AGP Executive Report

Cooking Costs: Malaysia spent RM3.886 billion on cooking-oil subsidies in 2024–25, exceeding the RM3.278 billion collected in palm-oil industry levies; the government says the subsidies help shield households from rising prices. Beer & Food: Tbilisi’s new Ishvi brewery and beer garden opens Oct. 9, pairing small-batch craft beer with food from its own kitchen. Food Trends: A new U.S. report finds interest in trying new flavors fell from 63% to 51%; grocery displays and recommendations from friends and family beat social media as sources of discovery. Beef tallow is also gaining attention, with Whole Foods naming it among its 2026 food trends. Culinary Heritage: More than 80 vendors will serve regional mole at a free Los Angeles festival on Oct. 11, celebrating the Mexican sauce’s many traditions. Chef News: Ruth Hansom of North Yorkshire’s Hansom Restaurant won the UK’s National Chef of the Year title after three attempts.

Campus-Style Dining: Fort Bragg opened Rally Point Bistro, a new soldier-focused DFAC model with multiple stations, digital ordering, and nutrition built around individual schedules and needs. Public Safety & Food-Service Spillover: San Diego faces rising environmental concerns as restaurants’ grease management lapses send FOG toward sewers—another reminder that kitchen practices matter beyond the plate. Local Baking Buzz: Swirl marks its first anniversary with hundreds of free cinnamon-bun treats, turning a neighborhood pop-up origin story into a regional sweet-tooth moment. Food Safety Alert: Sweden reports a Salmonella Napoli outbreak linked to arugula sold via one supermarket chain, with cases spanning late August into early September. Korean Food Spotlight: South Korea launches its first Hansik Day festival (Oct. 23–25) with cooking demos, classes, and ingredient booths at the National Museum of Korea. Recipe Roundup: Ravinder Bhogal shares autumn squash comfort—pumpkin miso congee with chilli oil—plus tips for using roasted pumpkin flesh. Cooking Culture & Media: Top Chef Canada Season 13 announces sponsors ahead of its Oct. 20 premiere.

Michelin Spotlight (Vancouver): Michelin’s 2026 guide just crowned AnnaLena as Vancouver’s first two–star restaurant, with the city’s full star list now locked in. Dim Sum Opening (Baton Rouge): Mudan Modern Asian Cuisine soft-opens with an all-day dim sum lineup, including soup dumplings, noodles, seafood, and Peking duck. Ingredient Upgrade (Anchovies): A guide reframes anchovies as a premium, umami-rich “luxury upgrade,” especially via Spanish boquerones and tinned-fish style serving. Prime Day for Cooks (Kitchen Deals): October Prime Big Deal Days is live with appliance discounts—air fryers, coffee gear, and more—plus picks under $45. Food Culture (Ghana LPG for Cleaner Cooking): Asharami Ghana commissioned a 6,000MT LPG storage facility to boost access to cleaner cooking fuel. Recipe Roundup (Quick Baking): New muffin ideas highlight one-bowl, under-an-hour bakes like marmalade poppy seed and banana chocolate chip. Restaurant News (UK): Rick Stein’s seafood gets a new supermarket range with Waitrose, bringing coastal fish flavors home.

Food & Cancer Care: Ireland’s oesophageal cancer survival gains are credited to surgeon Prof John Reynolds, with initiatives helping double outcomes for patients. Chef Spotlights: Martin Carabott (Gravetye Manor), Bartosz Szynaka (The Rex Hotel, Manchester), Salvatore Coluccio (San Carlo Manchester), and Monique Meintjes (The Bucket & Spade, Shaldon) share seasonal cooking obsessions and signature styles. Dessert & Baking: Jose Pizarro’s poached pear and almond tart with PX caramel, plus a simple 3-ingredient pumpkin muffin recipe, keep autumn sweet-tooth plans on track. Chocolate Retail: Hotel Chocolat reopens in Derbion with an interactive “wall of chocolate” and tasting-led Social Table. Food Safety: Derby takeaway New Desi Karahi faces an “extensive” cockroach infestation and a 0-star hygiene rating after repeated inspections. Culture Through Cuisine: Kerala launches community “Life Experience Trails” built around coffee, tea, farming and village food life. Health & Food Habits: South Korea warns that skipping breakfast is rising, and tomatoes/sweet potatoes may upset sensitive stomachs on an empty morning. Travel for Food Lovers: A guide to Split, Croatia, spotlights gozba-style feasting and seasonal, farm-sourced menus.

