NRA Show Blog

Make dining out a healthy experience during the holidays

Posted by Derrek J. Hull

National Restaurant Association's Director of Nutrition and Healthy Living Joy Dubost, Ph.D., R.D., provides regular commentary on the NRA News blog. In this post, she discusses tips to keep off holiday weight gain.

The holiday season is here and if you’re like most Americans, restaurants will play a key role in your holiday plans and celebrations, as well as shopping and traveling experiences.

Restaurant industry set to outpace national job growth in 2013

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

 

Restaurant-goers hunger for technology continues unabated. And restaurant operators recognize technology can enhance customer service and appeal to consumers, but they are not fully meeting consumer demand in this area...yet. 

11 Chefs Who Famously Bit Back at Restaurant Critics

Last year, New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo issued a commandment to restaurateurs reeling from brutal restaurant reviews, writing, "A restaurant should suffer its beating in silence." But whether it's Guy Fieri accusing Pete Wells of having an agenda or David Chang waging war with Jay Raynerover dessert, chefs have not been silently bearing their beatings these days — culminating most recently with José Andrés calling out Washington Post criticTom Sietsema for the critic's tepid Minibar review.

Methods of biting back tend to vary, of course. Most just exchange harsh words on Twitter, others pull stunts at their restaurants, and some chefs just completely ban their new nemesis from the premises. Here now, a look at chefs who bit back at their critics over the past two years:

Read more (reposted Eater blog post by Amy McKeever)

Bartenders call 2013 drink menu trends

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief



The National Restaurant Association's inaugural “What’s Hot in 2013 - Alcohol” survey of nearly 200 professional bartenders – members of the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) – shows onsite barrel-aged drinks, food-liquor pairings, and culinary cocktails will be the hottest trends on restaurant drink menus. Already a strong trend on restaurant menus, local sourcing will also play a big role in mixology next year.

Here are the top 10 drink menu trends for 2013: 

'What's Hot in 2013' predicts menu trends

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

  

The National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) “What’s Hot in 2013” survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs – members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) – reveals that children’s nutrition and local sourcing will continue to be the hottest trends on restaurant menus. The chefs also said the best ways to address rising food costs is to change menus, adjust plate composition and explore sourcing options.