Bret Thorn

🍽 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, also joined Restaurant Hospitality's staff in 2016. He hosted the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" and wrote "Kitchen Dish" column for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008. Previously, Thorn reported on business, banking, finance, and food in Thailand for Manager magazine and Asia Times (1992-1997). A magna cum laude graduate from Tufts University, he completed his bachelor's in history, learned traditional French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and studied Chinese language and culture in China in 1988-1989. Thorn was in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square events in 1989, working for ABC News. He won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award for his editorial column and was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Thorn resides in Brooklyn, NY, and specializes in food and beverage trends, French cuisine, Asian cuisine, and restaurant operations.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, spots and reports on F&B trends. Host of "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast, wrote "Kitchen Dish" for The New York Sun (2005-2008), and has contributed to Manager magazine and Asia Times. Graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University, a Phi Beta Kappa member, and studied at Le Cordon Bleu. His column won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, and he’s a Disciples d’Escoffier member since 2014. Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Thorn has extensive expertise in food trends, Asian cuisines, and restaurant operations.

🍴 Zach Engel and Andrés Clavero opened Cafe Yaya last week in Lincoln Park, Chicago, adjacent to their restaurant Galit. It's an all-day café offering Middle Eastern favorites and global cuisine, with pastries by Mary Eder-McClure and morning beverages from Sparrow Coffee Roastery and Rare Tea Cellar. Engel, a James Beard Award winner, brings experience from Shaya in New Orleans and Zahav in Philadelphia. Prices range from $10-$15 for dips, $9-$29 for snacks, and $24-$60 for larger plates. The café, designed by Siren Betty Design, features a Parisian and Tel Avivian sidewalk bistro style with natural materials, murals, and artwork by Ilana Engel. Community events and private dining will be held upstairs. The menu includes Middle Eastern-inspired items alongside dishes like pimento cheese and roasted Bulgarian feta. Beverages curated by Scott Stroemer consist of 20 wines, signature cocktails at $14, and a tahini-washed Italian vermouth. Brunch and takeout services are planned for the future.

🍽 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, previously wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), lived in Thailand (circa 1994-1999) writing for Manager magazine and Asia Times. He's a Tufts University magna cum laude history graduate (1990), studied at Le Cordon Bleu (1986), and worked for ABC News during the Tiananmen Square protests (1989). Thorn won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, joined Disciples d’Escoffier (2014), and authored entries in food encyclopedias (2012, 2015).