DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Melbourne: The Australian city that became a global food and drink powerhouse
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-03 | by ( Joe Minihane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It’s the great Australian city debate, one which pits the commerce, business and money of Sydney against cultural, arts-loving, coffee-drinking Melbourne. Chris Putnam/imageBROKER/ShutterstockThere’s no better way to start a trip to Melbourne than with a proper cup of coffee. The history of coffee in Melbourne goes back to the years after World War II, when Italian immigrants arrived and brought their machines with them. And it's not just coffee 06:24 - Source: CNNKate Reid is the best person to speak with about Melbourne’s coffee obsession. “Neighbours” is set in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, although the street is real, as is the connection to the city.

Persons: Chris Putnam, Lane, CNN Kate Reid, Lune Croissanterie, ”, Reid, “, It’s, that’s, Phillip, Phillip Island, Vivien Zajicek, Cyril Callister, Vegemite superfan Gina Gardenal, upsettingly, Gardenal, Sam Tabone, Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, Margot Robbie, Robbie, Amazon’s, CNN Lucinda Cowden, “ Melanie, Cowden, “ Melbourne’s, ” She’s Organizations: CNN, croissants, Little Penguins, Kangaroos, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Cricket, Cyril, Neighbours Locations: Melbourne, Sydney, Australia, caffeinated Melbourne, Fitzroy, Paris, Phillip, Little, Australian, Uluru, Beaufort, Victoria, England, Champagne, Erinsborough, “, Harold’s

☆ I'm a private chef. After trying croissants at Key Food, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's, there was an obvious winner.
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-02 | by ( Fatima Khawaja | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

AdvertisementI'm a private chef, and I compared croissants at Key Food, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods. Key Food sold the biggest croissant, but the inside looked more like bread than pastry. I like Trader Joe's offering, but Whole Foods' pastry was the closest to a fresh croissant. As a private chef, I know croissants are a highly technical pastry that requires a lot of time and effort. Here's how the bakery-section croissants at Key Food, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's stack up.

Persons: Joe's Organizations: Food, Foods, Key Food

☆ I shop at Costco monthly as an executive member. It saves me a lot of money, but there are 4 things I rarely buy there.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-03 | by ( Jill Robbins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I live with my husband and two teens, and we've had a Costco membership since 2014. Costco has some great deals, but sometimes buying in bulk isn't worth it for our family. I've found many of the premade meals aren't a good value, and buying cold cuts in bulk is wasteful. AdvertisementWhen I moved with my husband and then-4-year-old sons from England to Texas in 2014, one of the first things we did was get a Costco membership. I also try to remember that a Costco membership isn't free.

Persons: we've, I've, —, doesn't Organizations: Costco, Service Locations: England, Texas

☆ I ate at a buzzy Paris restaurant with unlimited chocolate mousse on the menu. Now, I recommend it to everyone I know.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-29 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But my love story with Chez Janou began years prior, on a chilly January night. A picture I snapped of the scallops at Chez Janou in January 2020 — please ignore the iPhone 8 camera quality. Then came the famous chocolate mousse that had first tempted me through Chez Janou's doors. The chocolate mousse makes for good clicks, but it's also legitimately delicious. They recommend ordering the fried sardines, juicy and crisp duck — which Kaitlyn said was one of the best she's ever tried — ratatouille, and, of course, the chocolate mousse.

Persons: Chez Janou, raved, —, it'd, Herrine Ro, Ro, Janou, Andy, Kaitlyn Seo, it's, haven't, Kaitlyn, I've Organizations: Chez, Service, Business, La Maison, Grange Locations: Paris, Paris —, La, France

☆ I took my 4-year-old to Champagne houses in France. She had more fun than I did.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Stephanie Cain | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I very much wanted to visit Champagne. We even took our drinks to the playroom where my daughter crafted an elaborate imaginary adventure with a stuffed giraffe. The Champagne houses were also kid-friendlyI was equally delighted when booking our visits to the Champagne houses. At Champagne Ayala, a winery in village Aÿ, my daughter played tour guide with our actual tour guide. We visited a small grower Champagne house, a word for wineries run by those who own the vineyards.

