Californios in San Francisco has become the first Mexican restaurant to earn three Michelin stars. Chef Val Cantu's journey from a small town in Texas to this achievement highlights his dedication to refining Northern Californian Mexican cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients and drawing inspiration from family traditions.

Restaurants are addressing ingredient inconsistencies by focusing on training and communication with suppliers. Chipotle, Taco John's and Qdoba are among chains dealing with natural variations in produce, such as the spiciness of peppers and the quality of tomatoes, by providing detailed product specifications and empowering staff to taste and adjust recipes as needed. "Those struggles are actually proof of the amount of cooking you're doing," says Katy Velazquez, vice president of culinary innovation at Qdoba.

Chef Fariyal Abdullahi of Hav & Mar demonstrates how to cook a perfect ribeye steak using just a pan and oven. Abdullahi emphasizes the importance of starting with a quality, room-temperature steak, seasoning generously with salt and black pepper, and achieving a golden-brown crust by searing in a hot cast-iron pan before finishing in the oven. Abdullahi also shares tips on making a flavorful hollandaise sauce with berbere spice and highlights the significance of letting the steak rest for juiciness.

Legislation advancing in Michigan would provide universal free breakfast and lunch to all public school students permanently. Supporters, including sponsor Sen. Dayna Polehanki, say the program reduces food insecurity and saves families $800 to $1,000 per child annually. Some lawmakers argue that funds could be better used for other educational priorities, but Polehanki notes the program would cost less than 1% of the state's school aid budget.

More than 6,000 school nutrition professionals are attending SNA's Annual National Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, where districts are sharing strategies to improve student well-being through nutritious school meals. Ahead of the event, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools showcased its approach to serving nutrient-dense meals and sourcing food locally in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. The conference runs through Tuesday.

About half of children ages 5 and younger ate one fruit or vegetable daily, according to a global study published in BMJ Global Health. In the US, however, the numbers were better, with children under age 2 eating almost three servings of fruits and vegetables daily. US youth ages 2 to 19 consumed fewer than two servings, however.

The USDA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency have signed an updated memorandum of understanding to enhance food safety oversight. The agreement aims to improve detection and management of heavy metals and contaminants in food. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has adopted a new testing method that can detect 18 heavy metals at low concentrations and has expanded surveillance to include processed foods.

Washed spirits, carefully sourced glassware and lots of experimentation are all part of the freezer martinis served at Kitty's Cosmopolitan Club in Chicago, which has a custom bar for creating the cocktails at -16˚F. Consumers are given warm handtowels and complementary snacks while waiting for their drinks, which its creators say emphasize a quality core while also incorporating the joy of performance.

Tacos have become a staple of Norwegian cuisine, thanks to an oil boom in the 1960s that brought Texan oil workers to the country. The workers introduced Tex-Mex food, which Norwegians have since adapted to local tastes. While the typical Norwegian taco features hard shells, minced beef, cheese, sour cream and lettuce -- favoring familiar, family-friendly flavors -- it has evolved to include uniquely Norwegian elements such as reindeer, moose, smoked salmon and pickled redcurrants. Tacofredag, or Taco Friday, has become a cherished tradition, with families gathering to enjoy tacos together, and chefs and home cooks alike continue to experiment, blending tradition and creativity to create a version of the taco that reflects Norwegian culture rather than Mexican or Texan roots.