Mixue, the world's largest restaurant chain, has entered the US market with a store on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. The chain, which offers ice cream, tea and coffee, plans to expand to New York and other US cities. Mixue differentiates itself with value-focused pricing and manages its supply chain digitally to maintain quality and affordability.

Tariffs on imported ingredients like pasta, seafood, olive oi and beef have significantly increased costs for US restaurants this holiday season, especially those sourcing authentic products for Italian and Japanese menus. While some tariffs have been reduced or removed -- such as those on Brazilian beef and coffee -- restaurants have still faced higher prices and planning challenges. Large chains managed to stockpile inventory ahead of tariff hikes, but smaller operators are substituting with domestic alternatives or absorbing the extra costs, which has strained their margins.

Pastry chefs from Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Ukraine, the UK and Sweden are set to compete in the European Pastry Cup in January 2026 in Paris. Each country will be represented by three pastry chefs specializing in chocolate, sugar and ice, and the event will be held during the Sirha Bake Snack trade show.

Collard greens are identified as the top leafy green for bone health, according to registered dietitian Marissa (Meshulam) Karp. A good source of both calcium and vitamin K, collard greens support bone strength and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. They also offer additional health benefits, including potassium, antioxidants and fiber. Suggestions for incorporating collard greens into meals include using them in soups, as wraps or sauteed as a side dish.

The European Commission has unveiled a plan to simplify EU food and feed safety legislation, aiming to streamline regulatory processes without compromising existing high safety, health and environmental standards. The simplification targets various sectors, including plant protection, biocides and animal health, and is designed to reduce administrative burdens across member states while ensuring effective oversight remains.

Experts across the food industry are expressing fatigue with viral food trends that prioritize social media appeal over genuine taste and enjoyment. Chefs and restaurateurs argue it's time to move away from performative consumption and return to food that is satisfying to eat, not just to post.

The rush to finish projects before the end of the year can hasten feelings of burnout and exhaustion, writes management consultant Marc Cugnon, who recommends helping your team identify and prioritize what needs to be done now and what can wait until next year. "We get ourselves into trouble when we start treating the end of the year like some big chasm that we can't see the other side of," Cugnon writes.

Join ACF chefs, Michael Thrash and Rocco Paradiso, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at 2 p.m. ET, as they explore the ACF 2026 Trends Report and discuss some of the culinary trends we can expect to see grow in the upcoming year. From the continued growth of emerging flavors from around the globe, to the resurgence of afternoon tea, to meat back on the rise and the center of the plate, these chefs will discuss all of trends shaping ACF's featured content for 2026. We hope you'll tune as these chefs kick off the first ACF Chef's Table Webinar of the new year with a conversation around these exciting topics. Register today.

Applications for the 2026 ACF National Awards are now being accepted. Deadline for all applications is Jan. 31, 2026. Award recipients will be announced during the 2026 ACF National Convention. Learn more.