Persons: —, Dame de Reims, Champagne Ayala, Dom Perignon, Lady Gaga, Lenny Kravitz, Champagne Michel Gonet's Villa Signolle, Pamela Druckerman, United States — Organizations: Service, Business, Champagne, Notre, Dame, Dom Locations: Napa Valley , California, France, Paris, Champagne, Reims, Paris's, Aÿ, Hautvillers, American, United States

☆ How to Feed 15,000 Olympians in Paris? Start With Baguettes.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Priya Krishna | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The unforgettable moment when a competing athlete first enters the Olympic Village in Paris may be defined not by the complex’s impressive size and sweep, but by a smell: the scent of freshly baked baguettes. This is by design. “Every French village has a bakery,” said Guillaume Thomas, who works in communications for the Paris Olympics. For the 15,000 Olympic athletes competing this summer, food is vital for optimizing performance. The French would like to sprinkle in some delight.

Persons: ”, Guillaume Thomas Organizations: Paris Locations: Paris

☆ My ex and I broke up a month before our wedding day because planning was so stressful. I'm never doing it again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( April Zimmerman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

One is from a styled photo shoot my friend invited me to model for just three months after my engagement ended. The other shows the bride who bought the dress from me four years later, wearing it on her wedding day. But when I fell in love in my late 20s, and got engaged two years later, those dreams faded during our wedding planning process. Ultimately, our relationship ended a month before the wedding — influenced by the stress and family tensions, though not solely because of them. I was doing a lot for other peopleBefore I started planning my own wedding, I was swept up in the often-glamorized process.

Persons: —, fiancé, I've, it's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Napa, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Old San Juan, New Zealand

☆ Hotels and offices are using an AI tool that scans what they throw in the trash to reduce their food waste and cut costs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Hotels are reducing how much food they waste at their breakfast buffets by installing AI-powered cameras above their kitchen trash cans. Of this, nearly 30% was wasted in the food service sector. Food loss in the supply chain and food waste generate almost five times the total greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector, per the UNEP. Reducing food waste can boost a company's eco credentials — and cut costs. Winnow's clients include hotels, cruise lines, universities, and food service companies that provide professional catering services.

Persons: they're, Marc Zornes, Winnow, Zornes, Hilton, Sebastian Nohse, Hilton EMEA's, didn't, Nohse, Paul Fairhead Organizations: Service, Business, Chefs, United Nations Environmental, UNEP, Guckenheimer, United Arab Emirates Locations: East

☆ Food experts say these restaurant trends are dominating dining out — from mashups like birria ramen to ever-spicier dishes and the rise of 'swicy'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Mashups involve combining two or more dishes — sometimes a mixture of sweet and savory or a fusion of cuisines. They can provide a twist on a classic and sometimes generate social media buzz. And they've been appearing more and more frequently on restaurant menus. Birria — a Mexican beef stew — has been served in the form of quesadillas, poutine, pasta, tacos, and ramen, including at sit-down restaurants as well as at taco chain Del Taco. In a report from November, the National Restaurant Association called birria a "social media darling" and said diners should expect to see it on menus in creative applications.

Persons: they're smartly, Nancy Kruse, they've, —, IHOP, Think, Mashups, Lizzy Freier Organizations: taco, National Restaurant Association Locations: Mexican

☆ Italy is bracing for a record wave of tourists, but is having trouble handling them
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Tourists line a street in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Italy is caught in an envious trap: it can't live without tourists, but it's having trouble handling the influx, particularly after Covid. He considers himself fortunate he's a boat driver: he pities the poor tourists who rent cars or try to find an elusive taxi. A general picture shows the main facade of the Pantheon in Piazza della Rotonda on March 30, 2024 in Rome, Italy. The famous Villa La Cassinella on the lake can be yours, for 100,000 euros a week.

