Welcome to Open Tab, a weekly roundup of food news. This week: the James Beard Foundation may move its awards from Chicago, a cyclospora outbreak raises safety questions, a brisket sandwich sparks online fury, and the people paid to wait in line.
The James Beard Awards: A New Home?
Since 2015, the James Beard Awards have been held in Chicago, becoming nearly synonymous with the city. But Chicago’s contract with the James Beard Foundation ends in 2028. The foundation is now accepting proposals from other host cities, with the awards moving starting in 2029. According to the foundation, the awards generate $8.3 million in direct spending and more than $1 million in state and local tax revenue—a major incentive for cities seeking tourism and notoriety.
Navigating the Cyclospora Outbreak
Cyclospora, a parasite often found on berries, lettuce, snow peas, and other produce, is making people sick across the country. While New York restaurants are tackling the outbreak with vigor, infectious disease experts advise caution. Fruits and vegetables that you peel before eating—such as bananas and avocados—are mostly safe as long as you wash the produce and your hands before eating.
Recalls and Warnings
This week, Blue Bell ice cream was recalled because it may contain glass. Additionally, skies in parts of the Midwest and Northeast have been clouded over—an ongoing environmental concern.
Food News: From Brisket Battles to Line Standers
The Wagyu Brisket Sandwich That Broke the Internet
At a Los Angeles restaurant, a brisket sandwich made with about a half pound of wagyu and slathered with gruyere mornay sauce sparked intense debate online after creator Richie Gaines posted about it. Owner Arthur Grigoryan initially pulled the sandwich due to backlash but later reinstated it after a flood of customer requests; it is now the restaurant’s top-selling dish.
The Business of Waiting in Line
Line standers—people paid to queue for others—have been around since the Obama years, when they waited for iPhones and Cronuts. Today, you can hire them via Task Rabbit. One such worker, Catherin A., proudly boasts that she “will wait in line even in the most random situations!”
Other news: Thomas Keller’s Restaurant Group was named in a federal sexual assault lawsuit this week. It is not the first lawsuit the company has faced this year; in March, a former employee at Keller’s French Laundry brought a suit against the company.