie should be eaten upside down.
• The best foods for women to eat on dates with men.
• Always Be My Maybe is great for many reasons, but why does it insist Asian food be homey?
• They should rename the Braves’ stadium the Waffle House.
• To buy: food-themed pool floats.

Off Eater

• Emily Todd VanDerWerff on how A Handmaid’s Tale impacted her decision to transition. [Vox]
• Jarry is starting a queer food-industry database. [Jarry]
• How and why hasselback vegetables became such a thing on recipe sites. [Taste]
• Odds are the commercial chocolate bar you’re eating is the product of child labor. [WaPo]
• Is it the “Irish goodbye,” the “French exit,” or “to leave in the English way”? [Quartzy]
• Crunching the numbers on all the food and bev VC investments from 2018. [Food + Tech Connect]
• Yes, fast-casual chains are using more eco-friendly bowls, but what does it matter if we don’t throw them in the right bin? [New Food Economy]