It might feel like autumn is approaching at lightning speed, but some local culinary events should help ease into September.
Taste of Los Gatos, on Saturday, Sept 6, noon-5 p.m., showcases bites from local restaurants, eateries and coffee shops such as Chez Phillipe, First Born, Gardino’s, Parkside, Los Gatos Roasting Company, Manresa Bread, We Olive and Wine Bar 107. Visit nearly 20 wineries tucked into retailers around town and sip on the latest from local wineries like 3P, Cooper Garrod, David Bruce, Gali Vineyards, Mount Eden and more while you shop. Tickets are $80.12 for food only and $101.22 for both food and libations at https://bit.ly/45lQnUm.
The Art of Food & Wine brings together a rich feast of local food and wine on Sunday, Sept 7, at Montalvo Center for the Arts in Saratoga. Meet iconic chefs like Peter Armellino of Plumed Horse, Scott Cooper of Le Papillon and Greg Kruzia-Carmel of Camper, along with rising talents like Julian Silvera of The Tasting House, Aubree Arndt of Emerald Hour and Broma and Sergio Box of Macarena. So many wines, so little time, but make sure you check out the auction table for some outrageous bargains this year. VIP admittance at 3:30 p.m. General admission tickets are sold out; VIP tickets are $440 at my.montalvoarts.org.
At Star Chefs 2025, top talent from local restaurants from San Martin to Palo Alto go skillet-to-skillet in the region’s most fun pairing taste-off. On Sept 21, 3-7 p.m., at The Glass House in downtown San Jose, sample the latest effort from Chef Patrick Capurro of Be.Steak.A, who was last year’s Judge’s Choice winner, as well as from Chef Jackie of Jackie’s Place, winner of last year’s People’s Choice award. These two will defend their aprons and honor against challengers like Chef Marcelino Hernandez of Asa Los Gatos, Chef Nicko Moulinos of Eos & Nyx, Julian Sivera of The Tasting House, Ross Hanson of Oak & Rye and Anthony Secviar of Protégé. Other stars in the constellation include Good Times Bar, Orchard City Kitchen, The Bywater, Forbes Mill, Oak and Rye, Silos, Alter Ego, Odeum, One Fish Raw Bar and Cordevalle’s Il Veneto. Dine and vote for a good cause. Tickets are $150 at https://momentumforhealth.org/starchefs-2025.
Taste of Half Moon Bay at The Ritz on Sept 19, 6:30 p.m., offers a four-course cliffside dinner on the dramatic Ocean Lawn. Award-winning wines and winemakers from Beauregard Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains take center stage. Tickets are $270 at https://bit.ly/45UxnMN.
And coming this fall, Ritual at Manresa welcomes a lineup of chefs from three different continents, beginning with HAŌMA and Chef Deepanker Khosla. In September, it’s Mayta of Perú with Chef Jaime Pesaque, and in October, Culler De Pau from Spain showcases Chef Javi Olleros. And there’s a rumor of more Manresa-related activity happening on the coast. Stay tuned.
Can you believe it’s been one year since Gardenia debuted on the dining scene in Los Gatos? This gorgeous property feels like a southern estate with its copious front lawn, dotted with tables. It continues to impress with charming décor and an ever-changing and improving brunch menu. Kudos for all the great choices and the always personal service.
Any way you slice it, people love pizza, and famed pizzaiola Tony Gemignani is set to open a new location of Slice House by Tony Gemignani, at 1286 Great Mall Parkway in the mixed-use complex across from the Great Mall. They are hiring for more than 30 new full and part-time jobs.
“As we continue to expand Slice House’s footprint across the country, it’s especially exciting for me to open doors throughout the Bay Area where I grew up and launched my pizza career – and this is true for Milpitas,” said Gemignani in a release.
Che Fico Menlo Park is now offering weekend brunch. The outdoor ambiance is lovely; it feels like vacationing at a Mediterranean resort. Brunch covers the bases of sweet and savory, with special treats from Little Sky Kitchen literally down the street. You can make a meal of the sides.
Also in Menlo Park, Flea Street is celebrating 45 years, and the fact that restauranteur Jesse Cool has stuck with this crazy business for this long is testament to her perseverance and her love of this business and this place. She invites you to toast this milestone Tuesday, Aug. 26-Saturday, Aug. 30, from 5-6:30 p.m. each evening.
Nobu in Palo Alto offers both brunch/breakfast, beginning at 8 a.m., and afternoon tea, beginning at noon, on weekends.
Brunch favorites include the house-cured salmon lox with yuzu cream cheese, a breakfast skillet of potatoes, chicken apple sausage, miso spinach and poached heirloom tomatoes with fried egg, and Bao Buns stuffed with applewood smoked bacon and sunny side up eggs. Don’t skip the Suntory whiskey-soaked date cake, topped with vanilla sorbet and served with candied walnuts, for dessert.
Nobu Hotel Palo Alto’s Afternoon Tea in the Garden offers myriad delights, among them stone fruit crispy prosciutto crostini, quiche and caviar with dashi, yuzu cream and chives, and grilled pineapple dulce cream puff.
Armand’s Pizza is celebrating 50 years of serving authentic Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, staying true to its original recipes and community spirit.
In the 1970s, Armand’s owner, Lew Newmyer, brought a new style of pizza to D.C. This line of customers was out the door.
(Courtesy Ron Newmyer)
Courtesy Ron Newmyer
Armand’s Chicago Pizzeria on Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest D.C. in 1980.
(Courtesy Ron Newmyer)
Courtesy Ron Newmyer
Chelsea Clinton, the only child of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, celebrates a friend’s birthday party at Armand’s.
(Courtesy Ron Newmyer)
Courtesy Ron Newmyer
Former Washington player Sonny Jurgensen smokes a cigar at a party catered by Armand’s Pizzeria.
(Courtesy Ron Newmyer)
Courtesy Ron Newmyer
Armand’s Pizzeria introduced Chicago style, deep-dish pizza to the District in 1975.
(Courtesy Ron Newmyer)
Courtesy Ron Newmyer
When you think of pizza in the D.C. area, most people would say they don’t have one favorite over others. There are so many styles, with so many variations and presentations nowadays, that quality and history are often ignored.
However, one name that usually has people saying, “Ah, I remember having their pizza,” is Armand’s, which is celebrating 50 years in the business of serving Chicago-style pizza in the District.
In the 1970s, Armand’s owner, the late Lew Newmyer, had the idea of bringing a new style of pizza to D.C.
“New York or thin crust never entered into the conversation,” said Lew’s son and the business’ current co-owner, Ron Newmyer.
He his dad constantly thought ‘outside-the-pizza-box’ and was determined to bring something different to the D.C. area and he did — Chicago-style deep dish pizza.
Lew Newmyer was originally a liquor salesman, then moved into the food business selling submarine sandwiches. While on a business trip to Chicago, Lew discovered deep-dish pizza and was determined to bring the thick crust and heavy cheese recipe to upper Northwest D.C.
In 1975, Armand’s opened on Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown.
“It kind of took off like a rocket. It was exciting and thrilling,” Ron Newmyer said.
Popular dishes included the usual cheese and pepperoni slices, but Armand’s took a chance and succeeded at a veggie pizza and even a spinach and garlic one.
Through the years, the Tenleytown location not only became a popular hangout with area college and high school students, but Kennedy Center actors and former first families visited Armand’s as well.
With a huge smile and gleam in his eyes, Ron Newmyer told WTOP the story of how back in 2009, the restaurant line rang and the U.S. Secret Service called to ask if the Obama family could visit.
“A gentleman introduced himself as a member of the Secret Service and said that Michelle Obama and her daughters were going to be coming in with some friends for a party … and that I should be downstairs to greet them,” he said.
Other notable Tenleytown guests included late President Jimmy Carter’s daughter, Amy Carter, along with professional hockey, basketball and football athletes.
Aside from the who’s who that made Armand’s a D.C. destination, it was Lew Newmyer who was one of the first people to introduce the area to pizza delivery.
Newmyer didn’t just buy a few cars and hire area teenagers to deliver his food. Instead, he bought a fleet of specially designed mini-trucks that were customized for Armand’s and featured built-in heaters to keep the pizzas warm.
“He is a visionary in the senses of business, and he foresaw that pizza delivery was going to be a big thing,” Ron Newmyer said. “He did it in such a big way.”
Now, with a post-COVID environment of inconsistent customer traffic and out of control pricing, Armand’s is still able to stand strong and celebrate 50 years in the restaurant business.
While Armand’s has not changed its pizza or style through the years, the Tenleytown location is long gone. But Armand’s continues to serve loyal, deep-dish customers in Rockville, Maryland.
That’s where customers will find the same mural from Tenleytown featuring Lew Newmyer and his smiling face, overlooking the main dining room as he makes sure every pizza is a winner, just like his longtime business.
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The tomato’s limited yet lush seasonal run never lacks in possibility. But once you’ve had a respectable number of ripe, peak season tomatoes layered on toast, with noodles or in salads, grab the cocktail shaker and head to the bar.
“When tomatoes really shine, that’s when you want to add them to a cocktail,” said Shannon Ponche, a bartender at I Sodi in New York City. “If you want to eat it, then that’s when it should go into your drink.”
A fine way to start incorporating the tomato’s vegetal flavor into your next drink is by making sweet-savory, lightly acidic tomato water. Set a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl, add blended tomatoes and salt, and use the liquid that falls through in your next cocktail. The process takes little effort but, like a good cold brew or iced tea, it requires a slow, unhurried drip for the best results. (For the impatient, you should have enough for at least one cocktail after 20 to 30 minutes.)
Then, add it to a martini. By making a batch of tomato water with green heirlooms, the green tomato martini takes on a pale green hue. Combined with gin, dry and blanc vermouth, the drink pairs the distinct booziness of a traditional martini with a romp through the garden.
Prefer your martinis on the dirtier side? Add a bit more tomato water. Think of it almost as you would an olive brine, Ponche said. “Some people like a really dirty martini, and some people like just a splash,” she added. “Play around and see how much you like for yourself.”
If you’re looking for a nonalcoholic option that feels especially summery, combine your tomato water with fresh lemon juice and a touch of simple syrup for a take on lemonade. Or add a few ounces to a nonalcoholic beer, cider or ginger beer.
For more instant gratification, grab a muddler (or the back of a wooden spoon or the end of a rolling pin). Smash a handful of yellow cherry tomatoes with sugar and salt, then add tequila, vermouth and lime juice, and top with sparkling wine to get a bright, bubbly yellow cherry tomato spritz.
Or, to make a rose-hued sherry-tomato cobbler, crush slices of red heirloom tomato with citrus and a simple tomato simple syrup, add amontillado sherry and strain over crushed ice. The tomato simple syrup adds candied complexity that plays off the nuttiness of the sherry. Leftovers can be used in most other cocktails that call for simple syrup.
