Burger King's new ads add new characters
Burger King has launched the first of its new TV commercials from ad agency Mother. The spots shift from the strictly food-focused ads that dominated during the chains time with McGarryBowen to spots that introduce a cast of quirky new characters including a chef named Faustin who delicately creates the bacon gouda breakfast sandwich. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (2/19)
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Restaurant News

Beard Foundation names 2013 semi-finalists
The James Beard Foundation has named its 2013 semi-finalists in a slew of restaurant and chef categories including Best New Restaurant and Outstanding Bar Program. Finalists will be named next month, and the winners will be honored at a ceremony in May, except for two chef awards that have already been announced -- Emeril Lagasse won the Humanitarian Award and Cecilia Chiang received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Huffington Post (2/19)
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Starbucks maps 5-year Asia growth strategy
Starbucks plans to grow to about 40,000 employees in the Asia-Pacific region in the next five years, a region where tea is traditional but coffee consumption is on the rise. The company currently employs about 19,500 people in the region, which doesn't include China, India or Japan. MarketWatch (2/18)
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Other News

Spotlight on Restaurants and Social Media

140 million 'like' restaurant brands, study says
McDonald's displaced Starbucks to take the top spot on the Restaurant Social Media Index for the fourth quarter of 2012. The coffee giant landed at No. 2 and Wendy's, Buffalo Wild Wings and Subway rounded out the top five. DigitalCoCo's Paul Barron explains how the index works to measure how well restaurant chains are connecting with fans via social media. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Food & Beverage (2/20), FastCasual.com (2/19)
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Leading Voices

How Red Robin aims to appeal to grown-ups
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is increasing its efforts to appeal to adults dining out without children, trading plastic baskets for china and adding nicer glassware at the bar to boost cocktail sales. The chain, which reported a 1.4% same-store sales rise for the fourth quarter, is also testing pricier premium burgers including a Kobe beef option. BurgerBusiness.com (2/19)
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Pizza players to take it up a notch
Pizza is shaping up to be the next new fast-casual battleground, with "better pizza" brands taking the basic pie to new heights in a fashion similar to the "better burger" trend, said Technomic's Darren Tristano. "Convenience is the primary traffic driver, but it won't provide a strong edge if you don't have a better-tasting pizza," he said. FastCasual.com (2/19)
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Culinary Spotlight

Chefs find new ways to work in chicken livers
Chicken livers are more mild and less pricey than beef liver, making them increasingly popular with Dallas-area chefs who are using them in everything from pate to Cajun dirty rice to salads. David Uygur, chef and owner of Lucia, warns against overcooking the livers, which can make them grainy, and suggests soaking livers in milk before cooking. "It gives them a cleaner taste that's not as funky or strong," he said. The Dallas Morning News (free content) (2/19)
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Movers & Shakers

Food for Thought

We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more." -- Anne Sophie Swetchine, Russian mystic Share: