Indian Dal Bowl
Recipe for Indian Dal Bowl, a curry dal served over a bowl base of brown rice with sautéed spinach, sautéed mushrooms and shredded carrots
2026
13 Food and Beverage Trends to Watch in 2026
During the recent 2026 Midyear Trends Event webinar by Datassential—the food and beverage market research firm—trendologists Jaclyn Marks and Renee Lee Wege highlighted the emerging flavors, ingredients and culinary concepts that are shaping menus across the country. For catering and foodservice operators, the trends offer plenty of inspiration and food for thought.
Storm Recovery Checklist for Restaurants: The First 72 Hours
Severe weather is becoming a fact of life in nearly every corner of the country. For restaurants and other foodservice operators, the earliest decisions you make after a storm are often the most financially important ones.
Less Alcohol, More Experiences: Catering to the Sober-Curious Guest
If you cater events or plan them for a living, you’ve probably felt the ground shift. The open bar isn’t the centerpiece it used to be. More guests are reaching for something non-alcoholic without a second thought, and they’re not apologizing for it.
Founding Farmers’ Dan Simons: “Catering Is a Cousin, Not a Sibling, to Restaurants”
When Dan Simons and his partners launched Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events in 2022, they weren’t starting from zero. They had a very strong base—a celebrated high-volume restaurant group with nine locations in the Washington, D.C., area and another in Pennsylvania. What the Founding Farmers team discovered with their successful catering arm is that the business is harder than it may seem.
José Andrés on Bringing the Spirit of Spain to the Table
In an exclusive interview with CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber, renowned chef José Andrés—author of the new book “Spain My Way”—shares his thoughts on how to add Spanish cuisine to a catering menu, the importance of giving guests context for what they are eating and the simple lesson about generosity that has stayed with him since childhood.
Multicultural Catering: Tips for Authentic Indian Cuisine at Corporate Scale
Every multicultural menu carries cultural stakes. But Indian cuisine for a South Asian diaspora audience is a specific category of difficulty that most catering operators underestimate, for one reason: the guests are the experts.
LSU’s New Dining Hit, Prima Après, Started as a Pop-Up
For culinary brand Prima Après, partnering with Louisiana State University (LSU) Dining was “the best thing we ever did,” says owner Abney Harper, who founded the company with her husband James Vitrano.
Logan’s Roadhouse Serves Up a Great American Road Trip Menu for America 250
Logan’s Roadhouse is taking guests on a culinary Great American Road Trip this summer, using America’s 250th anniversary and Route 66’s centennial as inspiration for a limited-time-only (LTO) menu available through mid- to late September.
Top New York Caterers Discuss Menu Trends, Event Design and the Future of Catering
Clients increasingly want catering that does more than serve a meal. They are looking for food that encourages interaction, design that tells a story and an experience that feels personal from beginning to end.
At the 2026 New York Restaurant Show, a panel moderated by CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber explored the latest catering trends with top New York-area caterers: Robin Selden and Jeffrey Selden of Marcia Selden Catering, Carla Ruben of Creative Edge Parties and Danielle Shapiro of Elior North America. (This is part two of CFE News’ session recap. Click here for part one.)
