AGP Executive Report

Restaurant News: Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery, known for its cioppino, is up for sale in California. Owner Phil DiGirolamo hopes a buyer will keep the restaurant’s name, retain its long-serving staff and continue its legacy; it will stay open during the sale. Fine Dining: Scunthorpe’s Restaurant Dom has ranked ninth among the UK’s top fine-dining restaurants in TripAdvisor’s 2026 awards, less than two years after opening. Food Trends: Irish chefs are bringing potatoes back into the spotlight, treating the humble staple as a premium ingredient with careful sourcing and refined techniques. Kitchen Culture: A Brisbane chef’s claim over refusing to put pineapple on pizza was dismissed because he filed late. The restaurant cited several workplace issues, not just the topping dispute. Changing Recipes: Kellogg’s says UK Rice Krispies will contain wheat gluten after a weather-driven recipe change; Canadian cereal keeps its familiar formula. Regional Cuisine: Isan food is gaining ground in Bangkok’s restaurants, even as people from Thailand’s northeast continue to face prejudice.

Diwali Drinks: Mixologists are sharing simple, fruit-forward whisky highballs and sparkling cocktails for festive gatherings. Pizza Culture Clash: An Australian workplace tribunal rejected Brisbane chef Davide Tamburella’s challenge after he repeatedly refused to make pineapple pizza, which he called an insult to his Italian culture. Protecting Food Heritage: Nagaland is promoting origin-linked protections for local specialties including king chilli, cucumber and tree tomato, helping preserve regional traditions and support producers. Spanish Holiday Pairings: Cava and cured jamón are being pitched as versatile matches for festive meals, from seafood and vegetables to poultry. Food for Community: Queens’ International Food Expo will bring more than 40 restaurants together in December, with proceeds supporting food-insecurity programs and local businesses. Meals on Wheels Fundraiser: Rocky Mount’s Beans & Brews paired chili, craft beer and live music to support a service that delivered about 42,000 meals to seniors last year.

Food Industry: Food Week Korea 2026 is bringing 963 companies from 47 countries to Seoul, with 1,622 booths spotlighting new foods, restaurant technology and industry trends. Food Tourism: Sri Lanka was named Luxury Food Destination of the Year at the UK’s Travel and Taste Awards, with judges citing its indigenous produce and lively dining scene. Restaurant Openings: Austin’s vegan Counter Culture has reopened at a new location after several years away, bringing its plant-based menu back to the city. Sydney’s Opera Bar also reopened with a refreshed look and a menu drawing on the city’s multicultural food scene. Food in Schools: South Carolina recognized 15 school districts for buying local produce for cafeterias, with grants to support further purchases and kitchen equipment. Food Brands: Kellogg’s recipe change has left UK Rice Krispies with less of their familiar snap, crackle and pop, drawing complaints from shoppers. Diwali Cooking: A limited-time Bombay Brasserie pop-up at Taj Bentota will serve regional Indian dishes, including dal makhani and coastal prawn curry, from Nov. 7 to 25.

Regional Food: Michelin-starred Hapag MNL is scouting Samar Island’s ingredients and food traditions for a planned 2027 menu, potentially bringing local products to a wider audience. Food Tourism: Sri Lanka has been named the year’s Luxury Food Destination, while new research finds 82% of surveyed Brits would travel for regional food experiences. World’s Best Tables: Spain’s Asador Etxebarri took the top spot in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking; Sydney’s Saint Peter landed at No. 50, the sole Australian entry. Cereal Changes: Kellogg’s UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops recipe changes, prompted by rice shortages, have drawn consumer backlash over the cereals’ quieter crunch. Kitchen Culture: An Australian chef has lost his bid to regain his job after refusing to make pineapple pizza, saying it insulted Italian culture.

Caribbean Growth: Trinidad’s Fresh Start Juices is expanding into Barbados and Grenada, with St Lucia next, as it aims to replace imports and grow regional sales. Food Traceability: Malaysian industry representatives are urging an investigation into alleged blending of imported and local cooking oils before re-export, citing questions about origin, quality and safety. Local Food Systems: A planned Bulacan charity dinner will spotlight chefs using local and indigenous ingredients, linking food choices with farm resilience and cultural preservation. Cereal Changes: Kellogg’s has changed its UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops recipes amid rice shortages; the reformulation means some products are no longer gluten-free. Pastry Spotlight: Thailand’s Dej Kewkacha has been named the 2026 World’s Best Pastry Chef, highlighting Asian desserts and local flavours. Food Technology: A look back at the first public tasting of lab-grown beef explores why the once-high-profile alternative meat has yet to transform food production.