Persons: Covid, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, there's, Croissants, it's, George Clooney's, Villa D'Este, Clooney, Villa, Uber, Rick Steves, Uber Van, Steves Organizations: Villa, Italian Association of Employment, Milanese, risotto Milanese, La Scala, Villa Oleandra Locations: Venice, Italy, Bellagio, Lake Como, Tremezzo, Paris, Piazza della, Rome, Milan, Marche, Sardinia, New York, Camparino, Villa, North America

☆ Posting about my low-paid job on TikTok helped me earn big. Now I can do what I love without worrying about money.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

During my sophomore year at Duke University, I decided to move to France for a sixth-month pastry school. Since studying at pastry school, I've worked as a pastry chef and have been building a baking TikTok account alongside my degree. While at pastry school, I started making baking content on TikTokI downloaded the TikTok app a month before going to pastry school. I think it's cool I've been able to supplement my pastry work with money from content creation. Content creation has helped me to pay for more of my expenses.

Persons: —, Allison Chen, I've, Ducasse, I'd, It's, I'm, doesn't Organizations: Service, Duke University, Business, Duke, I'd, YouTube Locations: New York, France, France France, Paris, TikTok

☆ We have 2 incomes, 2 dogs, and no kids. Here's what we like to buy at Costco and how we use it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Reena Alter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

We have two dogs, and we love buying Kirkland Signature dental chews for them. AdvertisementMy husband and I both work from home full-time and Costco has been one of our favorite stores since we became members in 2018. Technically, we're DINKWADs (double income, no kids, with a dog), except we have two dogs. And, according to data analyzed by Business Insider, we're among the upper-class households in our state — the income threshold to be in that category is $192,692. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, we're DINKWADs Organizations: Costco, Kirkland, Service, Business Locations: New Jersey

☆ I flew from LA to Paris to see Taylor Swift. I was only in the city for 48 hours but it was worth it and easier than I expected.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AdvertisementFlying nonstop from LA to Paris on Air France was a breezeI flew from LA to Paris on Thursday, May 9, and only had to take two days off work — not bad for a trip to Europe. Free wine on Air France with dinner and "Lord of the Rings" made the flight to Paris easy. AdvertisementParis was full of Taylor Swift fansThe scaffolding in the forefront of the photos is part of the Olympics set up. We took an Uber to La Defense Arena, located northwest of the city center and about 15 minutes from our hotel. When the countdown appeared on the screen for Swift, we went to our actual seats, which were right outside the lounge, stage left.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Kelsey Vlamis, Swift, Taylor, she's Organizations: Service, Business, Air France, Air, LAX, La Defense, Eiffel, Poets Department, Sunday Locations: Los Angeles, Paris, LA, Europe, Air France, sparkles, France

☆ My 15-year-old son and I live in both France and the US. We're more active In France, but appreciate the slower pace of the South.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Stephanie Kaloi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

So I started bringing him with us to France as often as possible, which amounts to about half the calendar year. For example, so far this year we spent all of January in France, and will return in early May for the entire summer. AdvertisementOur daily routine is differentOur days in France always begin and end entirely differently than they do in the US. In France, we tend to stay somewhere close to the city center. Last summer, my son tried more types of pasta than I knew existed, a feat he was enormously proud of, especially as a vegetarian.

Persons: It's, we're, France —, it's, he's Locations: United States, France, Iceland, Panama, Cannes, Grasse, Paris, Nice, Europe, States

☆ A Turbocharged Croissant Delights (and Disturbs) Paris
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Ségolène Le Stradic | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

All it took for the crookie to take shape was a baker looking for a diversion, his time-tested croissant recipe and a few cookies for inspiration. It took TikTok to make it go viral. Stéphane Louvard created the crookie almost a year and a half ago when he came up with the idea of putting cookie dough into a croissant and then baking it again. On one day in February, Mr. Louvard sold 2,300 of the pastries at his bakery in a bustling Paris neighborhood. The crookie — Mr. Louvard’s son Nicolas, a business school student, came up with the name — has not just taken social media by storm.

