🌿 Hospitality meets wilderness

What makes a dining experience unforgettable—and how can that translate to guest loyalty and revenue? Outstanding in the Field founder Jim Denevan shares what today’s diners are really looking for, and how restaurants can meet the moment. Also in this issue: why the “No Tax on Tips Act” isn’t sitting well with everyone, another chef ousted for misconduct, and what this year’s James Beard Awards say about where the industry is headed. Let’s dig in.

Catch the wave. Social media influencers are the new flavor whisperers. For food and beverage industries, tapping into this data means staying ahead of what’s hot and what’s next. 

Waste not, test lot. Chef and restaurateur Edward Lee is using his own restaurant as a test kitchen for reducing plastic and energy use. The idea is to try out real solutions in a real setting, figure out what actually works and then share those findings freely with the rest of the industry.

Too hot to handle? For years, the restaurant world has grappled with stories of chefs behaving badly—often repeating the same toxic patterns they learned in other kitchens. A James Beard-nominated chef in Dallas is the latest to get fired for bad behavior.

Byte-sized help. More restaurants are using AI bots to handle routine issues, such as menus, loyalty and order tracking, cutting support loads by up to 50%. Tools like Salesforce Agentforce and Microsoft Copilot are helping to create these invisible support teams.

A dog’s last meal Read it and weep.  

How Jim Denevan builds unforgettable hospitality in the wild

Artist Jim Denevan first sparked a culinary revolution in 1999 by bringing dinner tables to farms, beaches, and vineyards through Outstanding in the Field, a traveling dining concept that reconnects people with the origins of their food. Over the years, what began as a radical communal table has matured into something even more essential: guests are no longer content with the thrill of the experience alone.

 "Now, people crave even deeper connection," says Denevan, who sat down with The Prep to chat about experiential dining. "The hunger is for meaning and memory, not just novelty. With authenticity grounded in place, people and purpose, this ethos shapes every event—and lies at the heart of our conversation today."  -Lesley McKenzie

You’ve set tables in deserts, vineyards, and cliffside pastures. How do you even begin to turn these wild locations into a working restaurant for the night?

Much like when I begin an artwork, I usually start by listening and observing our surroundings. I’ll walk the site by myself, watching how the light moves. I’m guided by the idea that the table should feel like it’s always belonged to this place, even if just for one night. 

The placement of the kitchen is designed to lend an element of theatricality, placing the chef and their team in view of guests as they prepare the meal. 

We bring only what’s essential and our team works from sunrise, hauling, building, and arranging elements to create a back of house that enables a level of service that rivals any fine dining establishment–including a scullery tent, the kitchen equipment, even the water. Very often we set up in places where there’s no electricity or running water. Every site has its own challenges—wind, weather, uneven ground—but that’s part of the adventure. We embrace the unpredictability. Sometimes the best moments come from the unexpected: a rainbow after a light rain, a rogue bison.

For hospitality pros thinking about launching their own immersive experiences, what’s the first step to translating a brand story into something guests can actually feel?

For us, it’s connection: to the land, to food, to each other, so lean into creating a sense of place. It’s one thing to eat the food from a particular place, but another to touch the dirt that grew the produce, listen to the birds, or share a meal with the farmer who grows the grapes for your wine. 

I would advise hospitality pros to similarly start with their “why.” Before a single table is set, you need to know the story you want to tell and what you want guests to feel. Every detail—where guests walk, what they touch, who they meet—should echo that purpose. Don’t just talk about your brand’s values; embody them in every gesture, from the welcome handshake to the way the meal is served. 

You’re constantly working with different chefs, teams and terrains. How do you keep the experience consistent?

We have a dedicated culinary liaison who supports each chef and ensures the successful execution of their culinary vision in a field kitchen setting, but I find that consistency comes from clarity of purpose, not from rigid rules. We invite chefs and teams to bring their own creativity, but always within the frame of our guiding principles: respect for the land, celebration of local ingredients, and the communion of the table. The table is always long, the meal always shared and the spirit always welcoming. 

From farms to flavor partners, what makes a collaboration click? And what have you learned about saying yes or no to potential partners?

A great collaboration starts with shared values and genuine curiosity. We look for partners—farmers, chefs, artisans—who are passionate about their craft and open to seeing how we can create a special moment for our guests. The best partnerships feel like a conversation, not a transaction. Saying no is just as important; if the fit isn’t right, the magic won’t happen. We’ve learned to trust our instincts and to honor the integrity of what we do, even if it means walking away.

Critics say tax-free tips plan leaves back-of-house workers behind

Some restaurant groups are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s proposal to eliminate federal taxes on tips, arguing it helps too few workers and distracts from deeper wage issues in the industry.

The proposal, part of a tax package backed by both Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris, passed the House and recently advanced in the Senate. It would make tips tax-free for workers earning under $160,000 in 2025, with some caps and income phase-outs.