Tomatoes play especially well with other summer fruits, Ponche said. Add a few strawberries or watermelon cubes to the shaker, spear cherry tomatoes onto a skewer, or add a sprig of mint, basil or dill.
(Good) tomatoes are abundant yet fleeting. Before the inevitable return to any-season bloody marys, grab a few ripe, heavy handfuls and get shaking.
Recipe: Green Tomato Martini
Green Tomato Martinis, which feature tomato water from heirloom tomatoes. A little time and a few bar essentials can turn the summer’s best produce into a drink you won’t soon forget. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (David Malosh, The New York Times)
This pale green, gin-forward martini variation gets both its color and lightly earthy, vegetal flavor from tomato water made exclusively with green tomatoes. If you’re looking to tint your drink another color, feel free to swap in yellow or red tomatoes when making the tomato water, which takes very little effort but does take time. Save leftover tomato water in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days and use in other rounds of martinis, combine with a light beer and a little hot sauce over ice, or use in place of water in lemonade.
By Rebekah Peppler
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients
Ice
2 ounces London dry gin
1 ounce green tomato water (see tip)
1/2 ounce blanc vermouth
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Pickled green tomato or lemon twist, to finish if desired
Preparation
1. Freeze a martini or Nick and Nora glass for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour. (You can also opt to fill the glass with ice and water, stir for 30 seconds, pour out the ice and water, and pour the finished drink into the now-chilled glass.)
2. In a cocktail shaker or mixing glass filled with ice, combine the gin, green tomato water, blanc vermouth and dry vermouth. Stir until very cold, about 30 seconds, then strain into the chilled cocktail glass. If serving with a pickled green tomato, thread a skewer through it, add to the glass and serve.
Tip
To make the green tomato water, combine 1 pound coarsely chopped, very ripe heirloom green tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, then transfer the tomatoes and any released juices to a blender or food processor and pulse until a purée forms. In a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, strain mixture into a bowl overnight in the refrigerator. Do not stir or press on the solids. The next day, discard the solids. Tomato water will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Recipe: Sherry-Tomato Cobbler
Sherry-Tomato Cobblers, in which the tomato water combines with fresh lemon juice and a touch of simple syrup to add a vegetal note to the citrusy drink. A little time and a few bar essentials can turn the summer’s best produce into a drink you won’t soon forget. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (David Malosh, The New York Times)
Muddled fresh tomatoes and sweet-savory tomato simple syrup create layers of flavor in this summery take on a classic sherry cobbler, and a dry, nutty amontillado sherry adds even more complexity. To make the crushed ice at home, simply add standard ice cubes to a bag, wrap in a towel and crush with a rolling pin.
By Rebekah Peppler
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients
2 (1/2-inch-thick) slices of ripe heirloom tomato
1/4 medium lemon
1/2 ounce tomato simple syrup (see tip)
2 1/2 ounces dry amontillado sherry
Ice, plus more crushed ice, for serving
Cherry tomatoes, for garnish, if desired
Preparation
1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the tomato slices, lemon and tomato simple syrup. Add the sherry and ice cubes. Cover and shake vigorously.
2. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a chilled highball or Collins glass and top with enough crushed ice so that it mounds above the rim. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and serve with a straw.
Tip: To make tomato simple syrup, roughly chop 1/2 large heirloom tomato, and add to a saucepan along with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt. Muddle until the tomatoes are fully smashed and the sugar and salt start to dissolve. Add 1/4 cup water, stir to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and continue to just barely simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to release all the liquid. Discard the solids. Refrigerate syrup in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week.
The Solana ecosystem has scored a major coup. As recently announced, developers within the ecosystem have successfully increased the block limit from 50 million to 60 million compute units (CUs). This means that the network can handle faster transactions and is generally more secure.
Even the biggest blockchain networks are always trying to improve their capabilities to remain competitive and retain users. This is especially true as they continue to grow and see more use. Solana is certainly in this boat, as many more projects are being built on top of it. An example of this is Solaverse, which has been receiving much high within the industry. As more people are looking to buy into the project, there will be more pressure on the Solana ecosystem. As crypto expert Jose Aquino explains in his how to buy Solaverse guide, the metaverse ecosystem is considered one of the more impressive offerings in the industry.
And this is not the first time that the block limit has been increased recently. As Helius Labs CEO Mert Mumtaz explains, the compute units essentially function as fuel, which is used to facilitate various transactions. But during periods of high network activity, there have been slowdowns in transaction speed, and this will not serve the ecosystem in the long term. Back in June, the block limit was raised to 50 million, and now, we are at 60 million. With this, Solana is able to process up to 1,700 transactions per second.
It is worth noting that Solana is one of the blockchain networks that is considered in the class of ‘Ethereum killers’. These are essentially blockchains that seek to improve on the perceived flaws in the Ethereum network and thus, threaten its dominance. Doing this will mean always pushing the limits of how fast transactions can be completed, and so far, it seems to be succeeding.
And this is far from the end of the Solana community’s speed ambitions. As Mumtaz has explained, the next goal is to double the current block limits and get to 120 million in the near future. This would represent a 66% increase in the block limit and would take it to even new Heights. Recently, Solana core developers published the Solana Improvement Document (SIMD-0286), which would outline this increase.
The most recent increase to 60 million was initiated through SIMD 0256, and this incoming one would especially help decentralized finance users as well as those who create applications within that sector. But beyond this, other blockchain applications that leverage Solana will benefit. It is worth noting that NFTs, smart contracts, metaverses, and others are created using Solana, and these demands will only increase with time. If Solana and other blockchains fail to innovate and increase block speed, users and developers will simply move to their competition.
Developers and stakeholders are very much aware of this, and thus, we’ve seen a wave of upgrades taking place on various networks. Ethereum, which Solana is a direct competitor to, completed its Pectra upgradesome weeks ago, which helps to increase its network efficiency.
Then there is Cardano, another Ethereum killer network. It is currently prepping for its Leios upgrade, which will increase its transaction speed and keep it in the running as one of the most sought-after blockchains in the industry. Specifically, this upgrade will leverage parallel validation and a modular architecture to put its transaction speed on the same level as other major blockchains like Solana and Ethereum. As much as Cardano has been lauded as an efficient blockchain in the past, its lack of scalability has been criticized by users.
But many believe that once this upgrade is complete, Cardano will be further used for things such as NFTs and DeFi. This means that even as Solana is about to score its own major upgrade, it is not out of the woods yet.
This speaks to the nature of the blockchain sector, as there is competition on every level. As such, no hard fork or upgrade is the last form of improvement the network should pursue. Instead, there should always be something else in the works, else they get left behind.
In the heart of Dubai, just steps from the Burj Khalifa, the future of food is taking shape. A new restaurant called Woohoo plans to serve more than just dinner.
Opening in September, Woohoo calls itself “dining in the future.” But what does that actually mean?
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The Woohoo restaurant driven by AI in Dubai(Woohoo)
How Chef Aiman powers Dubai’s AI-driven restaurant menu
At Woohoo, your waiter might be human, but the creative mind behind your dish is not. That job belongs to Chef Aiman, a large language model trained on food science, global culinary traditions and molecular gastronomy. The name Aiman blends “AI” and “man,” reflecting the partnership between technology and human creativity. Aiman doesn’t taste or smell. Instead, it analyzes ingredients by texture, acidity, umami and dozens of other variables to invent dishes that push boundaries.
Woohoo offers rotating menus that fuse global cuisines, designed entirely by this AI chef. Expect bold flavors, artistic presentation and creative combinations you won’t find anywhere else. Each visit brings something new, exciting and full of surprises. However, Woohoo goes far beyond the plate.
Unlike a typical restaurant, it uses artificial intelligence to shape your entire dining journey. From the lighting and sound to the pace of service and flow of the meal, every detail is curated by AI. The goal is to create a multi-sensory experience that feels futuristic but still personal. While the dishes challenge tradition, the atmosphere adapts to create a mood that feels just right, every time. Then comes the human touch.
Interior of the Woohoo restaurant driven by AI in Dubai (Woohoo)
Why human chefs still play a key role at Woohoo
While Chef Aiman designs the initial recipes, Dubai-based chef Reif Othman and his kitchen team take charge of refining each dish. They taste, adjust and perfect the AI-created ideas to ensure the flavors and presentation meet high culinary standards. This collaboration blends the precision and innovation of AI with the experience and intuition of skilled chefs. Rather than replacing human creativity, Chef Aiman enhances it by opening new possibilities and inspiring chefs to explore unique flavor combinations.
How Woohoo uses AI to cut kitchen waste and boost sustainability
Chef Aiman is trained to reuse ingredients many kitchens throw away, like fat and trimmings. These otherwise discarded components become key ingredients in entirely new dishes. Ahmet Oytun Cakir, one of the founders and the CEO of Gastronaut, says this feature could help reduce kitchen waste worldwide. Eventually, the hope is to license Chef Aiman to restaurants around the globe.
nterior of the Woohoo restaurant driven by AI in Dubai(Woohoo)
What this means for you
If you’re planning a trip to Dubai, Woohoo offers more than a photo-worthy meal. It’s a chance to taste what happens when artificial intelligence and culinary artistry work hand in hand. Beyond the dining room, this experiment has bigger implications. AI could help chefs everywhere become more sustainable, more creative and more efficient without losing the human touch that makes food special.
Woohoo isn’t just another flashy concept. It’s part of a bigger shift in how we think about food, tech and creativity. AI isn’t taking over the kitchen. It’s teaming up with real chefs to spark new ideas and reduce waste. Whether you’re a foodie looking for something new, a tech geek chasing the next innovation or just curious about what’s next, Woohoo gives you a front-row seat to the future of dining. And, yes, you can taste it.
Would you trust an AI to design your next fine dining experience, or should some things stay purely human? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
Husband-and-wife duo Juan and Tabitha Ramos are growing their Mexican-fusion restaurant on Detroit’s west side.
After honing their skills cooking for friends and family, the couple launched J & T’s Kitchen as a catering company in 2020, eventually expanding to a dinner-only carryout spot. Now, the restaurant is reopening with a bigger menu and dine-in service with lunch and brunch hours.
The new J & T’s Kitchen will celebrate a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 15, opening to the public at 11 a.m. with free samples and discounts for attendees, as well as live music.
“We are super excited to expand our hours and provide dine-in services,” Tabitha Ramos said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to provide scratch-made food and exceptional customer service.”
The menu features T & J’s signature items like three-meat tacos with steak, shrimp, and chicken; burrito bowls; birria quesadillas; cajun pastas; and more. New additions include chilaquiles, breakfast burritos, omelettes, and other items.
J & T’s Kitchen is located at 8838 Third St. in Detroit’s Piety Hill neighborhood, next-door to the Peaches & Greens produce market.