Persons: Louvard, Mr, Louvard’s, Nicolas Organizations: Mr Locations: Paris, Madrid, France

☆ The 5 red flags a Michelin-star pastry chef looks for when visiting high-end bakeries
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Rachel Askinasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dubbed NYC's dessert doyenne, the chef has developed her own set of red flags to look out for whenever she visits high-end bakeries. And if the croissants look perfectly machine-made, something might not be right in the kitchen. Beware of bread that's wrappedMick said high-end bakeries should only be selling fresh bread. ciobanu ana maria/Getty ImagesBefore she even steps into a bakery, Mick might turn to Instagram for visuals. So, for example, a bakery that's filling cannoli and leaving them in the case until they're purchased raises some concerns.

Persons: —, Camari Mick, Mick, Liang Lim, that's, they'll, maria, she's, it's, they're Organizations: Service, Business, telltale Locations: New York City, Raf's

☆ Ready, Set, Garçon! Paris Waiters Race as Storied Contest Returns
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Aurelien Breeden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Sunday, for the first time in over a decade, Paris revived a tradition: an annual race of cafe and restaurant waiters. About 200 men and women swerved, jostled and jogged 1.2 miles through the city streets, which were lined with cheering crowds. The race, which was first held in the early 20th century, had been on hiatus since 2012 because of a lack of funding. But Paris officials saw an opportunity for the city to shine before hosting the Summer Olympics, which kick off in July. It was also a moment to illustrate that sipping coffee at a cafe or wine in a bistro was as integral to the capital’s cultural heritage as its most famous landmarks.

Persons: swerved Organizations: City Hall Locations: Paris

☆ Panera Bread franchise owner — and Newsom's donor — is going to raise wages after all
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Gavin Newsom said he's raising pay at his Panera Bread locations after it was widely reported that they'd be exempt from a new state law boosting the minimum wage. Greg Flynn, the franchise owner of 24 Panera Breads in the state, announced on Tuesday that he would raise the minimum wage at his locations from $16 to $20. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Newsom and Flynn have known each other for years, and Flynn has been a longtime donor to Newsom's campaign, Business Insider previously reported. That connection brought Newsom under fire last week because the state's new law appeared to have a potential, specific exception for Panera Bread.

Persons: —, Gavin Newsom, they'd, Greg Flynn, Newsom, Flynn Organizations: Service, California Gov, Business, Bloomberg, Flynn Locations: California, , California

☆ Hong Kong shoppers are crossing the border into Shenzhen to buy croissants and rotisserie chickens at China's newest Costco
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The store's popularity is driven by Hong Kong residents crossing the border to shop in mainland China. Xinhua News AgencyLarge bulk stores are a rarity in Hong Kong due to the city's limited space and expensive culture. AdvertisementHong Kong's economic struggles, however, have created the perfect circumstances for Shenzhen Costco to thrive. Costco has organized several shuttle buses each day that run between the Shenzhen store and Hong Kong, according to a company spokesperson. Costco is also partnering with cross-border delivery companies that pack and ship items purchased by Hong Kong residents.

Persons: — Organizations: Costco, Service, Xinhua, Agency, Hong, Shenzhen Costco, Bloomberg, Tencent Holdings, Pay Locations: Shenzhen, China, Hong Kong, Costco, Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province of China, Taiwan

☆ Panera is exempt from California's fast-food wage increase. A billionaire franchisee previously donated to Gov. Newsom.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Ana Altchek | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewCalifornia's minimum wage increase from $16 to $20 an hour for fast-food restaurant workers, set to go into effect in April, caused a stir among fast-food chains — but not Panera. He owns 12 Panera locations in California. When asked last year about the bread exemption that baffled many, Newsom said, "That's part of the sausage-making," declining to elaborate further. Flynn, in a conversation with Bloomberg, denied having a hand in the bread exemption. A few smaller brands appear to benefit from the carve-out, including Paris Baguette and Great Harvest Bread Co, Bloomberg reported.