Supporters, like the National Restaurant Association, say it would benefit more than two million servers and bartenders. But critics, including the Independent Restaurant Coalition, argue that the plan overlooks millions of back-of-house workers, like dishwashers and cooks, who don’t earn tips.

“It’s not helping most kitchen workers, and oftentimes those are the people who are being paid the least,” says Elyanna Calle, an Austin bartender and president of the Restaurant Workers United union. “Most of us would rather see higher wages and less reliance on tips.”

Some restaurateurs agree. George Skandalos, who runs a gratuity-free pizzeria in Idaho, shifted to a 20% service charge shared by all employees. He wants Congress to also exempt service charges from taxes, saying it would better reflect modern compensation models.

Unions are also calling for broader reforms. The Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas supports a bill from Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) that combines tax-free tips with a requirement that restaurants pay at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour—a rate many tipped workers don’t currently earn in 43 states.

Without raising base wages, critics worry that tax-free tips could reduce customer generosity while letting employers off the hook. As Calle puts it: “I think that if we continue to make the shift into relying on tips for people, it gives incentives for companies to not raise wages.”

Why it matters: Unless reforms include both tax relief and higher guaranteed wages, the proposal could deepen inequality in an already fragile industry. Real, long-term change means rethinking how restaurant workers are compensated across all roles, not just those who collect tips. (AP) 

Should restaurants prioritize staff over customers?

Taking care of people is the heart of hospitality, but too often, restaurant culture has overlooked the well-being of the people doing the work. At this year’s Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern highlighted the need to prioritize staff wellness to ensure the long-term health of the industry.

That message resonates with people like Rebecca Foxman, chef and co-owner of Philadelphia’s Fox & Sons, who tells her staff that they’re her customers first. She believes creating a kind, supportive environment for the team is as important as caring for guests.

At The Bent Spoon in New Jersey, co-owner Gab Carbone backs up her values with structure. Staff shifts are capped at seven hours, breaks are non-negotiable and schedules flex to fit lifestyles. “Hopefully, the Spoon is generally less of a J-O-B and more part of whatever else is going on in their lives,” she says.

Empowerment is also part of care. At New York's Le Veau d’Or, maître d’ Erica Cantley says being seen as a whole person keeps morale strong even in tough moments. "Who’s expecting a baby? Who’s in grad school? Who’s waiting to hear what high school or college their kid will go to? Who’s getting ready to go on a trip of a lifetime? Who’s mom just died? Celebrate them.”

In a post-pandemic, post-#MeToo era, amid ongoing social and political challenges, whether it is Black Lives Matter or ICE, care must go beyond wellness perks. It’s about the restaurant industry standing up for its own people and building a culture that protects and elevates its staff before a single guest is ever served.

Why it matters: The future of restaurants depends on its people. For too long, the industry has prioritized guests at the expense of those working behind the scenes. But this is a backwards way of operating: healthier, happier teams lead to better guest experiences as well as lower turnover. The bottom line: restaurants won’t survive without real care for their workers. (Food & Wine) 

Major takeaways from this year’s James Beard Awards

In addition to accolades, the 35th annual James Beard Awards in Chicago reflected the ongoing evolution of an industry continuing to redefine itself. Here are three key takeaways:

Immigrants are the backbone of hospitality
In a powerful response to current political tensions, the ceremony spotlighted the vital role immigrants play in food, farms and hospitality. From heartfelt speeches by chefs like Nando Chang and Arjav Ezekiel to Bobby Stuckey’s impassioned praise for the industry as a home for the overlooked, the message was clear that the country’s culinary identity is powered by immigrants. 

New York’s back, baby!
After years of being overlooked, New York rose from the ashes. With wins for Outstanding Chef (Jungsik Yim), Restaurateurs (Frenchette’s Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr), Cocktail Service (Nacho Jimenez of Superbueno) and Best Chef New York State (Vijay Kumar of Semma), the city reclaimed its culinary crown.

Beverage culture got its due
This year marked a turning point in recognizing drinks as part of the dining experience. New categories honored professionals in wine, cocktails and bar service, acknowledging that what we drink is just as central to hospitality as what we eat.

Why it matters: The awards this year were a snapshot of a restaurant industry in transition, still figuring out what it wants to be. The JBAs highlighted that what’s on the plate is just as important as who’s in the kitchen, who’s at the bar and who’s farming the ingredients. (Bon Appétit)

$731.6 billion

The expected value of the quick service industry by 2028. (It’s currently valued at $447.2 billion.) (Mordor Intelligence)

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💠 Anne Burrell and the working chef

"We set up a table outside where [our sommelier] brought a water gun and had the guests stand outside and shoot the water gun from a distance in order for the Champagne to kind of blow off the top. Things just got out of hand in a really good way!"

– Natasha McIrvin, former Dir. of Creative Projects for Eleven Madison Park, on how the restaurant’s sommelier once used port tonging to “surprise and delight” guests after hearing them talk about their love of water guns.

(🎧 Full Comp) 

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The Prep is written by Julien Perry and edited by Lesley McKenzie.