β¦ Issue #10 Β· July 10, 2026
This Week at HomePlateMN
Here's what we're reading and writing about this week at HomePlateMN. Catch up on our latest stories below.
Featured
The Tasting Menu Grew Up: How a Fine-Dining Ritual Became American Chefs' Most Powerful Way to Tell a Story
How the American tasting menu evolved from French fine-dining ritual into a powerful storytelling format for regional chefs expressing place, culture, and heritage.
More This Week
Baking
One Word, Four Religions: The Regional Barbecue Divide That Defines American Cooking
From Texas brisket to Carolina whole hog, explore how regional American barbecue styles differ in wood, rubs, cuts, and sauce β and what those choices reveal.
Gourmet Recipes
The Meal That Wasn't Supposed to Exist: How Brunch Took Over American Dining Culture
From a Victorian novelty to a Sunday institution, discover how brunch transformed American restaurant culture, menus, and kitchen operations.
Easy Recipes
No Address, No Menu, No Rules: How the Pop-Up Dinner Became the Most Adventurous Seat in American Dining
From underground supper clubs to chef takeovers, pop-up dining has reshaped how Americans eat. Here's what makes it different β and why it matters.
Fast Casual
The Cathedral of Beef: Why the American Steakhouse Refuses to Die β and What It Says About Us
How the American steakhouse evolved from frontier chophouses into a cultural institution β and what its enduring dominance reveals about celebration, status, anβ¦
Casual
The Smash Burger Isn't Just a Trend β It's a Mirror Held Up to American Dining Culture
The smash burger is more than a viral technique β it's a lens on American food culture, regional identity, immigrant flavors, and the line between nostalgia andβ¦
Fine Dining
The Kitchen Hierarchy Is Breaking Down β and Some Chefs Say That's Making the Food Better
Escoffier's brigade system dominated restaurant kitchens for 130 years. A new generation of chefs is replacing it β and argues flatter structures make better foβ¦
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