Cereal Shake-Up: Kellogg has replaced whole rice grains with rice and corn flour in UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops, citing weather-disrupted supplies. Fans say the taste and texture have changed; the company says the familiar snap, crackle and pop may be quieter. Cooking’s Air Impact: New reports say cooking has become a bigger source of harmful air pollution than vehicle exhaust in London, highlighting the environmental cost of everyday kitchens. Affordable Meals: With grocery bills biting, food experts are pointing shoppers to beans as low-cost protein and fiber, and suggest adding them to familiar dishes to stretch meat and budgets. Community Table: On Scotland’s Isle of Skye, chef John Coghill has opened Araich, a pay-what-you-can café serving healthy, affordable meals and inviting contributions in cash or help. Food Heritage: A look at Zanzibar’s spice legacy traces how cloves shaped the island’s history and trade, while spices remain central to Swahili dishes such as pilau, biryani and mahamri.

Food Access: Tamil Nadu will sell 2.6-kilogram vegetable kits for Rs 100 at 218 cooperative outlets from Nov. 5–7, aiming to shield households from festive-season price spikes. Culinary Competition: Japan, Thailand and China took the top three places at the Bocuse d’Or Asia-Pacific in Macau; New Zealand and Malaysia also qualified for January’s world final. Farm-to-Table: At Syrco BASÈ near Ubud, chef Syrco Bakker builds fine-dining menus around Bali’s seasonal produce and close ties with local farmers. Cooking Skills: Dorset classes are helping young people with long-term health conditions build confidence in the kitchen, with family sessions added after parents asked to join.

Food Industry: Kellogg’s has replaced whole rice in Rice Krispies and Coco Pops with rice and corn flour, citing weather-driven supply and quality issues. The new recipes contain wheat gluten, making them unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or wheat allergies. Food Innovation: Iowa State researchers are testing grape pomace, a winemaking by-product, as a natural preservative for pork sausage—an effort to reduce waste and meet demand for cleaner-label foods. Culinary Heritage: A new free Canadian cookbook shares Ontario families’ Diwali recipes and stories, including a saffron-and-cardamom yogurt dessert passed down through generations. Food Workers: A charity founded by a restaurant community after a chef’s terminal cancer diagnosis has now provided $18 million in aid to 40,000 food workers. Sustainable Food: Phillips 66 and Restaurant Technologies are partnering to turn used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel.

Global Dining: Congolese chef Dieuveil Malonga has become the first African chef in Qatar Airways’ “Flavours to Fly For” programme, bringing Afrofusion dishes and African ingredients to select flights. Restaurant News: Sydney’s harbourfront Me-Gal will relaunch in December as Me-Gal by Matt Stone, with a seasonal menu featuring native Australian produce and a drinks list highlighting women and First Nations winemakers. World Sandwich Day: Mumbai chef Beena Noronha says a standout sandwich needs contrasting textures and a few well-balanced flavours—not a crowded filling. Food Culture: “Lucky Chow” won the Daytime Emmy for culinary cultural series, while Ina Garten’s “Be My Guest” took the culinary instructional award. Festive Food Safety: Diwali sweets’ shelf life varies by recipe and storage; experts advise checking labels and refrigerating promptly in airtight containers.

Food Diplomacy: Malaysian flavours took centre stage at an ASEAN gathering in Jakarta, where officials said shared food traditions can strengthen regional ties. A Malaysia fair in Tokyo drew more than 65,000 visitors with food stalls, cooking demonstrations and cultural events. Pub Scene: The Good Food Guide’s 2026 UK list put Dedham’s Sun Inn at No. 19 and recognised pubs for their food, community role and local sourcing. Meanwhile, a US poll found just 54% of adults drink alcohol, though neighbourhood bars are holding steadier than upscale venues. Food Industry: The former Elisabeth the Chef dessert factory near Worcester will go to auction for £2.5 million after closing in August; 367 staff lost their jobs.

Restaurant Scene: Seoul’s modern Korean fine-dining restaurant ONIL has opened after growing from a CJ CheilJedang chef-training pop-up, showcasing ingredients and food traditions from Gangwon Province. Michelin Watch: The 2027 Michelin Guide has awarded stars to 10 Philippine restaurants, bringing fresh attention to the country’s dining scene. Food Business: Family-founded seasoning brand EZ Bombs raised $25 million as it expands products inspired by traditional Mexican cooking; its range is now sold in more than 8,000 US stores. Food and Politics: North Korea is touting a wave of barbecue restaurants, including large, multi-storey venues. Analysts question how widely accessible they are as the UN reports widespread undernourishment. Sustainability: A Benin enterprise says it has recycled more than 150,000 litres of used cooking oil into soap and biofuel, working with over 100 restaurant operators. Food Heritage: A new Seoul exhibition lets visitors use AI to create dishes inspired by the French-style state banquets of Korea’s short-lived empire.

