Hollywood stars have their pick of the trendiest restaurants and priciest delicacies, but what they really want is Red Lobster and Panda Express — with a gourmet twist. In 2018, “The Office” star B.J. Novak teamed up with former French Laundry chef de cuisine Timothy Hollingsworth to launch Chain — a series of pop-ups in Los Angeles celebrating and recreating beloved fast food and chain restaurant dishes, from Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap to Outback Steakhouse’s Bloomin’ Onion. The idea quickly caught fire, gaining celeb fans — such as Vin Diesel, Kiernan Shipka, Mindy Kaling, John Mayer, and others — and spawned…

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Residents in New Orleans East voiced frustrations and warned of a growing “food desert” as plans were announced to shutter the four remaining Dollar General stores in the area.The discount retailer did not give a reason for the closures, but one former employee and various community activists said frequent shoplifting and theft was a factor in the decision.Dollar General said it plans to close five New Orleans locations by mid-August.“Employees will have the opportunity to transfer to nearby stores,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We have a longstanding history in the Crescent City, having opened…

BERWYN, Ill. (CBS) – While it may look like garbage, composting is the process of recycling organic materials to fight food waste. If everyone in the U.S. composted, it would be like removing almost 8 million cars from the road. CBS News Chicago’s Climate Watch team found only about 15% of Cook County municipalities have any kind of compost program. The team spent time tracking the entire process from start to finish, where one of the largest local programs just got off the ground in Berwyn. Berwyn is the 12th largest municipality in Cook County, and it just began offering eco-friendly weekly…

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A weekend food festival left a lot of attendees with a bad taste in their mouth.The “West Coast Taco and Beer Festival” promised a fun event with unlimited tacos and bottomless beer samples.That’s not what attendees tell 7 On Your Side they got.PREVIOUS STORY: Underwhelming experience at SF taco and beer festival leaves attendees calling for refundsHundreds of people attending the West Coast Taco and Beer Festival in SF Saturday were met with a long line leading to underwhelming expectations.Now, event organizers say they’re taking refund requests.”The festival, the event organizer was trying really, really hard…

Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:Wednesday, August 7 Houston Chef Series at King Ranch Texas Kitchen With this year’s theme taking inspiration from “Presidential State Dinners,” Landry’s continues its Houston Chef Series. This week, chef Erick Bocanegra will present “King Ranch State Dinner: A Presidential Retreat” at King Ranch Texas Kitchen, with features including stuffed quail, rainbow trout, chocolate blancmange and more. Price is $125 per person for five courses with beverage pairings.Thursday, August 8Tiki Takeover Dinner at Brenner’s on the Bayou Brenner’s on the Bayou, 3300 Smith, invites guests to a Tiki Takeover Dinner beginning at…

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For the past twenty years, a church on the Northside has been providing thousands of pounds of perishable food items to help meet the needs of the community.New Life Community Church of the Nazarene, located at 3367 N. Geronimo Ave, hosts Food 4 Life the third Saturday of each month. They distribute about 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of food items that grocery stores would otherwise throw away. Items include fruits, vegetables, dairy products and baked goods.They partner with Caring Ministries and Midwest Food Bank to make the event possible.“The reward of giving back is incredible,” Lead…

Taking your first bite of Chef Jeremy Umansky’s fried chicken or pastrami sandwich is one of those blissful food moments that is guaranteed to live in your head rent-free. His secret ingredients? Koji-culturing, foraged edibles, and sustainable food sourcing that earned him four James Beard Award nominations, including Best New Restaurant, Best Chef, and for his recent book Koji Alchemy. Jeremy and his wife Allie La Valle-Umansky opened Larder Delicatessen & Bakery in 2018 in Ohio City’s Hingetown district. Larder’s menus are constantly evolving and Umansky’s innovative techniques remind us of what is possible right in our own backyards. Traditional…

The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission (NCSPC) announced the Sweet North Carolina Sweetpotato Sweepstakes where consumers can submit their favorite recipe for the chance to win a free trip to Charlotte including an in-person recipe photoshoot experience. The contest is currently live with hundreds of sweetpotato lovers expressing which recipe speaks most to their flavor profile. The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission (NCSPC) is made up of over 300 sweetpotato growers along with packers, processors, and business associates. With hundreds of recipes available on the website, participants can search to find a dish that piques their interest. The campaign’s goal is to increase…

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) – Kentucky Department of Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell stopped at a pop-up Perry County Farmer’s Market to connect with local farmers and community stakeholders.The Dept. of Ag is partnering with the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) and ARH to launch the new “Food is Medicine” initiative. The campaign aims to promote healthier living among Kentuckians.“We’ve got the best farmers and the best AG products in the entire world right here in Kentucky,” said Shell. “What we’ve got to do is focus more on the end user. How we’re actually marketing that and getting it to that end product…

Food Lion is expanding its presence in Florence, S.C. Food Lion has had a presence in the South Carolina community of Florence for more than three decades. On August 7, the grocer will strengthen that presence with the opening of a new store at 1945 W. Palmetto St.A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled on August 7. The first 100 customers will receive a mystery gift card valued up to $200 and a free reusable shopping bag. The store will be open daily from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. “I’m honored to continue to serve the town of Florence in our new…