Community Fundraiser: Jackson-area food lovers and healthcare advocates are set for the Oct. 24 “Sip and Savor Soiree” at the West Tennessee Farmers Market, with local tastings and an open bar supporting patient care programs. BBQ Expansion: Big Chubbs BBQ is moving from catering into a physical restaurant space, aiming for a grand opening weekend after years serving community events. Chain Menu Watch: Culver’s brings back Curdtoberfest with a new Smoked Cheddar CurderBurger and returning Jalapeño Cheese Curds, while Shake Shack reintroduces its Black Truffle lineup. Quick Kitchen Wins: A fast fix for seized chocolate—blend briefly with an immersion blender—plus a fiber-boosted scrambled-egg upgrade using sautéed onions and bell peppers. Food Safety & Shopping: A guide to spotting bad apples (avoid soft, sunken spots) and a reminder that chicken needs to be cooked to 165°F. Health & Food Tech: A new NIH-funded study links PFAS exposure to higher odds of inflammatory bowel disease later on, and Snapshot Recipes rolls out speed and new promo campaigns for photo-based recipe ideas. Local Dining Culture: Olive Garden breadsticks are reportedly par-baked and shipped frozen, and a Delaware roadside deli highlights why “hole-in-the-wall” spots still win.

Food Safety & Water: New Zealand’s Ōpaki water supplier has been ordered to chlorinate by Oct. 8 after repeated E. coli contamination concerns. Restaurant Ops: Orange County eateries are facing rising fats, oils and grease (FOG) management headaches, with experts warning that poor disposal and maintenance can trigger backups and costly disruptions. Cooking & Health: A new “food divorce” trend is being discussed online—partners who stop shopping/cooking/eating together separately, raising questions about whether it helps or hurts relationships. Community Food: A Nambour cooking school, Mix Taste Eat, is reopening in a new studio after cyclone flooding, aiming to build cooking confidence and social connection through hands-on classes. Recipe Spotlight: Jenny Morris’s “cauliflower royale” is making the rounds—baked cauliflower with tomato sauce and pecorino cream. Food Culture: Ukraine families are sharing borscht and more through a new “Borsch House” restaurant in Altoona. Business/Industry: McCormick’s latest results and valuation debate are back in focus after strong sales growth but slower earnings movement.

New Openings (Puerto Rico): Four Seasons Resort and Residences Puerto Rico is adding two Bahía Beach concepts—Perla, an Oct. 19 seafood-and-steak supper club with a Champagne and Caviar Cart, and Ocean Terrace, a Mediterranean oceanfront restaurant launching in early November. Food Culture Spotlight (Kenya–Korea): Nairobi hosted the 2026 K-Lifestyle showcase, with Korean brands and officials gathering around bibimbap and other cultural programming at Village Market. Regional Italian Expansion (Arizona): A Tucson couple plans to open a regional Italian restaurant at Mercado, adding to the local food scene. Cancer & Nutrition Science: A China retrospective study reports that adding tislelizumab to chemo plus bevacizumab may extend survival in recurrent cervical cancer, while separate lab work explores forskolin/GLP-1 signaling and kombucha as a faster sourdough starter. Cooking & Home Tips: Chefs say restaurant-style scrambled eggs come from low, slow stovetop cooking. Community Food Events: Kofa High School culinary students raised $21,361 for critically ill children via dessert auctions, and Bethel University ran a campus “Chopped” style cooking competition. Food Safety/Health: A fiber-focused report questions whether fiber-fortified products match the benefits of whole high-fiber foods.

Restaurant & Hospitality: Co Down chef Alex Greene and Bronagh McCormick are turning The Buck’s Head into a Michelin-backed destination, with three luxury guest rooms set to open later this autumn. Food & Drink Culture: Irish whiskey writer Oisín Davis is pushing the idea of cooking with whiskey—into sauces, fondue, and even desserts—arguing it can be enjoyed alongside dinner, not just sipped. Community Cookbooks: Turtle Creek Sewing Circle marks 100 years with a 300+ recipe cookbook that preserves local stories alongside dishes. Health, Food & Tech: Malaysia and India are set to host a gut-health conference focused on digestive wellness and its links to mental health and chronic GI issues. Nutrition & Salt: A new column tackles how to make “a little salt taste like a lot,” using smarter placement and flavor-building. Local Food Events: Somerset’s Wells Food Festival returns with 200+ producers, live cooking, and talks on food waste and sustainability. Food Safety/Wellbeing: Cancer care at Cleveland Clinic Indian River highlights integrative oncology nutrition support for patients and families.

