Everything Important That Happened In Food In 2013 (Slideshow)
elBulli’s Continued Presence
Sure, the legendary restaurant shut its doors some two years ago, but the name still lingers with Ferran Adrià's Bullipedia plans, the elBulli Foundation, and oh yeah, that epic seven-year anthology recipe book out next year. Let's not forget all the movies, too.
Paula Deen
Remember this scandal? First in a deposition, Deen admitted to using racial slurs in her life, plus making racist jokes, causing a ton of sponsors (including Food Network) to drop the cooking star. Of course, supporters were angered, the lawsuit was dropped, and now Deen is slowly making her way back into the spotlight.
Martha Stewart
The domestic diva became a much bigger personality on social media this year thanks to a Match.com dating profile, some TODAY show appearances with two dates, and also (on a negative note) some terrible food photos on Twitter. Delicious, no doubt, but please, use some natural light.
Dominique Ansel
This was the year Ansel amazed everyone with the Cronut (and spawned a ton of Cronut knockoffs), not to mention the magic soufflé and some breakfast cereal. Our sweet teeth have yet to be satisfied, however.
Sriracha
People better start hoarding. The factory has been dealing with some major odor issues that have forced the company to consider new packaging systems. In the meantime, shipment of the cult-favorite hot sauce has been halted.
Living Wage Campaign
Fast-food workers held strikes across the nation, asking big companies like McDonald's and Domino's to start paying them $15 an hour. No company has taken the bait so far, but the rallies continue.
Big Food Buys More Big Food
Shuanghui International bought pork producer Smithfield; Sysco bought US Foods, and we're all eventually going to be eating the same processed foods from all over the place.
Tips for Jesus
An anonymous group of do-gooders have decided to drop big money for servers across the country. Some people speculated it was former PayPal vice president Jack Selby leaving $1,000 tips, or $5,000 tips everywhere, but that was never proven (plus, the group definitely needs more than one operator for cover the cities).
Horse Meat
First the EU found traces of horsemeat in packaged products marked as all beef (including Ikea meatballs!), then they found that horses used for research were also sold illegally for butchering. And stateside, horse slaughterhouses might get back to work after a ban was lifted. Black Beauty is not happy.
