🥩 Eleven Madison Park Returns to Meat After Plant-Based Shift

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🍽️ What’s Cooking?

Eleven Madison Park Returns to Meat After Plant-Based Shift

Top-tier restaurant Eleven Madison Park in New York is reversing its all-vegan model and reintroducing meats like fish and lamb to its signature tasting menu. After going plant-forward in 2021, the restaurant says chef Daniel Humm is bringing back animal protein to balance creativity with guest desire. The move highlights a broader realization: even fine-dining establishments may need flexibility to meet changing customer expectations.​ ​Read more.

🃏 Running a Smoother Kitchen

Implement a “Quiet Mode” Dunker System for Safer Fry Management

Install a color-coded basket system for each fryer: green baskets for batters, yellow for plain fries, and red for gluten-free items. Use magnetic strips to track what’s in each fryer and how long it’s been cooking. When a basket is removed, a small overhead “ding” (or soft LED alert) signals it's ready. This reduces noise, cuts down misplacements, and helps prevent cross-contamination in busy lines.

🚀 Scaling Up

Cracker Barrel Updates Decor for a Modern Feel

Cracker Barrel is renovating dozens of its restaurants with lighter wood tones, open ceilings, and updated retail areas. The refreshed interiors aim to keep the nostalgic charm while appealing to younger families and road-trippers. These remodels don't affect kitchen layout, so they can be done quickly and cost-effectively—helping the brand modernize without operations disruption. Read more.

🦾 Fresh Ideas

Hyphen Raises $25M for Sustainable Food Tech

Foodtech startup Hyphen has closed a $25 million Series B to scale its sustainable ingredient production. Using precision fermentation, they aim to deliver high-quality proteins, fats, and enzymes that reduce reliance on traditional livestock. Their tech can be used by restaurant brands to create zero-waste recipes, lab-grown flavors, and transparent sourcing—even for cost-sensitive menus. ​Read more

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