Customers of the Texas Icehouse Are Invited to Try New Mouthwatering Offerings Now Through September 3
HOUSTON, June 3, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Willie’s Grill & Icehouse is offering customers bold, fresh flavors to savor with their limited time Summer Burger Menu. Available now through September 3, customers of all locations of the beloved Texas icehouse can try brand new burger creations throughout the summer, along with some updated menu favorites.
With three summer handhelds on the limited time menu, customers can choose the hearty option that’s perfect for them. Bold bites for the summer include the Bacon Jam Brisket Burger (housemade brisket, Pepper Jack cheese, bacon jam, pico de gallo, BBQ Ranch, toasted brioche bun) for $13.99, the Smoked Gouda Burger (garlic pepper bacon, gouda cheese, BBQ sauce, onion bites, shredded lettuce, jalapeño cheddar bun) for $12.99, and the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich (chicken tenders, hot honey sauce, jalapeños, cabbage slaw, toasted brioche bun) for $12.29.
Willie’s has also revamped its permanent menu to feature the new and improved Chipotle Ribeye Nachos, made up of shaved chipotle ribeye, queso, pico de gallo, and spicy crema, for $16.99. Additionally, customers are invited to cool down with the Willie’s Mai Tai (Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Grenadine, Angostura Bitters, with a Cherry/Pineapple Wedge) for $10.99 and the Watermelon Mint Rita (House Rita mixed with fresh watermelon and mint, topped with Espilon Blanco Tequila) for $9.99. Both cocktails are also only available through September 3 as limited time offers.
“Our limited-time burger menu is the product of Willie’s internal braintrust-team members from across our icehouses who came together to craft bold, mouthwatering creations made for summer,” said Greg Lippert, CEO of Willie’s Restaurants. “Every year, we look for ways to elevate the summer menu, and this season is all about fresh, flavorful burgers and fun. We’re excited to invite Texans and visitors alike to cool off and enjoy a taste of summer at Willie’s.”
Five Components of Quintet Deliver Self-Order Convenience, Improved Accuracy and Efficiency
MALVERN, Pa., May 19, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Scala today announced a new all-in-one solution, Scala Quintet, which delivers improved speed of service, order accuracy, back-of-house efficiency, and significantly improved uplift and sales conversion for the QSR sector. Scala Quintet launches with a focus on quick service restaurants and will expand to additional sectors who have a need for self-service applications that optimize consumer service times, labor efficiency, and personalized guest experiences that help improve the bottom line.
The Quintet platform was built leveraging Scala’s extensive visual display and guided sales experience, AI optimization and best-in-class intuitive user experience methodology, giving restaurant operators, and managers direct control over the creation, scheduling, and real-time updates of digital menu boards. Quintet includes outward-facing attract window screens, self-order kiosks, kitchen order-management tablets, and order-ready screens/pickup systems. A built-in AI layer personalizes content and order experience updates for digital menu boards and displays, including product descriptions for new and existing items, category tags, labels and bundles, limited-time offers (LTOs), and premium features.
“Scala Quintet pairs the Scala heritage of using visual displays to convert sales for our customers with our ordering workflow and self-service capabilities to automate and enhance the efficiency of restaurant operations and drive greater profitability,” said Chris Riegel, Chairman of Scala.
The five components of Scala Quintet introduce fully integrated digital signs and solutions at key points of automation and efficiency for guests and crew:
Street-facing digital displays: Attract attention and drive restaurant visits with attention-grabbing content on large-format digital displays, all powered by updates made in Quintet.
Indoor and Outdoor Digital menu boards: Clear, compelling content on digital displays at the ordering counter and in the digital drive thru is easily updated in real time. Make full use of dynamic dayparting and AI automation options to drive more sales using Quintet’s intuitive UI, regardless of technical design or content management skills.
Self-order kiosk: Kiosks are fully integrated with Quintet’s kitchen management application, ensuring that both guests and crew receive real-time order updates. Once an order is placed, it immediately appears on a kitchen-facing screen for processing, while guests can follow order progress on the menu board.
Kitchen order management displays: Quintet allows you to optimize your fast-paced kitchen workflow, tailored to your QSR’s specific operational needs. Your crew has complete control over every step of the preparation process. Additionally, Quintet lets you set up different task-preparation zones throughout the kitchen, streamlining task distribution to the right crew.
Order-ready screen/order pickup solution: Customer-facing displays and fixtures, tailored to your restaurant pickup needs. Order-ready screens help the crew drive order accuracy, speed, and high value service experience that brings the customer back. Replacing cluttered, disorganized static fixtures, digital displays provide clarity and order status updates in real time – all customizable and seamlessly organized through Quintet’s interface.
“There is a need to streamline the disparate technology solutions that QSRs have been introducing to the customer experience since the opportunity with digital menu boards was realized,” said Harry Horn, Vice President Marketing Global at Scala. “Quintet keeps the user experience at the core of its value for both the QSR customer and the kitchen crew. While integrating complex systems, Quintet remains easy to use, easy to update, and fully automated. The solution will benefit many industries looking to optimize efficiency and personalization.”
Scala, part of the STRATACACHE family of digital solutions companies, debuted the five-component platform in STRATACACHE’s booth #8209 at the National Restaurant Association Show, being held May 17-20 in Chicago.
Larry Jayasekara opened his first restaurant, The Cocochine, with Hamiltons owner Tim Jefferies. Justin De Souza
Every aspect of The Cocochine is about quiet indulgence. Caviar augments several dishes, the tables are luxuriously far apart and the walls are decorated with a rotating selection of art from Hamiltons Gallery. The Mayfair restaurant, which opened last fall in a former townhouse on Bruton Place, is a joint venture between chef Larry Jayasekara and Hamiltons owner Tim Jefferies, and it embraces Jayasekara’s thoughtful approach to hospitality.
“It’s about looking after the guests, cooking with love and heart and respecting the ingredients,” Jayasekara tells Observer, speaking from the restaurant’s impressive top-floor private dining room, which boasts three Warhol paintings. “Hospitality means opening your home to friends and family. You cook for days, and then the first thing you offer [when they arrive] is water. I don’t want to have a champagne trolley in the restaurant, because that should not be the first thing offered. I want to offer guests a glass of water and let them come in, get comfortable and relax.”
Jayasekara met Jefferies while he was working as the head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Petrus in Belgravia. Jefferies repeatedly returned to the restaurant, trying to convince Jayasekara to helm a few private dinners, to which the chef eventually agreed. After, Jefferies asked Jayasekara what he wanted to do going forward in his career. Jayasekara said that he wanted to open his own restaurant.
“He didn’t say anything,” Jayasekara recalls. “Time went along. Then he said, ‘I know a lot of people, and I could put together a group of people to help, and I could put in the art, and we could create something really special together.’ That’s how easily it started.”
The interior details were essential to Jayasekara. Justin De Souza
Designing and building The Cocochine was less straightforward. The team started the refurbishment of the four-story townhouse in 2020, quickly realizing they would need to completely redo the foundation and the structure of the building. There was a lot to consider, including how much power the restaurant needed and how to construct the custom kitchen, which is accompanied by a chef’s counter, on the second floor. Then, Covid-19 hit, and it was difficult to get construction workers and materials.
Ultimately, it took over three years for the restaurant to come together. The small details, like leather-wrapped banisters on the staircases and a carved marble drinks station, were essential to Jayasekara, who was also able to create a custom chef’s kitchen. On the lower level, guests can experience a state-of-the-art wine cellar stocked with more than 1,500 bottles, and there’s a snug sitting area for pre-dinner drinks. When you order a steak, a server brings a box of custom knives with differently colored handles to pick from.
The chef’s counter. Justin De Souza
“We always wanted to make it a place where it’s about the level of art and the quality of the ingredients together, so it’s not just a plate of food,” Jayasekara says. “It is a whole experience. Everything here is custom-made to fit. Everything is like a jigsaw. Everything has to be matched. Everything has to be exactly how we wanted it: the flowers, the water, the steak knives, the plates, the tiles, the curtains.”
The food, too, is immaculate. Most of the ingredients come from the Rowler Farm Estate in Northamptonshire, to which the restaurant has exclusive access. The salad, for example, is composed of more than a dozen vegetables and herbs from the farm, and several of the proteins, including the pork, travel 60 miles from the estate to The Cocochine. Other ingredients, like the fish, are carefully sourced from Scotland.
Rack of venison, sourced from Rowler Farm. Lateef Photography
Jayasekara spends one day a week on the farm, which he feels is essential to his process as a chef who focuses on seasonality and quality. He also draws on ingredients and flavors from his travels, as well as his upbringing in Sri Lanka. Each dish emphasizes decadence in an understated, elegant way, exemplified by an indulgent starter of Japanese otoro, roasted foie gras and golden Oscietra caviar.
“We’re not doing anything you’re not familiar with already,” Jayasekara explains. “I want the menu, when you open it, to have [things like] scallops, crab, lobster, mushroom, caviar. I always dreamed about having a menu in a restaurant where you can’t choose one dish. If you want every single dish, you’re in the right place. Hopefully, we’re doing that, and we’re making it focused on two or three ingredients rather than 15 [in each dish].”
Japanese otoro and roasted foie gras. Lateef Photography
Jayasekara’s obsession with quality is best understood via the menu’s standout dessert: Tahiti vanilla ice cream, served with jaggery caramel. It might be the most memorable ice cream you’ll ever taste, because Jayasekara insisted that the level of vanilla bean be significantly turned up.
First, the chef added 15 vanilla pods for every liter of crème anglaise, a significant amount of vanilla bean. “That was okay,” he says. “But I wanted the vanilla seeds to be popping in the palate. It’s not vanilla essence or vanilla powder or whatever. So I said, ‘Let’s put 20.’ And now we doing half a kilo of fresh Tahitian vanilla for one liter of crème anglaise. That is 50 percent vanilla. And believe it or not, since we opened, the best-selling dessert is the vanilla ice cream.”
The famous Tahiti vanilla ice cream. Lateef Okunnu
Growing up in Sri Lanka, Jayasekara never imagined having his own restaurant in Mayfair, where he could test the limits of vanilla bean ice cream. He had never seen a cauliflower, caviar or a scallop before he moved to London two decades ago. His life back home was simple: surfing, barbecuing fish and eating rotis. He acknowledges that his life now is “very privileged,” but it’s taken Jayasekara years of hard work and sacrifice to get to this place in his career. He started out in London by cleaning bins, then moved on to chopping vegetables in a Thai restaurant, eventually going to culinary school.
“Learning to cook was simply about having a job, first of all,” Jayasekara says. “I didn’t know how to cook. I had never cooked before. It gave me a different passport. It changed me from a young boy surfing to starting to be anal about the size of a scallop or how the herb tastes. It’s a crazy journey. I used to wake up in the morning 20 years ago and think about how many waves were coming in.”
