When Shahed Amanullah started a website that crowd-sources lists of halal businesses, he found 200 U.S. restaurants serving food prepared in accordance with Islamic law. Today, 25 years later, the site tracks nearly 13,000 U.S. halal restaurants, with menus featuring cooking from Malaysia to Mexico.

While representing a relatively small number, U.S. Muslims’ share of the U.S. population is growing —  the Pew Research Centre projects it to more than double (from 0.9% to 2.1%) as a share of the population in the period from 2010 to 2050.

Batman, Harley Quinn, Superman and Wonder Woman join forces with Tom and Jerry and The Flintstones*, to name a few, in the latest McDonald’s Happy Meal promotion. As restaurants across the UK and Ireland welcome the latest Happy Meal promotion, customers can look forward to this exciting Warner Bros. takeover, to commemorate the Studios’ centennial. Available until 21st March, each Happy Meal will feature 12 double-sided Warner Bros. toys with swappable aluminium heads and paper construction bodies.

Culinary diplomacy is back.

The U.S. Department of State, with the James Beard Foundation, on February 9 relaunched the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, a network of 83 noted American chefs and culinary professionals. The American Culinary Corps will encourage cross-cultural exchanges by planning menus and preparing cuisine at diplomatic events, such as state dinners and embassy receptions abroad.

University College Birmingham’s training kitchens provided the backdrop for a community culture cooking session where more than 70 families got to roll up their sleeves and learn how to make Jamaican dishes with an expert chef. Let’s Get Culture Cooking with Families, delivered by 2 Much Passion CIC as part of a Bring it on Brum! food festival, gave local people the chance to master a range of Caribbean food with Chef Dane from Dane’s Caribbean Catering, inspired by his place of birth.

Broad Street’s premium Indian restaurant and cocktail bar, PushkaR has been named as the Best Of Birmingham at the Nation’s Curry Awards.

The Nation’s Curry Awards - which is a celebration of the best curry houses and chefs across the UK - were held on Monday 20th February at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel.

1800 guests visited luxury Ribble Valley hotel, Northcote between 20th January and 5th February, for the annual Obsession culinary festival, sampling innovative, original dishes from 23 world-leading chefs that hold a combined 15 Michelin Stars between them. 

The event was a sell out success as usual, living up to its reputation as an unrivalled highlight in the UK's culinary calendar, this year raising an enormous £73,000 (approx.) for charity, Hospitality Action.