• More and more talented bartenders, like S.F.’s Erick Castro and Neyah White, are leaving the profession to become brand ambassadors for booze. [NYT]
• San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar proposed a new law, much like Santa Clara County’s, banning toys in fast food meals unless they meet strict nutritional guidelines. [Chron]
• Wineries and microbreweries, especially in California, are worried about a bill before Congress that might result in new alcohol shipping obstacles in certain states. [ABC 7]
• A look at Berkeley mini-chains Bongo Burger and Brazil Café. [Berkeleyside]
• It seems that artisanal popsicles could depose cupcakes as the nation’s trendiest sweet. [Columbian]
• Guy Fieri has a “Sarah Palin-like ability to reach Americans who feel left behind by the nation’s cultural (or, in his case, culinary) elite.” [NYT]
• Spurred by Man vs. Food, competitive eating is gaining a foothold in the United Kingdom. [Independent]
• Unreachable reservation lines and too much VIP schmoozing top John Mariani’s list of the seven deadly restaurateur sins. [Esquire]
• A global food crisis like the one that occurred in 2007-8 could be on the horizon once again. [Time]