The Cocochine occupies a former townhouse in Mayfair. Justin De Souza
Jayasekara worked his way up in acclaimed restaurants like the Waterside Inn, Michel Bras and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, before eventually becoming head chef at Petrus, which focuses on high-end French cuisine. Despite Ramsay’s reputation, Jayasekara says the famous chef never yelled at him in the kitchen.
“It was very good experience,” he says. “He trusted me to run Petrus, and I have a huge respect for Gordon. He knows exactly what the market needs and how the menu should be. Having trust from someone like him to run one of his flagship restaurants; it was a privilege. I learned a huge amount about running a restaurant, rather than just cooking.”
Most importantly, Jayasekara learned the essentials of being the person in charge. According to Jayasekara, you need three things in order to succeed as you move up the ladder: preparation, communication and organization. “If those three things come together, you have a full experience,” he says. “As one man, you can’t achieve anything. You don’t win the Champions League just being Cristiano Ronaldo, right?”
That, to Jayasekara, defines success as a chef—not Michelin stars or rave reviews. It’s about having a loyal team as much as it is having a restaurant with packed tables and returning guests, all presumably coming back again and again for the aforementioned vanilla ice cream.
“Any accolades that are presented to any restaurant are a reward of how you work, the standard at which you’re working, the hospitality of the restaurant and how good the team is,” he says. “It’s always a great compliment to the team and to the business. Those accolades are appreciated in our work. But the real success is a guest who comes back. Signature dishes are created by the guests, not the chef. You eat something and tell five of your friends, and suddenly something becomes the chef’s signature dish. That, as I see it, is success in a restaurant.”
As many Indian restaurants worldwide consider serving beef taboo, chef Sujan Sarkar savored the rare opportunity to taste quality meat. Beef from Nebraska was considered a specialty at one of the Michelin-starred restaurants he worked at in London, Galvin at Windows, a French spot formerly inside the Hilton Park Lane in London. Sarkar, chef at Indienne — Chicago’s lone Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, and one of only three that have earned that status in the United States, says British beef couldn’t compete with USDA prime cuts.
Beef is expensive, not widely available in all parts of India, and is considered holy in many sects of Hinduism. However, in the U.S., non-Indian Americans tend to associate Indian cuisine only with that singular cultural practice. It’s such a widespread perception that English speakers, like Chicago baseball announcer Harry Caray, even have an expression tied to it — holy cow!Chicago Seven member Abbie Hoffman turned it into an anti-authority metaphor and is credited with saying “sacred cows make the tastiest burger.” UHF features “Weird Al” Yankovic’s playful portrayal of Gandhi in 1989 while ordering a medium-rare steak. The first wave of Indian restaurants in America brought the cultural norms of the early 1900s with them and shunned beef. Tandoori chicken was positioned in the ’60s as the Indian American counterpart to the showstopping Beijing duck popular at Chinese American restaurants. Lamb curries and kabobs emerged as stand-ins to satiate America’s beef lovers.
But decades later that Puritan image of India is fading in America, and it appears Chicago, with its storied meatpacking history, has become the center for a new style of Indian dining that embraces the beef. One tell is Sarkar who says one of his favorite restaurants is Asador Bastian, a well-regarded Basque steakhouse that’s a short walk from Indienne. Though Indienne proudly features vegetables in all menus — not just the vegetarian option — Sarkar has been experimenting with a beef dish. For private events only, he’s serving a short rib braised with a Madras curry inspired by black peppercorn sauce. It makes sense, after all, black pepper originated in India.
“Some people are cooking camel, ostrich,” Sarkar says. ”We don’t have to do it here, because that’s not from here. But in America, beef is one of the main sources of protein, and people like that — and it’s good.” These days, seeing beef on an Indian menu is hardly shocking. The protein has earned a place in prominent Indian restaurants across America like Dhamaka in New York; Rania in Washington, D.C.; and BadMaash in LA.
The beef brisket at Indus in suburban Chicago is stellar.
Beef can be found in India, but diners need to be in the know. It might have different names. Sarkar remembers seeing it called water buffalo. Vinod Kalathil of Thattu has memories of attending engineering school in India and seeing the reactions from his Northern India classmates when they saw beef served at the dining hall: “They were absolutely shocked,” Kalathil recalls. And Sheal Patel of Dhuaan BBQ remembers walking through night markets in Mumbai and Delhi and seeing plenty of street vendors selling beef and pork dishes.
Patel represents a wave of second-generation chefs all over America who have experimented with their home spice pantries, livening American staples from burgers to omelets to pizzas. Patel says TikTok has played a role with desis sharing techniques and photos from their travels. “I don’t think 10 years ago this would be a very welcome topic,” Patel says. Patel calls Dhuaan a tribute to the food his mother cooked as well as his visits to Central Texas where barbecue — particularly beef — is king. His brisket and masala beef cheesesteaks have popped up at bars across Chicago.
Kalathil, who grew up in India, would see beef labeled as “mutton sukka” (dry beef) offered at restaurants in the South Indian state of Kerala, where it’s more common to find beef. Kalathil and his wife, chef Margaret Pak, have served beef at Thattu, their lauded Keralan restaurant, from day one. Inspired by Pak’s Korean heritage, they use short rib in their beef fry — slow-roasted thin slices of meat fried with coconut oil and flavored with curry leaves and onions.
“We want to make sure the food is for everybody,” Kalathil says — Thattu has plenty of vegetarian options, too. “And if some people don’t want to eat that, that’s perfectly fine.” However, he says beef is essential to Keralan culture.
Thattu is playing with different cuts of beef as short rib is expensive, and while Western restaurants may use the bones for stock for soups or sauces, there’s little history of utilizing scraps in South Asian cuisines. They may even switch to boneless lamb in their biryani as some guests have expressed a preference. Pak and her kitchen crew are also tweaking a new beef burger offering.
A watershed moment in Indian American history may have occurred in 2015 when Lucky Peach, the defunct food magazine ran a recipe for tandoori steak using thick beef ribeyes as opposed to the thin cuts found in traditional South Asian beef dishes. That begot a steak pop-up run by chefs Dave Chang and Akhtar Nawab and cheekily named Ruth Krishna’s Steakhouse, though Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse attorneys quickly hit the effort with a cease and desist letter.
Flash forward to 2023 when Diaspora Spices began selling Steak Masala as a competitor to McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning. Diaspora founder Sana Javeri Kadri, who grew up eating beef — she’s Hindu, Jain, and Muslim — says the spice mix, which went through four or five recipes, is a top seller that customers use on vegetables and meats alike. She says Diaspora has received zero negative feedback. The mix is made with Diaspora’s Surya Salt, Aranya Black Pepper, Sirārakhong Hāthei Chillies, Pahadi Pink Garlic, Hariyali Fennel, and Wild Ajwain.
Highland Park’s Indus also serves a wagyu beef steak.
A 12-ounce American wagyu ribeye from Vander Farms comes with spiced herb butter, “chimmichutney,” and nizaami dum aloo.
“This myth that India is vegetarian is obviously the voices of few speaking louder than the country at large,” Javeri Kadri says. “It’s a very Hindu, upper-caste take — most lower-caste folks don’t have the privilege of not eating meat.”
Chicago should be used to religious and class restrictions. Blue laws, which date back to the late 1800s, were Catholic doctrines that prohibited activities like going to the movies, traveling, or selling anything on Sundays. Even as laws loosened, some operators continued to keep restrictions. In the ’80s, many Chicago grocery stores would cover their meat coolers with a blue wrap to prevent customers from putting beef into their shopping carts.
Earlier this year in suburban Chicago, a new contemporary Indian restaurant, Indus, debuted featuring a wagyu beef ribeye and brisket cooked in a pellet smoker (Indus also smokes vegetarian dishes, like daal, with tasty results). Indus is one of the few Indian restaurants around Chicago that brings out steak knives. Owners Sukhu and Ajit Kalra say the brisket is so popular they’ve been getting requests from Jewish customers who wanted it for their High Holidays. It wouldn’t be the first Jewish-Indian crossover. In August while at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, as his wife prepared to accept the Democratic presidential nomination, Doug Emhoff complimented his wife Vice President Kamala Harris saying she “makes a mean Passover brisket.”
This beef dish from Michelin-starred Indienne is available for private events only and made with American wagyu, a short rib kofta, tomato pachadi, varuval, and curry leaf.Indienne
However, many restaurants remain uncomfortable discussing the topic of beef. Some chefs around the country declined to comment for this story. They didn’t want to alienate customers with strong opinions about beef. It’s still a sensitive subject and one that drifts into politics, with Hindu nationalism driving narratives. Rakesh Patel of Patel Brothers, the world’s largest South Asian grocer, founded in 1974 in Chicago, says his company has never carried beef. He says it was challenging enough to hear objections from vegetarians when the chain began carrying fish, though frozen fish is one of the chain’s biggest money makers.
But some see the subject as a matter of hospitality. In years past, James Beard-recognized chef Zubair Mohajir has shied away from serving beef at Coach House, his tasting menu restaurant. Mohajir is Muslim, so beef isn’t prohibited, but he’s avoided it to offend any customers. It’s a form of respect. At his new restaurant, Mirra, which blends Mexican and Indian flavors, there’s a carne asada dish that, according to co-chef Rishi Manoj Kumar, is as much a tribute to Mexican cuisine as it is a way to honor Chicago’s steakhouse culture and history of meatpacking.
But as India isn’t a monolith, neither is South Asia. Chicago is no stranger to dishes like frontier beef. Local Pakistani restaurant, Khan BBQ, has served the item and other beef options like chapli kebab for more than two decades along Devon, Chicago’s main South Asian hub. A newer entry, Tandoor Char House in Lakeview — a Pakistani Indian fusion spot — has long embraced beef with items like beef seekh kebab and beef nihari. Owner Faraz Sardharia says his father being from India and his mother being from Pakistan granted him the freedom to design a menu without boundaries.
However, many Pakistani and Bangladeshi American restaurants (and other countries within the South Asian diaspora) still label themselves as “Indian” for marketing purposes — it was easier to conflate rather than to explain nuance to American diners Googling “butter chicken near me.” Beef is often absent from these restaurant menus to avoid sounding off any alarms. Others, however, were bolder, sneaking beef onto the menus — dishes like Bangladeshi beef tehari — to pique the interest of non-South Asian customers.
Indian American chef Hetal Vasavada, a recipe developer and writer, competed on Season 6 of MasterChef when Gordon Ramsay and the gang made her recreate the chef’s famous beef Wellington. Vasavada, a vegetarian, rose to the challenge. She read through Reddit threads full of comments from uneducated viewers who weren’t familiar with India’s diversity, attempting to pigeonhole her. She had never cooked or tasted beef in her life, and the show’s fans saw that as a liability. They wanted her off the show. She relished her success in that environment. When it comes to celebrating holidays like Diwali, which is traditionally vegetarian, Vasavada keeps an open mind.
