The Americas
Carla Hall to take center stage at The National Restaurant Show
Acclaimed chef, author, and television host Carla Hall has been announced as the headline keynote at the 2025 The National Restaurant Show (May 17 – 20, 2025 in Chicago, US), taking place Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 1 pm.
Hall, who competed on Bravo’s Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars, will share “her inspiring journey from accountant to renowned chef and TV personality, where her passion to ‘cook with love’ and ‘live with joy’ has fueled her success”. Known for her approachable and joyful personality, Hall “will explore how these principles have shaped her career and mission to uplift the next generation of foodservice professionals”.
US Federal government closes investigation into McDonald’s Quarter Pounders E. coli outbreak
The US government announced on Tuesday December 4, that it has closed its investigation into an E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. It has determined, it says, that there is no longer a safety risk to consumers.
The outbreak was first reported on October 22, leaving at least 104 people in 14 states unwell, including 34 who were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One customer in Colorado died, while four people developed a potentially life-threatening kidney disease complication. The FDA linked the outbreak to yellow onions distributed by California-based Taylor Farms and served raw on Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states.
Asia Pacific
Sorn named Thailand’s first three Michelin star restaurant
The 2025 Michelin Guide Thailand, which showcases a total of 462 dining venues, has seen Bangkok-based Sorn, a restaurant with a focus on the art of Southern Thai cuisine that blends “tradition with modernity, and refinement with evolution”, make history in receiving Thailand’s first-ever three Michelin stars. Seven restaurants received two stars, 28 received one, while 156 establishments were Bib Gourmand, and 270 Michelin Selected.
Gwendal Poullennec, international director of The Michelin Guides, said: “With the country’s first-ever ‘Three Michelin Stars’ restaurant, 2025 definitely marks a significant and historic year for Thailand on the international gastronomic map. What’s more, the entire selection celebrates the richness and diversity of Thai cuisine, and highlights Thailand’s gastronomy as an inclusive market that embraces tradition, modernity, and new trends.”
Tata Consumer Products scales up India cafe operations with Tata Starbucks joint venture
Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) has announced it is boosting its cafe operations in India through joint venture, Tata Starbucks. The chain has become the largest coffee chain in the country with more 500 outlets.
TCPL CEO Sunil D’souza said the business plans to increase Starbucks cafes in India from 457 in 70 cities up to 1,000 by the fiscal year 2027-28. “With Starbucks, we are clear that the store profitability is not an issue. And as we scale, we know we can generate profits from it,” said D’souza.
Europe, Middle East and Africa
UN: Three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in last three decades
Some 77.6% of Earth’s land experienced drier conditions during the three decades leading up to 2020 compared to the previous 30-year period, according to a landmark report from the Bonn, Germany-headquartered UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Over the same period, drylands expanded by about 4.3 million km2 – an area nearly a third larger than India, with potentially vast consequences upon agriculture and food production.
The report, The Global Threat of Drying Lands: Regional and global aridity trends and future projections, was launched in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (COP16), the largest UN land conference to date, and the first UNCCD COP to be held in the Middle East, a region profoundly affected by impacts from aridity. Rising aridity’s impacts on poverty, water scarcity, land degradation and insufficient food production have been linked to increasing rates of sickness and death globally.
Loungers plc to be acquired by Fortress for £338m
US-based Fortress Investment Group has announced the recommended acquisition of cafe bar business Loungers plc – which operates the Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside brands and has 280 venues across the UK – for £338m. Fortress’ private capital investment approach is “to acquire companies with strong management teams, and to empower them to deliver their long-term strategy with the goal of increasing value,” it said in a statement. “Fortress has industry knowledge; a strong belief in the future of experience-led retail; and a successful track record of growing businesses.”
In the pubs and hospitality space, Fortress has successfully invested in and supported the growth of Punch Pubs & Co., Majestic Wines and Vagabond in the UK, and Red Lobster, Krystal, J. Alexander and Logan’s Roadhouse in the USA.
Michael Jones
