• Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn wants to expand his D.C. Good Stuff Eatery internationally. [Bloomberg]
• Jamie Oliver plans to take a petition calling for better food in America’s schools to the White House. [NYDN]
• After closing last May, backers of L.A.’s Jazz Bakery are still scouting for a new location. [L.A. Times]
• A 74-year-old Nigerian born U.S. citizen was jailed in Tijuana after ingredients he’d brought to a relative for traditional soup were mistaken for drugs. [Daily News]
• A SoCal sixth-grader is one of 36 finalists in a contest to redesign Heinz ketchup packets. [
• Taco Bell opened its first store in India, ratcheting up the spices but not serving beef at the Bangalore location. [MSNBC]
• Increased traffic and lowered supply costs are leading restaurateurs to predict a good spring. [WSJ]
• Once considered minor league for chefs, dim sum is winning increased respect. [WSJ]
• The popularity of competitive eating has paradoxically risen at the same time as concerns about obesity. [Salon]