“I think because India is so vast and everyone celebrates it so differently, it’s hard to say what’s right and wrong. In the end, I truly do not care what you eat,” she says. “Practicing as a Hindu, an Indian American, I don’t eat meat, but if you want to eat meat, go for it — I am unbothered. Celebrate and eat however you choose. And I think we just need to be a little bit more open-minded and less pushy about our beliefs on others.”
Many objections to serving beef at Indian restaurants in America come from immigrants who long left South Asia and believe their hometowns or villages have stayed the same since they’ve left, Kalathil says. He wants to see more restaurants serve beef and pork. That philosophy is shared by many of his colleagues, including Sarkar. The old-fashioned mindset poses a danger to creativity.
“That is with all Indian food — not only the beef,” Sarkar says. “People still have an outdated understanding of how things should be.”
Night owls can hit the dance floor at Musaafer as it celebrates Diwali with its late-night immersive cultural experience, “Bollywood Burnout.” Guests can indulge in a tasty spread of traditional Diwali delicacies and drinks. Tickets are $42.
The downtown destination is celebrating Filipino American History Month with an all-day Filipino Festival, immerseing folks in the rich culture and traditions of the Philippines. Highlight include traditional Philippine Dance Performances by the Tropical Rhythms Hula Dance Troupe, a bustling Asian Pop-up Market on the North Docks, rocking food vendors, merchants and cultural experiences, and a Kamayan Dinner experience by James Beard-award-winning chef Paul Qui (dinner tickets start at $65).
Saturday, 3 to 6 p.m.
8217 Long Point
Families are invited to dress up for some Halloween fun at Feges BBQ Spring Branch’s annual Halloween Spooktacular as the smokehouse transforms into a spooky spectacle complete with ‘Cupcake’s Haunted House’, a ‘Dragon’s Nest’ play area, themed bounce house, tarot card readings, pumpkin decorating ($5 per pumpkin), Hocus Pocus playing on the projection screen, costume contests and more. Guests can enjoy Feges’ classic Texas bbq menu alongside drink specials. Entry is free.
93’ Til is hosting a Halloween Sunday block party, inviting folks to dress in costume and enjoy festivities including live DJs, vendors, cocktail features and special bites prepared by 93’ Til and guest chef Joseph Manglicmot from MasterChef Season 11. Manglicmot will serve a Caviar Fish Filet Sandwich featuring a cod filet, American cheese, crème fraîche tartare sauce and Imperia caviar on a a brioche bun.
50th Anniversary Texas Renaissance Festival
Saturday–Sunday
Back for its 50th anniversary, the Texas Renaissance Festival brings folks a medieval celebration of food and drink, shopping and entertainment, and enchanted fun. This weekend is one of the festival’s most popular, rocking an All Hallows Eve theme eerie decorations, intricate pumpkin displays, trick-or-treating for the kids, a Kettle Corn Eating Contest at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and more fun, including festival eats from turkey legs and mead to a two-hour dinner theatre King’s Feast, plus special beer collabs with Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Karbach Brewing Co.
Welcome to the Plywood Report, a periodic listing of upcoming restaurants and bars around Chicago of note. We’ll update this semi-regularly, but feel free to email Eater Chicago at chicago@eater.com if a project, permit, or storefront has caught your eye. We’ll do our best to investigate.
October 24
ANDERSONVILLE: Construction continues on a mystery project at 1476 W. Berwyn Avenue under the name Gran Lago. What’s compelling about the project are the names behind the venue, the same duo — Nick Lessins and Lydia Esparza — behind Great Lake Pizza. Great Lake Pizza was a beloved spot at a different address in Andersonville, a restaurant that debuted in 2008. In those five years, Great Lake earned national recognition as one of the best pizzerias in the country. Ownership isn’t tipping their hand about when the new project will open or what they’ll exactly serve, but for months the folks of Reddit have speculated about a possible Great Lake comeback.
HUMBOLDT PARK: Suncatcher Brewing, which has been in the works for months at 2849 W. Chicago Avenue, within the triangle of Grand, Chicago, and California, has applied for a liquor license. Ownership has been tightlipped on details. The brewery’s website mentions a beer garden and was touting a fall debut.
OLD TOWN: Something is brewing at the former Wells on Wells, a shuttered bar at 1617 N. Wells Street. A liquor license has been issued under the name Moon Star Kitchen & Bar. Kevin Vaughn, an outspoken member of the Illinois Restaurant Association and the name behind Vaughan Hospitality Group — they own five bars, including Corcoran’s next door in Old Town, Emerald Loop, and a pair of Vaughn’s Pubs — is listed on the liquor license. Vaughn didn’t respond to an email about his plans.
RIVER NORTH: The team Flight Club, the dart bar that arrived in Chicago in 2018, is opening another concept. It’s called Electric Shuffle, and the concept centers around shuffleboard. They’ve applied for a liquor license at 448 N. LaSalle. A rep isn’t ready to share details, but look for an update in November.
UKRAINIAN VILLAGE: As restaurants and bars, like Fifty/50 and Takito Kitchen, close along Division Street near Damen Avenue, a California-based hot dog chain plans on opening its second location. Dog Haus Biergarten has a Lincoln Park location near DePaul and a pair of ghost kitchens. They’re renovating the former Whadda Jerk space at 2015 W. Division Street. The chain is known for hot dogs with fancy toppings served on King’s Hawaiian rolls.
1477 W Balmoral Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640 773 334 9270
Starbucks is partnering with Universal Pictures on a promotion built around “Wicked,” an origins story about the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz.”
The coffee chain is serving two cold beverages inspired by the main characters in the movie: Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda, played by Ariana Grande.
Elphaba’s Cold Brew is made with peppermint-flavored syrup, nondairy matcha cold foam and green candy sprinkles, according to Starbucks. Glinda’s Pink Potion is a Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks Refresher topped with nondairy strawberry cold foam and topped with candy sprinkles.
Starbucks is also selling “Wicked” gift cards and will begin selling “Wicked” merchandise, tumblers and cold cups, on Nov. 7, according to a news release.
“Wicked” is based on the long-running Broadway musical with a score by Stephen Schwartz. It opened in 2003. A tour is coming to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood in December and San Diego Civic Theatre in February.
The movie version has been broken into two parts. Part One will hit movie theaters on Nov. 22, a week before Thanksgiving. Part Two is scheduled to open Nov. 21, 2025.
The director is Jon M. Chu of “Crazy Rich Asians” fame.
Fall is a tough time for Chicago restaurants and September was a particularly slow month. These challenging conditions have led to a rash of restaurants closing around town, a mix of new concepts and community staples. Below, Eater is cataloging both temporary and permanent restaurant closures in Chicago. If you know of a restaurant, bar, or another closed food establishment, please email chicago@eater.com. We will continue to update this post.
The Loop: Cafe by The River, the riverside coffee shop inside the Bank of America Tower backed by celebrity chef José Andrés has closed. An Instagram post describes it as a temporary gesture — perhaps it could be a seasonal move as Chicago nears winter. Bank of America has begun mandating more workers to be in the office over the last year, which should have been a boost for the cafe’s business, but who can really understand the habits of Loop workers after the pandemic? Both Bar Mar and Bazaar Meat, which are also in the tower, remain unaffected.
The Loop: A lack of downtown workers has also impacted another after-work icon. Tradition Gastropub and Kitchen, 160 N. Franklin Street, closed in September. It was known for burgers, flatbreads, and happy hour specials.
Uptown: Anna Maria Pasteria, a Uptown staple for 35 years at 4400 N. Clark Street, has closed. Owner Anna Maria Picciolini announced she’s retiring in a note posted online. She thanked her customers and workers: “ Your unwavering support, your loyalty, and your love for our food have meant the world to me. It has been an honor to serve you and be a part of your lives.” Block Club Chicago has more details.
October 17
Lincoln Square: 016 Restaurant, a rare spot for Serbian specialties, closed in early October. The pandemic hurt the acclaimed restaurant at 5077 N. Lincoln Avenue: “We gave our best in the last almost 6 years but we hit a point where it is just not possible to keep it going under present problems and circumstances,” a Facebook post reads.
Lincoln Square: Dimo’s Cafe, which opened in April in Lincoln Square has closed. The cafe was meant to be an expansion of the Dimo’s brand, showing customers they could do more than pizza. But the location at 4647 N. Lincoln Avenue was too tough. Block Club Chicago caught up with the owners.
North Center: Sticky Rice, a pillar of the North Center and Lincoln Square Thai community, closed on Sunday, October 20. The restaurant opened 20 years ago at 4018 N. Lincoln Avenue.
River North: After seven months, Gemini Grill has closed in River North. A rep for owner Ballyhoo Hospitality says Wednesday, October 16 was the final day of service at 748 N. State Street. Ballyhoo’s French restaurant on the second floor, Petit Pomeroy, will remain open. Ballyhoo will keep the Gemini space and has plans for a new restaurant that should open sometime next year. Gemini Grill is a spinoff of Lincoln Park’s Gemini, which excels at offering something for everyone. River North presents a bigger challenge, with restaurant owners trying to figure out customer patterns closer to downtown which offers plenty of competition. Workers at Gemini Grill were offered jobs at the restaurant upstairs, and at Ballyhoo’s upcoming Highland Park restaurant, a second location of DeNucci’s in Highland Park. As a replacement restaurant should open soon, Ballyhoo hopes to hire some of its old workers to staff the new concept.
Glencoe: Honey Butter Fried Chicken is closing its Glencoe restaurant, 10 months after opening on the North Shore. An emailed newsletter announced the shutter at 668 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe on Thursday morning. While ownership writes the opening was a success, they couldn’t sustain it. Rising costs, exasperated by the pandemic and shifting customer habits were too much to overcome: “It became clear over the following months that despite our best efforts and intentions, HBFC just wasn’t a great fit for the location.” The original location in Avondale remains in strong shape, according to ownership.
The Alchemist cocktail at Little Dipper, inspired by Scorpio. Nick Johnson
We’ve all seen the infographics on social media—your zodiac sign as a snack, a sandwich, a cocktail. But while no one (yet) has designed a full restaurant around celestial matches, zodiac-themed cocktails are increasingly popular. From cameos on regular cocktail menus to being at the center concept of a bar, everyone’s suddenly interested in creating and sipping drinks fashioned around the sensibilities of Aries, Libra and Virgo.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know astrology has been a massive pop culture trend in recent years, encompassing everything from podcasts to dating. Sharing your Co-Star astrology profile is as common as exchanging phone numbers.
