Shake Shack launched its "We Really Cook" campaign with a live masterclass led by Executive Chef John Karangis at the new culinary center in Atlanta. The two-hour session focused on making the iconic ShackBurger, covering everything from ingredient sourcing to cooking techniques. The filmed session is available on YouTube, and feedback from both attendees and internal teams highlighted the value of hands-on culinary education. Shake Shack plans to expand School of Shack with more classes in the future.

Anthony Gilbert of Melt Pizza Company in Stillwater, Minn., excelled at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas, placing fifth in the Detroit-style category and first in the nontraditional category for the Northwest region. Gilbert prepared his dough in Stillwater and transported it to Las Vegas for the competition.

For many people with autism, professional kitchens offer a structured, skill-focused environment where they can excel, whether it's mastering multiple stations or executing recipes with precision. Programs like Chefs on the Spectrum are training autistic adults -- drawing on chefs like Joseph Valentino, who works the cold, pastry and raw bar stations at Point Seven in Manhattan -- to land fine-dining jobs, showing that culinary work can be both a perfect fit and a place to thrive.

Greenville County Schools' Food and Nutrition Services has received a $980,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture as part of a cooperative agreement with the Center for School and Community Partnerships at Boise State University. The three-year grant, part of Project SCALES, will support the district's efforts to provide nutritious meals to roughly 77,000 students.

High-protein snacks such as cheese, nuts, hard-boiled eggs and Greek yogurt can help people with diabetes manage blood sugar levels and curb hunger. Consuming protein along with fiber and healthy fats can help control blood sugar spikes.

The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a $144 million program, Systemic Targeting of MicroPlastics, to study the effects of microplastics on the human body. The initiative will bring together experts to develop tools for detecting and quantifying microplastics, prioritize the research of their impact on vulnerable populations and develop strategies for removal.

Stanford University bioengineer Vayu Hill-Maini is collaborating with Michelin-starred chef Ramón Perisé to transform food waste into gourmet cuisine using fungal fermentation. Their project focuses on leveraging filamentous fungi's unique ability to break down complex, inedible plant matter and transform it into flavorful, nutritious foods. By combining biotechnological advances with culinary expertise, the team is developing innovative plant-based products -- such as beverages, cheeses, and meat alternatives -- made from food by-products. Their work highlights how fungal fermentation can redefine sustainable cuisine and address environmental issues in the food system. The pass: Is fungal fermentation moving from niche to next-gen staple? Either way, it looks like it could give chefs a powerful new tool to transform waste streams into high-value, menu-ready ingredients.

WellSpan York Hospital in Pennsylvania has introduced Fresh Take Eatery, a robotic dining system developed with RoboEatz and ABB Robotics. The system uses RoboEatz's Autonomous Robotic Kitchen technology to prepare customized meals on-demand, doubling the hospital's dining capacity during peak times without expanding the kitchen. This marks the first use of the technology in a health care setting.