Malaysian Cuisine: Noor Shobahiyah Abu Bakar won the professional title at Kuala Lumpur’s Lotus’s Chef Challenge with a family nasi daging recipe and a smoked-beef noodle dish. She’ll represent Malaysia at an international contest in Bangkok next year. Plant-Based Dining: Chaka Khan and her sister opened Chaka’s Plantbaed Café in Georgia, pairing whole-food plant-based cooking with programs for neurodivergent people. Airline Dining: United added 30 chef-created dishes to its Polaris menus, drawing on food traditions from its U.S. hubs and international gateways. Airport Food: LAX’s Terminal 1 welcomed local favorites Marathon Burger and Kogi BBQ as part of a push to give travelers a taste of Los Angeles.

Climate and Ingredients: A hot, dry summer has cut white-truffle yields around Italy’s Alba, with smaller specimens and shorter shelf life raising concerns for a crop that depends on cool, moist soil. Restaurant Industry: Commercial LPG cylinders in India rose by up to ₹17 on November 1, adding to costs for restaurants and caterers ahead of Diwali. Michelin News: Manila’s Helm retained its two Michelin stars, remaining the Philippines’ only restaurant with the distinction; chef Josh Boutwood said the result brought relief more than excitement. Cooking Know-How: Broccoli’s nutrients fare differently in the kitchen: boiling can leach water-soluble vitamins, while chopping triggers the reaction that forms sulforaphane. Food Heritage: Guatemalan chefs assembled a record 1,962-kilogram fiambre salad with 52 ingredients, celebrating the traditional dish served around All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. Food Safety: Pāpaʻikou, Hawaiʻi, residents were told to boil tap water used for drinking and cooking while officials conduct further testing.

Food Access: Pelham Cares has unveiled a renovated food bank with a teaching kitchen for food education and recipe demonstrations, plus new cold storage to better handle fresh donations. Skills Pipeline: A $1,500 grant will support an Ennis School baking program, helping students with disabilities build culinary and workplace skills. Restaurant News: Michelin-starred Bistro Na’s is marking its 10th anniversary with a limited Peking Duck croissant collaboration with République and a rare imperial duck. Food Costs: Kenya’s statistics agency reports that cooking oil and other everyday goods rose in price in October, adding pressure to household budgets. Culinary Competition: Eight teams are set to compete in the Bocuse d’Or Asia-Pacific on Nov. 1–2 for a place in the grand final.

Food Waste: Malaysia’s Pahang environment department urged households to send used cooking oil to approved collection points, where it can be processed or reused instead of polluting drains. Cooking Together: A Chippenham primary school is giving every family free ingredients and a recipe card to help them prepare a nutritious meal together. Cookbook News: Rick Stein has released a 150-recipe cookery course drawing on six decades in the kitchen, months after his Marlborough restaurant closed. Seasonal Cooking: As Halloween ends, Iowa State Extension says firm, unspoiled pumpkins can still be cooked; smaller pie pumpkins are better for soups and baking than large carving varieties. Sustainable Diets: New archaeological research traces insect-eating traditions across thousands of years and suggests they could inform more sustainable diets today. Cooking Gas: India’s ANVI signed a ₹5,000-crore agreement with Goa for an LPG terminal aimed at strengthening cooking-gas security.

Festival Flavours: Ireland’s Samhain Festival of Food and Culture pairs a six-course Boyne Valley tasting with local-produce cocktails, food folklore and a look at black pudding traditions. Philippine Dining: Michelin added 19 restaurants across Manila, Cebu, Pampanga and Cavite, bringing this year’s list to 127; Manila’s Flow earned a new star. School Kitchens: Michigan launched grants of up to $100,000 to help schools cook more meals from scratch with local ingredients, supporting students and farmers. Street Food: Vietnamese sizzling banh mi chao is drawing long queues in New York and San Francisco; one New York restaurant makes its own bread, pâté, sausage and sauces. Budget Cooking: A Fergus chef’s new website uses grocery flyers to build a week of meals and a priced shopping list for families, with one plan costing about $158. Local Harvests: Hawaiʻi schools are adding locally grown foods such as ʻulu to menus, connecting students with island crops and giving farmers a dependable market.