It was only a matter of time until cocktails got in the mix. “This trend is trending, in my opinion, as a response to global upheaval and uncertainty,” says astrologer Danielle Mainas, the co-creator of the food-driven tarot deck Cacio e Pepe Tarot. “People turn to astrology for personalized guidance and self-understanding in confusing times. Similarly, in times of dysregulation, many people turn to alcohol and food as coping mechanisms for comfort and relief. Why not give the people a blended option?”
Little Dipper, a self-described “immersive, astrology-themed bar,” opened in New York City in April 2024. Inside, under a digital display of a starry sky, patrons can order drinks categorized within the four elements: water, fire, air and earth, with each cocktail paraphrasing a zodiac sign. The Grounded cocktail, which refers to the sign of Taurus, features shiitake-infused mezcal and mushroom broth, symbolizing Taurus’ rooted, earthy, stable energy. Each cocktail on the menu is accompanied by a small blurb explaining the logic behind its creation.
From the starry skies to the zodiac-inspired menu, Little Dipper is all about astrology. Nick Johnson
“Our team loves astrology and have a good understanding of it,” Little Dipper co-owner Bobby Papachryssanthou tells Observer. The staff asks guests for their signs, andalso share theirs, recommending drinks accordingly. For the first round, patrons are encouraged to try their “own” cocktail—that is, the drink associated with their sun sign, and for a second drink, a tipple that refers to their moon sign; the position of the moon in the zodiac at the time of a person’s birth.
The cocktails were created with the help of Alyssa Sartor, a hospitality expert with a passion for astrology. Sartor helped connect the dots, consulting on the drinks’ ingredients and profiles based on her knowledge of mixology and astrology. The team also sought advice from astrologer friends and astrology books.
“We felt that a concept like this would be a great way to give our guests something personal that they can relate to,” says Papachryssanthou. “The time and effort that went into finding the right ingredients to each specific zodiac sign makes it an engaging experience, adding that level of personalization and immersive aspect.” Imagine, for example, a Pisces customer being offered the sturdy tequila and habanero-infused Magic cocktail not because they like tequila, but because they’re supposedly “strong and devoted,” Papachryssanthou points out. Needless to say, only the flattering, positive traits of each sign are amplified and played up in the ingredients list.
The Water Bearer, for Aquarius: Chamomile tea vodka, Ume plum liqueur, Yuzu, lemon, butterfly pea syrup. Nick Johnson
Other bars across the U.S. have also been flirting with the zodiac concept. Service Bar in Washington, D.C.—one of the best bars in the country according to the World’s 50 Best—recently ran a limited-edition zodiac-themed offering. Even resorts want a piece of the trend—Under Canvas, dedicated to higher-end camping and glamping, recently launched a program pairing celestially-themed cocktails with stargazing
The Alchemists’ Garden, a bar in Paso Robles, CA, recently added a monthly zodiac-themed drink to its already other-worldly menu, based on the astrological sign corresponding to each month, for which the team dug deep into the essence of astrology: our craving for meaning and a sense of direction. “One of the oldest methods of navigation was based upon the stars and their astrological positioning,” Tony Bennett, Alchemists’ Garden’s bar manager and owner, tells Observer.
To plan the monthly cocktail, Bennett refers to a chart he made featuring each sign’s characteristics, likes and dislikes. For Libra, a cocktail that ran from during the tail end of September and most of October, Bennet tapped into the fact that Libra coincides with the fall equinox, which meant paying homage to the last harvests of the summer as we move into the cooler months. The result contains vodka infused with dill seeds, herbal liquor and agave nectar.
The garnish, molecular air made of fresh rose petals and Italicus Bergamot, is a nod to Libra being an air sign. “The drink, like Libra’s symbol—the scale—is surprisingly balanced despite the complex nature of flavors contained within,” he says.
The Gemini cocktail at Tiger and Peacock. Tiger and Peacock
Tiger and Peacock, located at The Memphian hotel in Memphis, TN, has had a detailed Signs of the Zodiac cocktail menu since opening in 2021. Food and beverage director Evan Potts also pulls inspiration from the signs’ key features. Sagittarius, for example, is known to be adventurous and curious; the bar’s way to embody these traits was to base a cocktail on Angostura bitters. “Most cocktails see a few drops of Angostura to accent a cocktail, while we choose to unleash the full flavor and incorporate an ounce into our drink. After rounding out with the Chinola and orgeat you have a bold and interesting cocktail, with flavors that develop and change as you explore,” Potts says.
“Astrology and good energy from the stars is something we are all in need of, with the stresses of life and relationships,” says Papachryssanthou. “Tying great drinks to something that we believe is important to everyday life adds another level to the experience.”
But are these drinks just a gimmick? Like astrology itself, it’s all a matter of perspective. “I absolutely see the potential for zodiac-inspired cocktails to offer more than just a gimmick-y drinking experience,” says Mainas. “Astrology reflects the human experience, and when bars incorporate zodiac themes, they invite guests into a moment of ceremony and presence.” Cocktails that go beyond the visual do best, with ingredients that reflect the signs’ characteristics and general vibe—painting the dependable bartender inquiry, “What are you in the mood for?” in a completely new light.
It was almost as if there were clones of Steve Ballas working the Wednesday lunch shift at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs.
The 70-year-old was everywhere — taking orders behind the counter, bussing tables from the packed dining room and exchanging pleasantries with longtime customers of his. But he won’t be keeping up this frenetic pace much longer.
After nearly two decades slinging hot dogs alongside Colfax Avenue, Ballas is hanging up his tongs. On Saturday, Oct. 19, the iconic condiment-colored building will hot its last dog, the latest in a series of tough-to-swallow changes along the East Colfax corridor.
“Things happen and it’s time to go out on top,” Ballas said.
Food waits for customers on the counter at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
We sat down with Ballas in Steve’s bustling dining room. Wherever your eyes wander, there’s something to be seen, whether it’s newspaper clippings, signs explaining the choice of news channels being played on the two televisions, or the series of panels that tell the saga of Steve. (The first one says, “Genesis: 1958. Christmas Morning – Bridgeport Connecticut.”)
The style, in a word, is maximalism. But for Ballas, the unifying theme is simple:a love of serving guests, and specifically serving them hot dogs.
“The smile on someone’s face is all I need, really,” Ballas said. “I mean, that’s the joy of making other people happy with food, and that’s what’s been my success”
Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Customers flocked to Steve’s to enjoy one final hot dog
As soon as a banner announcing its closure went up outside Steve’s in late September, flocks of people started visiting the restaurant to say their final farewells.
The dining room was packed for lunch when we visited on Wednesday. Ballas described his at-times overwhelmingly large menu as “Americana” — there’s something for everyone.
There are the classics, like the Coney Island-style dog with chili and the Chicago Dog — but there are also dogs you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. The “Denver Dog” features bacon, chili and a sausage wrapped in a flour tortilla instead of the traditional bun. And if you’re feeling especially saucy, the “Chimi Dog” takes the Denver Dog and deep fries it like a chimichanga.
“People would come because the kids wanted hot dogs and they didn’t have any. They came to my place,” Ballas said. “The kids love hot dogs and so do adults.”
Rudy Dominguez calls out an order number behind the counter at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
And judging by the makeup of the diners, he’s right. People from all corners of Denver were there — nurses, firefighters, cowboys, blue-collar office workers, remote-working parents with young children, all crammed into a redeveloped gas station.
Kathy Valdez came to catch a bite and to say her goodbyes. She’s been going to Steve’s since it opened in the 2000s.
“The dogs are good. I mean, who doesn’t like a hot dog?” she said after placing an order.
As a New Yorker, Jan Renner holds hot dogs in high regard. And while she can’t get on a flight to the East Coast every week, she can make the drive to Steve’s.
“I like Steve’s as much as I used to like the other dogs in New York,” Renner said.
Miriam Fernandez has been a regular for the last 15 years. Now she brings her daughter with her to Steve’s.
She said that Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs has been a constant over the last two decades while Denver has radically changed.
Miriam Fernandez finishes up lunch at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
For Fernandez, Steve’s closure represents another period of change for the city.
“We have better museums. We have more interesting, exciting culinary restaurants and more people. I am a city person, so I love that,” Fernandez said. “But of course, you do see also the losses of this change that happens in any place that’s changing and growing.”
Steve’s is closing amid great change along East Colfax
Meanwhile, higher-end restaurants nearby appear to be thriving. Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails, a Russian restaurant a couple of blocks away, was named to The New York Times’ 2023 best restaurants list. Sắp Sửa, across from East High School, was a semifinalist in the Best New Restaurant category of the James Beard Awards.
Ballas attributes that to a changing restaurant business model: Costs are higher, and customers are willing to pay more money for fancier food.
“Think about it,” he said. “People will pay $20 for a vodka drink, but will they pay $20 for a hot dog? No. So you’ve got to change what they’re willing to pay for, which is why I think it’s getting a little more upscale.”
Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
But, even if Ballas was given a chance to do it all over again, he wouldn’t trade his hot dogs for anything.
“I would just do the same thing, but I would’ve started younger,” he said.”
Ballas may be entering semi-retirement, but his legacy is set to continue
After Steve’s closes on Saturday, Ballas will be spending most of his time with his wife, who is in recovery from cancer.
“I’m a cancer survivor myself,” he said. “I want to get some of this weight off now that I have less stress in my life, and start walking around and doing some exercises and just kind of enjoying life a little.”
Ballas already has a contingency plan if he gets bored. A former EMT and police officer, Ballas said he’s thinking about driving a van to take people who use wheelchairs to rehab and hospital facilities.
While the Colfax location is closing, bits and pieces of Steve’s will carry on.
Travelers at Denver International Airport can still grab Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs in Terminal B for another two years, until its lease ends.
Family photos adorn one wall of Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
What’s next for the building?
Meanwhile, hot dogs may still be served by the future tenants of Steve’s building — just not by Ballas.
Mama Jo’s Biscuits & BBQ, a Carolina-style BBQ joint owned by husband-and-wife duo Ben and Jodi Polson, is set to take over the space. In addition to smoked meats served with homemade biscuits, Ballas said they plan to keep some of Steve’s hot dogs and burgers on the menu.
“They understand my legacy and they want to keep that going and build on their own legacy for this space that’s been here on Colfax,” Ballas said.
Rudy Dominguez dumps chili onto a hot dog behind the counter at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on East Colfax Avenue. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
A sign to the loyal customers of Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, on East Colfax Avenue, announcing their closure. Oct. 16, 2024.Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Diwali is a South Asian holiday with numerous food traditions, a time to celebrate for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains. However, the festival of lights has become a global phenomenon, observed in many countries. Last year, New York declared it a state holiday, giving public school students a day off starting in 2024.
This year, Diwali — also known as Divali or Deepavali — starts on Thursday, October 31.