Clean Cooking Policy: Kenya has joined the Clean Cooking Alliance via the IEA platform, aiming to speed up access to cleaner cooking ahead of the 2027 Africa Clean Cooking Summit in Nairobi. Food Safety Watch: Jefferson County Health Department posted Sept. 20-week inspection results for 47 food establishments, with scores from 76–100 and common issues like sanitizer problems, temperature holding, and cleanliness. Community Through Food: Iowa State Extension’s Cyclone Kitchen launches in Lucas County, offering hands-on community cooking sessions (no experience needed) plus a fall harvest feast workshop on Oct. 22. Food in the Real World: Orange County health inspectors ordered closures and reopenings for multiple eateries due to rodent or cockroach infestations. Space Cuisine: China’s astronauts are now eating nearly 200 menu items on Tiangong, including home-style favorites like Kung Pao chicken and mapo tofu. Health & Prevention: A new Lancet Oncology analysis estimates infections contributed to about 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024, highlighting prevention as a potential lever. Fall Flavor & Gear: Costco’s prepared meals are getting a seasonal push for cozy autumn dinners, while HexClad launched its first bakeware set timed for fall baking.

Food & Culture: Ron Hsu brings his Chinese American “Down South + East” cookbook story to the Decatur Book Festival with a free talk and signing. Recipe Spotlight: Niall McKenna’s autumn plum crumble and ricotta tart headline a seasonal baking feature. Global Flavors: A Bradford curry house roundup spotlights New Manzil Restaurant’s four-course set menu and strong diner ratings. Cooking Traditions: “Nakiya” gets attention as a Northern Nigerian sweet rice snack shaped into balls or diamonds and cooked with spices and sugar syrup. Dining & Community: Gail’s Down the Street Cafe keeps going after owner Gail Royal’s death, with plans to bring back original recipes. Food Safety/Health: A gastroenterology explainer warns that frequent bloating may signal more than “gas,” urging medical evaluation for persistent symptoms. Practical Life Skills: Hale County’s “Fuel for Life” program teaches students cooking, food safety, and independent-living basics. Kitchen Notes: Food scientists caution against wrapping certain foods in aluminum foil for storage.

Medical Education Expansion: Sierra View Medical Center earned ACGME initial accreditation for new Cardiovascular Disease and Gastroenterology fellowship programs, aiming to grow local specialist training in California’s Central Valley. French-Indonesia Culinary Diplomacy: Bandung’s Trans Luxury Hotel hosted “Rendez-vous Rasa,” a four-hands blind tasting with French two-star chef Stéphane Carrade and local chef Ahmad Syaiful, paired with French wines. Food Safety Recall: Ireland’s FSAI recalled Wrights of Marino sliced smoked salmon (batch Yellow A38, use-by 06/10/26) due to listeria monocytogenes—vulnerable groups are urged not to eat it. New Permanent Tea & Spice Shop: Mondepice opened a year-round Union Market storefront in Washington, D.C., selling loose-leaf teas, spice blends, matcha, and flavored salts with guidance on how to use them. Airline Dining Upgrade: Air France refreshed long-haul menus across La Première, Business, and Premium with six French chefs and pastry chefs, emphasizing seasonal French sourcing. Local Closures & Openings: Fort Collins’ Sunny Sky Pies is closing its storefront and mobile truck after five years; Richardson’s Creamwala is opening its first permanent shop at Lala Market this fall. Cooking Culture & Community: Taste of Hoover returns Oct. 15 at Aldridge Gardens, with tickets expected to sell out early. Recipe Spotlight: Food Network Magazine’s brownie chunk cookies offer a kid-friendly twist on chocolate chip cookies using brownie pieces.

Local Food Retail: Anthony’s of Wellington marks its sixth birthday by blending generations of butchery know-how with a wider local-produce farm shop offering. Recipe Spotlight: Helen Goh shares a flourless walnut, date and espresso cake built for rich, light autumn dessert vibes. Regional Cooking (India): A roundup of five egg curries spans Chettinad to Champaran, proving eggs can carry big spice and comfort. Food & Community Fundraising: SBRWGA’s charity dining experience raised support for IMPACT of Southern Arizona through a dinner-for-eight hosted by local chefs. Care Home Dining: Colten Care’s Castle View head chef and other staff earn National Care Awards finalist spots, highlighting dementia-friendly “restaurant-quality” dining. Food Culture & Travel: Kuvings promotes fall, immunity-leaning cold-press juicing recipes tied to its hands-free AUTO10S slow juicer. Health Research: Nigerian-led researchers argue flavonoids could become next-generation leukemia drug starting points, using computational chemistry to speed discovery. Public Health & Access: A Malaysian study finds sexual health remains largely unaddressed in advanced cancer care, despite its importance to patients. Food Safety/Crime: Hampton police arrest suspects in alleged used cooking oil thefts from multiple restaurants. Food Media: “Midnight Diner” returns after seven years, bringing its comfort-food late-night format back to screens.

