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This week's top 10: Spotted Pig closes, NoMad and Daniel Humm split, ghost kitchens take over

Also trending this week was Flippy the robotic fry cook's makeover and more innovative tech stories

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

January 30, 2020

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There was a lot of movement this week. Restaurants closing, companies merging and others parting ways. Let's start with the biggest split of the week.

Chef Daniel Humm of Make it Nice Hospitality Group split with partner Will Guidara in 2019 and the splits just keep coming. Earlier this week, it was announced that NoMad Hotels would no longer be partnering with Make it Nice and Humm, rather they are using another company to provide food to their domestic and international locations. Rumors had been swirling for months but the final nail in the coffin came this week when both camps released statements about the split, citing it as a "difficult decision". Read more about the fissure.

The Spotted Pig, plagued by months of closure rumors after owner Ken Friedman exited the company following his sexual harassment scandal, finally closed its doors with no fanfare on Sunday. Friedman's settlement of $240,000 with the New York Attorney General's office was announced three weeks prior and included a clause that Friedman must share 20% of his profits through 2030 with his 11 accusers. Read his statement.

On the flip side, ghost kitchen power player Zuul acquired OnTray, an online ordering platform allowing restaurants to offer ordering services through their own websites. Doesn't look like ghost kitchens will be going away any time soon so why not read about the current players?

Check out some of the happier stories trending this week including Grubhub's new initiatives, Flippy the robot fry cook, Thomas Keller and more.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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