The Daily Dish: January 14, 2016

Today's first course?

'Not Worth the Time and Money:' Pete Wells Skewers Culinary Darling Per Se in New Review

Per se is an iconic New York restaurant and is often revered as one of the elite culinary destinations. But even the best can fall. New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells revisits Per Se and docks it two stars after a series of disappointing experiences. His overall experience suffered from "the slow creep of mediocrity and missed cues during a four-hour dinner." However, it was not just the dishes that disappointed Wells. He also seemed puzzled by the lack of flawless service usually associated with a $3,000 dinner for four. Check out more of his review in our News in Brief section.

Pontiff in the Kitchen: The Vatican Is Releasing a Cookbook

And now anyone can learn how to make Pope Francis' favorite dishes; the Vatican has released The Vatican Cookbook: Presented by the Pontifical Swiss Guard. This is an official Vatican cookbook that was originally published in 2014, but has been released for the first time in English. The book will be available in hardcover on April 5, and is described as "500 years of classic recipes, papal tributes, and exclusive art and images of life at The Vatican." The book also reveals that Pope Francis has a sweet tooth: One of his favorite dishes is dulce de leche; while John Paul II, who was Polish, was unsurprisingly fond of pierogi.

Starbucks Will Help Pay for Housing for Employees in China as Part of Major Expansion Plan

In other news, Starbucks will open 1,400 more locations in China in the next three years, bringing its total to 3,400 by 2019, the company has announced. In order to facilitate its expansion plans in China, Starbucks will subsidize housing for its full-time staff. The subsidy program begins later this month, and is expected to cover 50 percent of employees' monthly housing costs, on average. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz called China, Starbucks' fastest-growing market, the company's "most important and exciting opportunity."

That's today's Daily Dish, thanks for watching. Stop by tomorrow for another helping.