Mix Up the Everyday: New Ways to Elevate At-Home Cooking

(Feature Impact) Most families know and love their tried-and-true family traditions, especially when it comes to the secret sauces, time-tested techniques and recipes that deserve to be passed down from generation to generation. No matter how legendary the home cooks, though, there’s always room for new tricks, whether it’s a fresh spin on a classic dish or a smarter tool that makes the after-dinner cleanup effortless.

Incorporating new techniques and fresh ideas can invigorate your everyday cooking in unexpected ways. Consider these grandma-approved twists on tradition from the experts at Finish, who offer winning ways to enhance cleanup no matter what techniques you turn to in the kitchen.

Plan Ahead

If you’re used to throwing together dinner at the last minute, learning to meal prep can help with trying new recipes. Take a look at what you have on hand before scouring a few cookbooks (or cooking websites) for appetizing dishes to try then head to the store to fill in the missing ingredients. Meal planning may save you time, money and, perhaps, a little sanity – and potentially help you branch out your menu, too.

Club It Up

Joining a cookbook club allows you to flex your social muscles and sample new recipes and techniques from different cultures with fellow foodies. For example, this savory, meat-free Lubiyeh recipe just may become a new household favorite. Featuring stewed green beans simmered in a vegan broth with the added kick of Aleppo pepper and sweet red pepper paste, it’s both bright and rich, and pairs well with rice, lavash or thin pita with a smattering of raw onions for a little extra punch.

Simplify Cleanup

Once the cookbooks have been shelved and the plates have been cleared, tackle the cleaning jobs with an option like the new Finish Ultimate Quantum – their breakthrough dishwashing detergent with Finish’s most advanced formula yet – offering an unbeatable clean even on tough stains in hard water (220 PPM). This grandma-approved technique can help you conquer clean dishes, so it makes sense to switch.

Veg Out

If meat is in constant rotation at your house, consider rotating in a Meatless Monday meal like pasta primavera, or celebrate your own version of Taco Tuesday with bean- or lentil-based tacos instead of chicken, pork or beef. Opting for vegetarian or vegan meals utilizing hearty veggies like squash, eggplant and potatoes can help you save money at the grocery store and nourish your body with heart-healthy nutrients.

Grow a Garden

Starting a garden may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. You can begin with a few herbs growing on a windowsill before embarking on a bigger outdoor gardening project, where transforming a small patch of earth for growing vegetables, herbs or berry bushes can be just the thing to elevate eating at home.

To learn more, visit finishdishwashing.com.

Lubiyeh

(Lebanese Green Beans Stewed with Tomatoes and Garlic)

Recipe courtesy of Jeanette Chawki and the League of Kitchens on behalf of Finish

Servings: 4-6

• 2          pounds string beans or flat green beans
  
• 1/8       pound garlic (about 18 medium cloves)
  
• 7 1/2    cups water, divided
  
• 1 1/4    pounds plum tomatoes (about 5)
  
• 1          tablespoon sweet red pepper paste
  
• 1 1/2    teaspoons tomato paste
  
• 1/2       teaspoon white sugar
  
• 1/2-1    teaspoon crushed Aleppo pepper flakes
  
• 1/2       cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1          tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
  
• 1          large white or yellow onion, for serving
  
• thin pita, lavash or another flatbread, for serving (optional)

1. Trim ends of string beans or flat green beans. Put beans in bowl. Use hands to break beans into 2-3 pieces about 1 1/2 inches long.
2. Peel garlic. Trim rough or damaged root ends and cut large cloves in half lengthwise.
3. In medium saucepan, bring 6 cups water to boil. Once boiling, carefully add plum tomatoes and cook just until skins begin to break, 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat and drain. When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin.
4. Cut tomatoes into rough 1/2-inch chunks, removing any white or green parts near stem. Put tomato chunks in bowl. In separate small bowl, stir sweet red pepper paste, tomato paste, white sugar, crushed Aleppo pepper flakes and 1/2 cup water until paste is dissolved into liquid; set aside.
5. In large wok or skillet with deep sides over high heat, heat extra-virgin olive oil.
6. Add garlic and fry, shaking pot occasionally, until cloves lightly brown, about 90 seconds. Add green beans and stir with wooden spoon. Turn heat to medium-low and stir in kosher salt. Add 1 cup water and stir. Raise heat to high to bring water back to simmer then lower to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, just until beans are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
7. Stir in tomatoes and pepper paste mixture, increase heat to high and cook until liquid boils. Cover pot, keeping lid slightly ajar, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until tomatoes are soft, sauce has thickened slightly and garlic is tender, about 20 minutes. Taste for salt and add if needed. Keep warm until ready to serve.
8. Put down clean dish towel and place onion on top. Smash onion with heavy cutting board 2-5 times then peel it.
9. Squeeze whole onion over sink between hands to remove some juices. Wash onion under cold running water, squeeze it between hands again then pull it apart into pieces, removing roots and any stem, and put it on small serving plate.
10. If using pita, separate circles into two thin pieces. Bake or toast thin pita, lavash or other flatbread until crispy or blackened in spots. For sandwiches, warm bread.
11. Serve stewed green beans and raw onion with pita, lavash or other flatbread, either open-faced or rolled into sandwich.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (women in kitchen)

