A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

On the World’s Diversity of Funeral Foods and the Coming Extinction of the Black Truffle

Mind The Bar, a local organization aimed at supporting the mental health of hospitality professionals, was just awarded $50,000 at the inaugural Tahona Society Collective Spirit competition.

South of our border, The Restaurant Workers Community Foundation, founded in New York in 2016, is laying the groundwork for tackling social justice issues in the service industry.

“And so the new nonprofit is organizing its work around four primary restaurant industry issues: wage fairness and career ladders; sexual harassment and gender discrimination; immigrant fair treatment; and mental health and substance abuse.”

Climate change strikes again! This time, the coveted black truffle is on the line as scientists predict the rare tuber could completely disappear within the next 60 to 80 years.

From mints to raisins to tap water, Bon Appetit heads to the island of misfit advent calendars:

“Every day is a different mint your dad stole from various mid-range restaurants over a span of 14 years of business travels.”

The 9th annual Eater Awards were announced last week and Samin Nosrat of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat took home the award for Chef of the Year.

In a curious PR strategy, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank is now accepting donations in the form of sexually suggestive emoji texts. Ballsy move!

Vinepair reminds craft beer nerds that it’s OK to drink the same beer twice.

Comfort food: Topic looks into the many things people around the world traditionally eat at funerals.

In the wake of a year where folks were VOLUNTARILY consuming Tide Pods, this grocery store decided to remove the laundry detergent product from their candy aisle, which begs the question – what were they doing there in the first place?

Looking for a way to measure and enhance flavour? Turns out there’s an app for that:

“…an artificial-intelligence app called Gastrograph aims to introduce a way to reliably measure flavor. If it succeeds, it will give the company that makes it a digital handle on food. And as with everything else, once flavor is digitized, it will be that much easier to understand—and control.”

Move over hot-dog-eating competitions! There’s a new sheriff in town and it happens to be entirely vegan!

Drinking via Instagram honours this week go to Nemesis Coffee for capturing the perfect start to any Monday:

 

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The folks that knew him best share their memories of the late Anthony Bourdain with GQ Magazine.

Listage: Bon Appetit has a cookbook recommendation for every variety of foodie in your life.

NPR reports: The first-ever vaccine for insects is being used by scientists in the fight to save honeybee populations.

In a follow-up to last week’s controversy over remarks made by chef Andrew Zimmern, Eater paid a visit to his recently-opened Lucky Cricket. The meal was rather unpalatable (much like Zimmern’s words).

A few local chefs and bartenders share their favourite festive food and drinks around town.

We owe a debt of gratitude to this group of fisherman that are taking on big oil for the damage they are doing (and have already done) to the environment.

“On Nov. 14, fishermen in California and Oregon joined the legal fray by filing suit against 30 companies, mainly oil producers. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the plaintiff, contends that the fossil fuel industry is at direct fault and must be held accountable for recent warming-related damages to the West Coast’s prized Dungeness crab fishery, which catches millions of the tender-fleshed crustacean most years, and coastal chefs turn the critters into classics like Crab Louie and Crab Cioppino.”

Food and Wine on a few highly anticipated openings of 2019 including a yet-to-be-named restaurant by Shota Nakajima that will feature deep-fried Japanese skewers. The new spot is set to open its doors in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood this March.

Butter for burns, carrots for vision and 50 more food-based myths shared by faithful Atlas Obscura readers.

While a few restaurants have dipped their toe in the tip-free waters, Grub Street explains the many reasons why tipping is here to stay.

From simple, three-ingredient sippers to colourful and complex tiki riffs, Punch shares their picks for the 15 best cocktails of 2018.

Looking for work in the industry? Check out who’s hiring!

On Believing in Chef Nicolas Cage and Hospitality Workers Living Decently

In her latest read of the food and drink headlines, Talia finds salmon in trouble and patrons who should just stay home.

On Menu Prices Going Up and Customers Fighting Amongst Themselves

In her latest read of the food and drink headlines, Talia finds fewer cooks in the kitchen and Portland lauded for its pizza.

On Suddenly Taking More Tables and Toiling Away in Potentially Lethal Temperatures

In her latest read of the food and drink headlines, Talia finds another chef being a jerk and the labour shortage grinding on.

On No More Takeout Cocktails and Chefs Worrying About the Rising Cost of Food

In her latest read of the food and drink headlines, Talia finds food security woes and new spots getting good reviews.