Robots serve up future of coffee
Cafe X
San Francisco is an epicenter of the U.S. tech industry. At the city’s new Cafe X coffee shop, the barista is a robot. Customers enter their order at a kiosk or on their mobile phone, and the robot takes it from there, whipping up gourmet coffee drinks in under a minute. An 8-ounce latte is priced at $2.95. (The Wall Street Journal)
Growing an environmentally friendly grain
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A Washington State University professor and PhD student have developed a new grain called Salish Blue that is a cross between wheat and wheat grass. Salish Blue is more sustainable than conventional wheat because it grows back every year. The grain could help reduce soil erosion and reduce the human labor that conventional wheat requires. (The Salt/NPR)
Fixture in New York City’s Chinatown closes
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Fong Inn Too, New York’s oldest family-owned tofu and noodle shop, has closed. David Eng, part of the family that ran the business, called Fong Inn Too “a fixture in Chinatown.” Wholesale competition and a diminishing customer base had taken its toll on the operation over the past 10 years. (The New York Times)
Big-name chefs set up shop at Disney Springs
Disney
The Orlando Sentinel rounds up top chefs that have opened outlets at Disney Springs, a dining, shopping and entertainment destination at the eponymous resort. Chef Rick Bayless is serving up gourmet Mexican food at Frontera Cocina, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is offering pan-Asian cuisine at Morimoto Asia, and two-time James Beard award winner Art Smith cooks food inspired by Florida at Homecoming. (Orlando Sentinel)
Starbucks offers employees free legal advice
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Following a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries by President Donald Trump, Starbucks has announced a partnership with Ernst & Young to offer its employees free advice on immigration issues. Starbucks has also begun to reach out to employees who hold a visa from one of the seven countries included in the ban. Employers large and small across the restaurant industry will continue to grapple with the impacts of the Trump administration’s actions on its workers. (CNNMoney)