SOURCE:

Finish

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Last Updated on March 21, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Lu Lu, Temple University and Wangoo Lee, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

When restaurant customers order from self-service kiosks while a line forms behind them, they feel rushed, prompting them to buy less and stick to familiar items instead of browsing for something new, according to a recent study we published.

self-service kiosks

We found that businesses can reduce this pressure and increase satisfaction by revamping their system so that a single line of waiting customers leads to multiple kiosks. That way, customers feel less rushed because they aren’t the only ones who may be holding up the line.

We are experts in food and beverage marketing who research self-service technology. In recent years, many restaurants have adopted automated technology to streamline the menu ordering process and address staffing shortages. This ultimately gives customers more control over ordering, but an unintended consequence of this has seemed to be that it also makes them feel more responsibility for keeping the line that forms behind them moving, leading to rushed orders.

To understand what’s going on, we conducted three experiments in which we asked hundreds of participants to imagine waiting in line at a restaurant in a variety of scenarios. We found that most people do in fact feel pressured to order quickly when there’s a queue behind them. This resulted in hasty decisions and lower overall spending.

But we also found that retailers can mitigate this in one of two ways: by creating a single line serving several kiosks or by showing a pop-up message on the kiosk interface stating that the business takes full responsibility for any service delays during menu orders.

Our research reveals the social dynamics at play in do-it-yourself ordering and we believe offers valuable implications for designing a more effective and customer-friendly self-service process. It also alerts restaurant owners to the potential unintended consequences of switching to automated technology.

Lu Lu, Associate Professor of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Temple University and Wangoo Lee, Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

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Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.

Last Updated on March 20, 2026 by Daily News Staff

If you’re a chef under 30 with a dish that says something real about who you are, S.Pellegrino is officially calling.

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition has launched its seventh edition, opening applications worldwide starting February 16. The program is designed to identify and support the next generation of culinary talent—not just with a trophy at the end, but with mentorship, visibility, and a pathway into the global fine-dining conversation.

Applications are open for four months, closing June 9, 2026, through the official platform at sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com.

More than a contest: a platform for young chefs

S.Pellegrino positions the Young Chef Academy as more than a competition. It’s a development pipeline—a way to help emerging chefs sharpen their voice, pressure-test their ideas, and connect with influential figures in gastronomy.

The Academy emphasizes three core judging elements throughout the process:

• Technical skill
• Creativity
• Personal belief

That last piece matters. This isn’t only about executing a perfect plate—it’s about what you stand for as a chef, and how that shows up in your food.

How the competition works

The competition divides applicants into 15 regions, with selections supported by ALMA, the International School of Italian Culinary Arts.

Here’s the flow:

1. Applications open (Feb. 16 to June 9, 2026)
2. Shortlisted candidates are selected within each region
3. Chefs compete in 15 Regional Finals
4. Regional winners advance to the Grand Finale

At the Grand Finale, finalists present their dishes to an international jury of renowned chefs.

Alongside the main title, participants can also compete for three collateral awards that recognize:

• Social responsibility
• Connection to culinary heritage
• Expression of personal belief through food

New this edition: mentorship that extends beyond the finale

One of the most interesting updates this year is a new mentorship initiative, aimed at reinforcing the Academy’s long-term commitment to supporting chefs beyond the competition cycle.

As part of that initiative, Ardy Ferguson (Global Winner of the 2024–25 edition) will complete a dedicated mentorship experience, spending three weeks working alongside two internationally recognized chefs who served on the previous jury:

• Julien Royer (Odette, Singapore)
• Jeremy Chan (Ikoyi, London)

Ferguson described the Academy as a career-shaping experience, noting that the continued learning opportunity is a way to keep pushing his craft and build on what the program offers.

Royer and Chan both emphasized what the competition is really testing: not only skill, but conviction—the ability to refine a vision and cook with individuality under pressure.

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What applicants need to submit

To apply, chefs under 30 are invited to submit a signature dish that reflects:

• Personal belief
• Technical skill
• Creativity

If you’ve been building a dish that tells your story—your background, your values, your obsession, your point of view—this is the moment the competition is designed for.

Key dates and link

• Applications open: February 16, 2026
• Applications close: June 9, 2026
• Apply / learn more: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/

Source: PRNewswire

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/