Persons: —, Gavin Newsom, Greg Flynn —, Flynn, Taco Bell, Flynn Group's, Newsom, Panera, Paris Baguette Organizations: Service, Flynn Group, Business, Bloomberg, San Francisco Chronicle, Flynn Properties Inc, US Food and Drug Administration, Co Locations: California, Paris

☆ I went on my first child-free vacation in 12 years with my husband. We came back better parents.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jennifer Knowles | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

My husband and I took four days away from our kids and traveled to Mexico. When we came back, we had a better appreciation for each other and for our children. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementBefore having kids, my husband and I used to travel, both for work and for fun. Since then, I've yelled less, am taking better care of myself, and am putting more priority on our relationship.

Persons: —, pang, I've Organizations: Service Locations: Mexico, Thailand, Hong Kong, Paris, Cancún

☆ I take my niece and nephews on international vacations. I can't have my own kids, and I love spoiling them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Jennifer Billock | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Courtesy of the authorI love taking my nieces and nephews travelingIt's a perk for the kids in my family; when they turn 12, Aunt Jen takes them on a weeklong international vacation. Jennifer Billock's niece and nephews will each help plan an international trip with her when they turn 12. These trips are different from the vacations they take with their parentsI take the role of the fun aunt very seriously. Even though I'm responsible for taking care of the kids on these trips, I try to make it less routine. So in that way, taking the kids on a trip makes my heart feel a little lighter.

Persons: She'd, We'd, Big Ben, Jennifer Billock, Aunt Jen, I'm, They're, Jennifer Billock's, —, they're, he'll, he's, I've Locations: Paris, London, France, Germany, Munich

☆ Pistachio Cheesecake, 2 Ways: Super Simple and Simply Showstopping
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Melissa Clark | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Winsome and delicate with an intense perfume, pistachio is having a moment, adding its pale green charm to cream puffs and croissants, lattes and cocktails. But how, I wondered, would it fare in a cheesecake, that timeless queen of rich and plush desserts? To find out, I made pistachio cheesecakes the subject of the latest episode of my YouTube show, “Shortcut vs. Showstopper,” in which, true to the title, I come up with two iterations of one recipe: a simple version that anyone could make, and a more complex, special version guaranteed to make heads spin. My goal was to come up with two distinct recipes that captured pistachio’s complex and elusive character, showing it off in all its toasty glory. The shortcut version needed to be easy, accessible and able to hold its own next to the showstopper, which could be as extravagant and time-consuming as it takes to perfect (as long as the results are worth it).

☆ I moved to Montreal to be with a man I met on Xbox. It was a bigger culture shock than I expected.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I spent almost my entire life in Massachusetts until I met my now husband, Marc, six years ago. He's from Montreal, and we met online while playing Grand Theft Auto on Xbox. I'm a pet sitter, so once I got my PR, I could start pet sitting and dog walking here. Quebec is different from the rest of North AmericaThe culture shock was more than I expected. I'm much more confident now, and sometimes when I think I'm going to say something in English, French comes out first.

Persons: —, Melissa Rebelo, Marc, Sauve, poutine, Sauve It's, It's, it's, Thomas, Frank Pepe's Organizations: Service, Business, Facebook Locations: Sauve, Massachusetts, Montreal, Boston, Canadian, Quebec, North America, you'll, Springfield , Massachusetts, Canada, Connecticut

☆ Trader Joe's shoppers have spoken: These are the best things to buy at the chain right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Paige Bennett | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The winners were selected based on shopper surveys, and categories include things like best beverage, best sweet treat, and best overall winner. AdvertisementUnlike many other grocery stores that sell bananas by the pound, Trader Joe's has become known for selling them at 19 cents per banana. The list is rounded out by Trader Joe's Persian cucumbers and the lemony arugula-basil salad kit. This year's pick for the best appetizer is creamy spinach-and-artichoke dipTrader Joe's creamy spinach-and-artichoke dip won best appetizer, beating out many fan-favorite products. In Business Insider's own Trader Joe's appetizer taste test from food writer Lucien Formichella, the chain's Greek spanakopita actually scored a second-place spot.

Persons: —, Joe's, Emma Kershaw, Toscano, Leah Kern, that's, creamer, Lucien Formichella, spanakopita, Diana Blinkhorn, Paige Bennett Organizations: Service, Fame, Business, of Fame Locations: Brazil

Search resuls for: "croissants"

25 mentions found