Awareness of the holiday has crossed over to Chicago’s South Asian restaurants, providing a way for folks of all backgrounds to celebrate. Below are some of the more notable Diwali menus and events held at Chicago restaurants. Eater Chicago also has a South Asian restaurant guide for more ways to celebrate.
This North Center restaurant has pushed the boundaries for what to expect from an Indian restaurant not located along Devon or in downtown Chicago. Neighborhood Indian restaurants often trot out the same generic Northern Indian menus, but not Basant.
For two weeks, Basant is offering a special a la carte menu and will decorate its space with diyas painted by workers, and a hand-drawn rangoli. The menu includes raj kachori chaat; mango duck kebabs with spicy white sauce & chili crisps; “mini-thali” with raswale alu, masala puri, halwa, and boondi raita; seafood khichdi; and lamb shank dum biryani. Reservations are available via OpenTable.
While not serving traditional Indian food, Sifr, a Middle Eastern restaurant boosts a menu from James Beard nominated Sujan Sarkar and culinary director Sahil Sethi. Sarkar’s Indienne is Chicago’s only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant.
Sifr’s holiday offerings consist of a four-course prix fixe. Items include dahi bhalla papdi chaat, papad with pindi chloe, baigan bharta, tamatar ki chaat, sliced onion, aloo tuk, and a mint and cilantro chutney. Entrees include paneer pasanda with lababdar gravy, jackfruit kofta with kadai gravy, butter chicken, or goat do pyaza. Reservations and $75 tickets are available on OpenTable. Sifr is also offering reservations upstairs on its enclosed patio.
Patel Brothers, the iconic South Asian supermarket chain, launched its Patel’s Fresh Kitchen about three years ago, coinciding with the opening of its new store along Devon. The goal was to serve younger customers who don’t know how to cook but still wanted a taste of home. Fresh Kitchen is 100 percent vegetarian, specializing in flatbreads — there are 20 different types of paratha. For folks throwing Diwali parties at home, they can email the bakery manager at their local Patel Brothers — find the emails on the chain’s website — to order parathas, samosas, and more.
Divs Ray has been running Umami From Scratch, a micro bakery that takes online orders, since 2020. Her snacks are creative, blending traditions from different regions together with modern baking techniques. She’s launched a special Diwali menu with specials like rose-lime mooncakes, mithai canele, muhallahbiah with poached red fruits and kataifi, and chaat masala sweet potato focaccia. Order online and pick up October 23 to 31.
Quebec-headquartered rotisserie chicken chain St-Hubert is freezing prices on its main dishes and cutting prices on over 100 other items on its menu. (Photo courtesy of Les Rôtisseries St-Hubert) (Les Rôtisseries St-Hubert)
Rotisserie chicken chain St-Hubert is cutting prices across its menu, a move that suggests a possible inflection point for Canadian consumers worn down by the increasing cost of dining out.
The chain, headquartered in Quebec and with over 120 restaurants there and in Ontario and New Brunswick, dropped prices on 100 menu items, and says it would freeze prices on all of its main courses.
“It is a good time to be playing the price game and trying to take share,” said strategy consultant Mark Satov in an email to Yahoo Finance Canada. “When it seems like everyone else continues to drive price and people at all income levels are frustrated with how much prices keep going up, up, up, it is a good strategy to be a price player or position yourself as one.”
The chain’s press release makes it clear that consumers’ frustration with prices going up is its main motivator: the menu update is “aimed at helping customers navigate the current economic challenges,” says the release, which also name-checks “shrinkflation,” promising quantity and quality will not change.
“It’s important that all our customers feel like they’re getting real value for their money,” Richard Scofield, president of Groupe St-Hubert, said in the release.
Bruce Winder, a retail analyst, says rising prices have caused many consumers to increasingly think twice about dining out, a trend likely very apparent to certain sectors of the industry.
“I think that’s hurting the sit-down business, the in-restaurant dining business a little bit,” he said. “I think they’ve probably seen a significant volume drop in terms of the number of folks coming in, and they realize they have to sharpen their pencil to get them back into the restaurants again.”
Winder says he isn’t aware of other chains in the sit-down space making similar moves so far. But he adds the current economic context meant that for some businesses, “this space is going to be really tough.”
“They may have to close restaurants, they may have to change their business model to try to do more takeout, or even shrink their dining locations.”
The struggles aren’t unique to the sit-down space, with Canadian fast-food outlets competing for budget-conscious customers with value-menu discounts (mirroring value-menu price wars in the U.S.). Joshua Kobza, CEO of Restaurant Brands International, whose brands include Tim Hortons and Burger King, told investors “the environment has been tough” in an August earnings call.
Statistics Canada’s latest inflation figures, released Tuesday, were cooler than analysts had expected, but the government agency points out that “price levels remain elevated.” The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is up 12.7 per cent from September 2021. Over that same three-year period, CPI for food purchased from table-service restaurants rose 17.2 per cent. For fast-food restaurants, the rise since 2021 was 19.6 per cent.
That significant jump in prices is exacerbated by the question of tipping, Winder notes. “When you go to a fast-food joint, there really isn’t a tip, right?” he said. “No, you buy it, you pay the tax, you sit down.”
At a sit-down restaurant, “you feel obliged to give at least, you know, a 15 per cent tip,” he said. “And you can add on top of that, the recent tip culture, where a lot of restaurants are trying to push, you know, 18 or 20 per cent. You know, that’s something that crosses consumers’ minds.”
The restaurant industry is subject to a pattern similar to that being experienced by retail, Winder says, where consumers are gravitating either to high-end or discount.
“There’s been a significant polarization of incomes and equality, and that polarization has led to the middle class shrinking significantly,” he said. “And because of that, you’ve seen a shrinking of middle retail, if you will, and middle restaurants.”
In the face of this, a restaurant chain has a few options beyond St-Hubert’s move to lean into a cheaper menu without compromising its overall experience.
Going more upscale is potentially a more difficult strategy “because your brand’s already synonymous with the middle,” Winder says. Alternatively, he says, a restaurant could try to eliminate sit-down space and reinvent itself primarily as a take-out restaurant, reducing costs for labour, rent, fixtures. This was the route taken by Pizza Hut over a decade ago, Winder notes.
“They had all dine-in, everything was sit-down. Well, they’ve morphed now. There’s no sit-down. It’s all pick-up, and there isn’t much of a dining room in any Pizza Hut. Now, even just to sit down on stools, it’s mostly gone.
“That might be a forerunner for how some other restaurants have to change.”
John MacFarlane is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jmacf.
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The agency said Tuesday its consumer price index for September was up 1.6% from a year ago compared with a year-over-year increase of 2% in August.
It was the slowest annual pace for inflation since February 2021 when it was 1.1%.
Gasoline prices in September fell 10.7% compared with a year earlier. Excluding gasoline, the annual pace of inflation was 2.2% in September.
Meanwhile, rent prices increased at a slower pace in the month but remained elevated as they rose 8.2% compared with a year ago following a year-over-year gain of 8.9% in August.
Grocery prices increased 2.4%, rising faster than overall inflation
Statistics Canada said prices for food purchased from stores rose faster than overall inflation as they increased 2.4% in September, the same rate as in August. Prices for fresh or frozen beef gained 9.2%, while edible fats and oils rose 7.8% and eggs increased 5%.
Prices for food purchased from restaurants rose 3.5% compared with 3.4% in August.
The inflation report is the last major piece of economic data before the Bank of Canada’s interest rate decision on Oct. 23.
The central bank, which has a target of 2% for inflation, has cut its key interest rate three times so far this year to bring it to 4.25%.
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris face off in the ABC presidential debate on Sept. 10, 2024.
Getty Images
With the U.S. election less than a month away, the country and its corporations are staring down two drastically different options.
For airlines, banks, electric vehicle makers, health-care companies, media firms, restaurants and tech giants, the outcome of the presidential contest could result in stark differences in the rules they’ll face, the mergers they’ll be allowed to pursue, and the taxes they’ll pay.
During his last time in power, former President Donald Trump slashed the corporate tax rate, imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, and sought to cut regulation and red tape and discourage immigration, ideas he’s expected to push again if he wins a second term.
In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris has endorsed hiking the tax rate on corporations to 28% from the 21% rate enacted under Trump, a move that would require congressional approval. Most business executives expect Harris to broadly continue President Joe Biden‘s policies, including his war on so-called junk fees across industries.
Personnel is policy, as the saying goes, so the ramifications of the presidential race won’t become clear until the winner begins appointments for as many as a dozen key bodies, including the Treasury, Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
CNBC examined the stakes of the 2024 presidential election for some of corporate America’s biggest sectors. Here’s what a Harris or Trump administration could mean for business:
The result of the presidential election could affect everything from what airlines owe consumers for flight disruptions to how much it costs to build an aircraft in the United States.
The Biden Department of Transportation, led by Secretary Pete Buttigieg, has taken a hard line on filling what it considers to be holes in air traveler protections. It has established or proposed new rules on issues including refunds for cancellations, family seating and service fee disclosures, a measure airlines have challenged in court.
“Who’s in that DOT seat matters,” said Jonathan Kletzel, who heads the travel, transportation and logistics practice at PwC.
The current Democratic administration has also fought industry consolidation, winning two antitrust lawsuits that blocked a partnership between American Airlines and JetBlue Airways in the Northeast and JetBlue’s now-scuttled plan to buy budget carrier Spirit Airlines.
The previous Trump administration didn’t pursue those types of consumer protections. Industry members say that under Trump, they would expect a more favorable environment for mergers, though four airlines already control more than three-quarters of the U.S. market.
On the aerospace side, Boeing and the hundreds of suppliers that support it are seeking stability more than anything else.
Trump has said on the campaign trail that he supports additional tariffs of 10% or 20% and higher duties on goods from China. That could drive up the cost of producing aircraft and other components for aerospace companies, just as a labor and skills shortage after the pandemic drives up expenses.
Tariffs could also challenge the industry, if they spark retaliatory taxes or trade barriers to China and other countries, which are major buyers of aircraft from Boeing, a top U.S. exporter.
Big banks such as JPMorgan Chase faced an onslaught of new rules this year as Biden appointees pursued the most significant slate of regulations since the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
Those efforts threaten tens of billions of dollars in industry revenue by slashing fees that banks impose on credit cards and overdrafts and radically revising the capital and risk framework they operate in. The fate of all of those measures is at risk if Trump is elected.
Trump is expected to nominate appointees for key financial regulators, including the CFPB, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that could result in a weakening or killing off completely of the myriad rules in play.
“The Biden administration’s regulatory agenda across sectors has been very ambitious, especially in finance, and large swaths of it stand to be rolled back by Trump appointees if he wins,” said Tobin Marcus, head of U.S. policy at Wolfe Research.
