2026

“What California Cooks, the Country Eats”: Tyler Florence on Restaurant Trends, Branding and Survival

Celebrity chef, restaurateur and Food Network veteran Tyler Florence spoke with CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber ahead of his appearance at the California Restaurant Show on Aug. 24. Florence—chef and owner of the Michelin-starred Miller & Lux steakhouse in San Francisco and host of The Great Food Truck Race for nearly two decades—shared his perspective on the challenges facing today’s operators. His message was clear: Restaurants that succeed in today’s market know exactly who they are, who they serve and what problem they solve.

2026 Trends: How Events Are Being Defined By Thoughtful Design

In 2026, event design continues its evolution from aesthetic exercise to fully integrated experience strategy.
For hospitality-driven events, the intersection of environment, service and storytelling is more important than ever—where furniture, catering and layout are no longer separate considerations, but part of a cohesive guest journey.

4 Reasons Your Catering Technology Is Under-Delivering

If your catering software isn’t delivering the efficiencies you expected, the problem may not be the technology itself. More often, the issues begin long before go-live—during planning, vendor selection and implementation. Here are four problems to watch out for, and how to avoid them.

Cocktail Recipe: Prickly Bloom

Chihuahua is one of the only places in Mexico where prickly pear grows endemically, quite literally next to where sotol

How Hampton Created a Beloved Brand Standard, One Waffle at a Time

When a menu item becomes something you’re known for, you don’t just keep it—you lean into it. And that’s exactly what Hampton by Hilton has done with its famous make-your-own Belgian waffle.
Hampton—one of the world’s largest hotel brands—has elevated the complimentary breakfast offering into a brand standard, a guest engagement tool and a symbol of the service culture it calls “Hamptonality.”

Create Team Buy-In with These Five Easy Steps

When you invite staff members to help drive the outcome, you create a culture where people want to do better. When they know their opinions matter, they will proactively initiate ideas.

Top Caterers Share Tips and Strategies for Successful Outdoor Events

As the summer season gets underway, CFE News convened our Editorial Advisory Board for a wide-ranging discussion on what it really takes to execute outdoor events at a high level—from the first client conversation to the final plate. Following are some of these catering leaders’ tips and strategies.

Scroll to Top