Food & Travel (Spain): A new look at how Spain’s coastlines, mountains, and islands shape local cooking—from high-altitude shepherd traditions to regional specialties—spotlights why the country’s cuisine can’t be reduced to one iconic dish. Coffee at Home: One home brewer shares how switching from coffee notes to dedicated apps helped dial in recipes and track beans across an AeroPress, French press, and V60. Brand Spotlight (Chicken): Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken is celebrating 60 years with a daily online prize wheel for rewards and free chicken for a year. Global Tourism (Croatia–China): A new direct Beijing–Zagreb flight is already boosting Chinese arrivals and overnight stays, with Zagreb betting on long-term growth. Local Food Business: A small farm stand grew from a sourdough class into a community stop for baked goods and locally sourced items. Fall Comfort Food: A guide argues that cozy favorites like pot pies and cheesy casseroles can be balanced with simple add-ins like canned pumpkin. Tech Meets Small Business: Meta rolls out “Muse for Small Business,” an AI agent that can connect to tools like Shopify, Stripe, and QuickBooks to help run day-to-day operations. Community & Culture (Dominica): Ti Vilaj Kwéyòl-‘Tout Biten Domnik returns Oct. 19–22, turning the botanic gardens into a Creole food-and-craft village. Beverage Launch (Ecuador): North Miami’s Cotoa, led by Ecuadorian chef Alejandra Espinoza, is expanding to an 80-seat space.

Food & Travel Awards: Melbourne’s Yiaga wins the Visa One to Watch award at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, putting its first-year spotlight on chef-owner Hugh Allen. Local Food Culture: Darwin’s International Laksa Festival kicks off Oct. 1–31 with 118 venues, 230 dishes, and $15,000 in prizes. Recipe Spotlight: Rachel Roddy shares lasagne with three cheeses, tomato, and tiny meatballs—built like a “cooking vessel” and cut into satisfying squares. Chocolate Innovation: North Yorkshire luxury chocolate brand 80Noir Ultra lands £50,000 angel investment plus non-dilutive funding to scale its functional cacao hot chocolate pod and expand into Scandinavia and France. Clean Cooking & Power Demand: Nepal warns that mass induction-stove adoption in Kathmandu Valley could require an extra 3,000 MW during peak cooking hours, stressing grid limits. Hospitality & Dining: A Jamaican family-run grill spot (K.N.K.A White) draws visitors from far away, fueled by jerk and curry made fresh. Health & Food Research: A Sweden cohort study finds psychiatric risk rises 2–3 years before IBD diagnosis and stays elevated after, mainly from depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. Retail Food Buzz: Costco brings back limited-time churros to its food court, reigniting fan excitement.

Farmers Market Update (Lewes, Delaware): Historic Lewes Farmers Market moves to Lewes Elementary’s parking lot for a fall Oct. 3 kickoff (9 a.m.–noon), running weekly through Nov. 28, with a final holiday market Dec. 5; Chef Dru Tevis (Brûlé Bakery) will demo a sticky apple cake at 10 a.m., alongside local produce, cider, honey, eggs, meats, and more. Coffee & Culture (Philippines): International Coffee Day spotlights Filipino asin tibuok—UNESCO-listed heritage salt from Bohol—now being stirred into specialty coffee for a sweet, creamy latte with a subtle smoky edge. Health & Food (GLP-1 era): Eli Lilly reports its EloraTZP combo therapy beats tirzepatide alone in a mid-stage trial for weight loss, while a separate report flags a five-fold post-COVID surge in POTS diagnoses. School Nutrition: Chartwells K12 refreshes its Power Up program with pop-up tastings and nutrition lessons tied to hydration and recovery. Food Events: AutumnFest returns with barbecue, craft brews, live music, and harness racing, while Emeryville Restaurant Week starts Oct. 1 for 11 days of deals.

Community Fundraiser: The Valle Country Fair (Oct. 17) is gearing up a big Appalachian food lineup—think chili, Brunswick stew, pork barbecue, and thousands of donuts and cups of cider—while proceeds flow to local charities and families in need. Authenticity Seal: Ontario’s The Mexican Way earned Mexico’s Sello M certification for promoting authentic Mexican cuisine abroad. Local Food Business: Slice of Heaven’s owner shares how her family baking roots turned into a growing dessert and neighborhood-meals business. Recipe & Heritage: A Scottish food feature spotlights Cullen skink pies and other twists on classic comfort cooking. Health & Food Safety: South Korea warns against rinsing mouths with water from old showerheads due to possible non-tuberculous mycobacteria exposure. Food Retail & Deals: Aldi is rolling out fresh ready-made meals in October, and Lakeland is pushing autumn kitchen gadgets and batch-cooking tools. Industry Watch: Singapore-based Crystal Jade faces potential restructuring after receivers were appointed for holding companies, though restaurants continue operating.