Bank CEOs and consultants say it would be a relief if aspects of the Biden era — an aggressive CFPB, regulators who discouraged most mergers and elongated times for deal approvals — were dialed back.
“It certainly helps if the president is Republican, and the odds tilt more favorably for the industry if it’s a Republican sweep” in Congress, said the CEO of a bank with nearly $100 billion in assets who declined to be identified speaking about regulators.
Still, some observers point out that Trump 2.0 might not be as friendly to the industry as his first time in office.
Trump’s vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, of Ohio, has often criticized Wall Street banks, and Trump last month began pushing an idea to cap credit card interest rates at 10%, a move that if enacted would have seismic implications for the industry.
Bankers also say that Harris won’t necessarily cater to traditional Democratic Party ideas that have made life tougher for banks. Unless Democrats seize both chambers of Congress as well as the presidency, it may be difficult to get agency heads approved if they’re considered partisan picks, experts note.
“I would not write off the vice president as someone who’s automatically going to go more progressive,” said Lindsey Johnson, head of the Consumer Bankers Association, a trade group for big U.S. retail banks.
Electric vehicles have become a polarizing issue between Democrats and Republicans, especially in swing states such as Michigan that rely on the auto industry. There could be major changes in regulations and incentives for EVs if Trump regains power, a fact that’s placed the industry in a temporary limbo.
“Depending on the election in the U.S., we may have mandates; we may not,” Volkswagen Group of America CEO Pablo Di Si said Sept. 24 during an Automotive News conference. “Am I going to make any decisions on future investments right now? Obviously not. We’re waiting to see.”
Republicans, led by Trump, have largely condemned EVs, claiming they are being forced upon consumers and that they will ruin the U.S. automotive industry. Trump has vowed to roll back or eliminate many vehicle emissions standards under the Environmental Protection Agency and incentives to promote production and adoption of the vehicles.
If elected, he’s also expected to renew a battle with California and other states who set their own vehicle emissions standards.
“In a Republican win … We see higher variance and more potential for change,” UBS analyst Joseph Spak said in a Sept. 18 investor note.
In contrast, Democrats, including Harris, have historically supported EVs and incentives such as those under the Biden administration’s signature Inflation Reduction Act.
Harris hasn’t been as vocal a supporter of EVs lately amid slower-than-expected consumer adoption of the vehicles and consumer pushback. She has said she does not support an EV mandate such as the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019, which she cosponsored during her time as a senator, that would have required automakers to sell only electrified vehicles by 2040. Still, auto industry executives and officials expect a Harris presidency would be largely a continuation, though not a copy, of the past four years of Biden’s EV policy.
They expect some potential leniency on federal fuel economy regulations but minimal changes to the billions of dollars in incentives under the IRA.
Both Harris and Trump have called for sweeping changes to the costly, complicated and entrenched U.S. health-care system of doctors, insurers, drug manufacturers and middlemen, which costs the nation more than $4 trillion a year.
Despite spending more on health care than any other wealthy country, the U.S. has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest rate of people with multiple chronic diseases and the highest maternal and infant death rates, according to the Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group.
Meanwhile, roughly half of American adults say it is difficult to afford health-care costs, which can drive some into debt or lead them to put off necessary care, according to a May poll conducted by health policy research organization KFF.
Both Harris and Trump have taken aim at the pharmaceutical industry and proposed efforts to lower prescription drug prices in the U.S., which are nearly three times higher than those seen in other countries.
But many of Trump’s efforts to lower costs have been temporary or not immediately effective, health policy experts said. Meanwhile, Harris, if elected, can build on existing efforts of the Biden administration to deliver savings to more patients, they said.
Harris specifically plans to expand certain provisions of the IRA, part of which aims to lower health-care costs for seniors enrolled in Medicare. Harris cast the tie-breaking Senate vote to pass the law in 2022.
Her campaign says she plans to extend two provisions to all Americans, not just seniors: a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket drug spending and a $35 limit on monthly insulin costs.
Harris also intends to accelerate and expand a provision allowing Medicare to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers for the first time. Drugmakers fiercely oppose those price talks, with some challenging the effort’s constitutionality in court.
Trump hasn’t publicly indicated what he intends to do about IRA provisions.
Some of Trump’s prior efforts to lower drug prices “didn’t really come into fruition” during his presidency, according to Dr. Mariana Socal, a professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
For example, he planned to use executive action to have Medicare pay no more than the lowest price that select other developed countries pay for drugs, a proposal that was blocked by court action and later rescinded.
Trump also led multiple efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, including its expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults. In a campaign video in April, Trump said he was not running on terminating the ACA and would rather make it “much, much better and far less money,” though he has provided no specific plans.
He reiterated his belief that the ACA was “lousy health care” during his Sept. 10 debate with Harris. But when asked he did not offer a replacement proposal, saying only that he has “concepts of a plan.”
Top of mind for media executives is mergers and the path, or lack thereof, to push them through.
The media industry’s state of turmoil — shrinking audiences for traditional pay TV, the slowdown in advertising, and the rise of streaming and challenges in making it profitable — means its companies are often mentioned in discussions of acquisitions and consolidation.
While a merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media is set to move forward, with plans to close in the first half of 2025, many in media have said the Biden administration has broadly chilled deal-making.
“We just need an opportunity for deregulation, so companies can consolidate and do what we need to do even better,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said in July at Allen & Co.’s annual Sun Valley conference.
Media mogul John Malone recently told MoffettNathanson analysts that some deals are a nonstarter with this current Justice Department, including mergers between companies in the telecommunications and cable broadband space.
Still, it’s unclear how the regulatory environment could or would change depending on which party is in office. Disney was allowed to acquire Fox Corp.’s assets when Trump was in office, but his administration sued to block AT&T’s merger with Time Warner. Meanwhile, under Biden’s presidency, a federal judge blocked the sale of Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House, but Amazon’s acquisition of MGM was approved.
“My sense is, regardless of the election outcome, we are likely to remain in a similar tighter regulatory environment when looking at media industry dealmaking,” said Marc DeBevoise, CEO and board director of Brightcove, a streaming technology company.
When major media, and even tech, assets change hands, it could also mean increased scrutiny on those in control and whether it creates bias on the platforms.
“Overall, the government and FCC have always been most concerned with having a diversity of voices,” said Jonathan Miller, chief executive of Integrated Media, which specializes in digital media investment. “But then [Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter] happened, and it’s clearly showing you can skew a platform to not just what the business needs, but to maybe your personal approach and whims,” he said.
Since Musk acquired the social media platform in 2022, changing its name to X, he has implemented sweeping changes including cutting staff and giving “amnesty” to previously suspended accounts, including Trump’s, which had been suspended following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Musk has also faced widespread criticism from civil rights groups for the amplification of bigotry on the platform.
Musk has publicly endorsed Trump, and was recently on the campaign trail with the former president. “As you can see, I’m not just MAGA, I’m Dark MAGA,” Musk said at a recent event. The billionaire has raised funds for Republican causes, and Trump has suggested Musk could eventually play a role in his administration if the Republican candidate were to be reelected.
During his first term, Trump took a particularly hard stance against journalists, and pursued investigations into leaks from his administration to news organizations. Under Biden, the White House has been notably more amenable to journalists.
Also top of mind for media executives — and government officials — is TikTok.
Lawmakers have argued that TikTok’s Chinese ownership could be a national security risk.
Earlier this year, Biden signed legislation that gives Chinese parent ByteDance until January to find a new owner for the platform or face a U.S. ban. TikTok has said the bill, the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which passed with bipartisan support, violates the First Amendment. The platform has sued the government to stop a potential ban.
While Trump was in office, he attempted to ban TikTok through an executive order, but the effort failed. However, he has more recently switched to supporting the platform, arguing that without it there’s less competition against Meta’s Facebook and other social media.
Both Trump and Harris have endorsed plans to end taxes on restaurant workers’ tips, although how they would do so is likely to differ.
The food service and restaurant industry is the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer, with 15.5 million jobs, according to the National Restaurant Association. Roughly 2.2 million of those employees are tipped servers and bartenders, who could end up with more money in their pockets if their tips are no longer taxed.
Trump’s campaign hasn’t given much detail on how his administration would eliminate taxes on tips, but tax experts have warned that it could turn into a loophole for high earners. Claims from the Trump campaign that the Republican candidate is pro-labor have clashed with his record of appointing leaders to the National Labor Relations Board who have rolled back worker protections.
Meanwhile, Harris has said she’d only exempt workers who make $75,000 or less from paying income tax on their tips, but the money would still be subject to taxes toward Social Security and Medicare, the Washington Post previously reported.
In keeping with the campaign’s more labor-friendly approach, Harris is also pledging to eliminate the tip credit: In 37 states, employers only have to pay tipped workers the minimum wage as long as that hourly wage and tips add up to the area’s pay floor. Since 1991, the federal pay floor for tipped wages has been stuck at $2.13.
“In the short term, if [restaurants] have to pay higher wages to their waiters, they’re going to have to raise menu prices, which is going to lower demand,” said Michael Lynn, a tipping expert and Cornell University professor.
Whichever candidate comes out ahead in November will have to grapple with the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector.
Generative AI is the biggest story in tech since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022. It presents a conundrum for regulators, because it allows consumers to easily create text and images from simple queries, creating privacy and safety concerns.
Harris has said she and Biden “reject the false choice that suggests we can either protect the public or advance innovation.” Last year, the White House issued an executive order that led to the formation of the Commerce Department’s U.S. AI Safety Institute, which is evaluating AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic.
Trump has committed to repealing the executive order.
A second Trump administration might also attempt to challenge a Securities and Exchange Commission rule that requires companies to disclose cybersecurity incidents. The White House said in January that more transparency “will incentivize corporate executives to invest in cybersecurity and cyber risk management.”
Trump’s running mate, Vance, co-sponsored a bill designed to end the rule. Andrew Garbarino, the House Republican who introduced an identical bill, has said the SEC rule increases cybersecurity risk and overlaps with existing law on incident reporting.
Also at stake in the election is the fate of dealmaking for tech investors and executives.
With Lina Khan helming the FTC, the top tech companies have been largely thwarted from making big acquisitions, though the Justice Department and European regulators have also created hurdles.
Tech transaction volume peaked at $1.5 trillion in 2021, then plummeted to $544 billion last year and $465 billion in 2024 as of September, according to Dealogic.
Many in the tech industry are critical of Khan and want her to be replaced should Harris win in November. Meanwhile, Vance, who worked in venture capital before entering politics, said as recently as February — before he was chosen as Trump’s running mate — that Khan was “doing a pretty good job.”
Khan, whom Biden nominated in 2021, has challenged Amazon and Meta on antitrust grounds and has said the FTC will investigate AI investments at Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft.
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