Texas is poised to lead US culinary job growth, with projections of more than 52,000 new positions by 2032, according to research by the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. California, Florida, Georgia and Washington round out the top five states for job growth, with restaurant cooks seeing the fastest growth among culinary roles.

Three University of California campuses are the first major purchasers of shrimp under the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Verified Green program, which helps Vietnamese shrimp farmers demonstrate the environmental performance of their product. The university's Santa Cruz, Davis and Merced campuses have ordered 57,500 pounds of shrimp from small-scale Vietnamese farmers for the winter and spring quarters.

Professional chefs, including Shirley Chung, Nate Appleman, Stephanie Izard, Fabio Trabocchi, Andy Allo and Christopher Lee, share their preferred canned tomato brands and styles, highlighting how factors like sweetness, acidity, texture and juiciness can dramatically influence the outcome of sauces, soups and stews. While preferences vary by dish and flavor profile, chefs agreed that starting with high-quality tomatoes is essential for building depth and balance.

La Madeleine is amplifying its identity as an all-day brunch concept this year, with a new menu rollout and marketing push designed to capitalize on the growing demand for brunch. Signature dishes like Crème Brûlée French Toast and $5 mimosas headline the initiative, helping reposition La Madeleine in the competitive bakery-café space. The chain is also adopting a smaller restaurant footprint as part of its growth strategy. The new prototype features units sized at 3,000 to 3,200 square feet, down from the traditional 4,500 to 5,000 square feet, to allow for expansion into nontraditional spaces.

A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that eating mango and avocado daily may improve endothelial function in people with prediabetes. Study participants were assigned to a diet with these fruits or a control diet for eight weeks. The daily caloric intake for women was 1,500 kcal and for men 1,750 kcal.

This diet also was linked to improved diastolic blood pressure among men but not women.

Restaurants and bars are introducing mini cocktails in response to the popularity of weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic, which have led to decreased alcohol consumption. Establishments such as Lele's Roman and Raf's are offering smaller drinks and flights, allowing customers to sample multiple flavors without committing to larger portions. The trend not only caters to health-conscious patrons but also proves lucrative, as it encourages more orders and experimentation.

Nearly 60% of consumers view dining out as essential, and over 70% would visit eateries more often if the price was right, according to the National Restaurant Association's 2026 State of the Industry report. In response, chains and independent restaurants alike are introducing a variety of snackable options at prices lower than those for full meals. Vicious Biscuit, for example, promotes shareable items such as fried green tomato fritters and sweet potato hushpuppies that have generated nearly $600,000 in revenue in the last six months alone, according to Mike Ball, the chain's vice president of franchise development. "They're a great revenue driver for us and also a really powerful add-on for our check averages and our guest experience," Ball said.

In an office, linear, or monochronic, time is the norm as we carve our calendars into neat blocks and prize focus and deep work, writes future-of-work expert Laetitia Vitaud, who argues for a balance with polychronic time that more easily pivots between tasks and is better suited to innovation. Women who constantly switch between work and home duties are more prone to polychronic time, which is often perceived as a lack of discipline. "Instead of asking individuals to 'be more focused,' perhaps we should ask how teams can better distribute cognitive labor, including the cognitive labor associated with teamwork," Vitaud writes.

What if the future of food isn’t about restriction, but intention: using culinary craft to actually shape human health? In this webinar on Mar 11 at 2 p.m. ETm Chef Matthew Thompson will reveal how enhanced nutrition is transforming kitchens, healthcare and the everyday plate. You’ll learn why chefs can be one of the most powerful changemakers in longevity, cognitive health and disease prevention. Through real-world examples and science-backed strategies, Chef Matthew will show how small choices in ingredients and technique can create measurable, life-changing outcomes. Register now.