"national restaurant association" news and stories

If you're a savvy diner who likes to cozy up to chefs, then you probably already know one of their after-hour secrets: When the last plate is fired, many of them head to the tattoo shop.

Check any restaurant kitchen -- underneath those white coats lies a rainbow of culinary-themed tattoos, everything from knives to pot-bellied pigs. Don't feel like asking a stranger to show off their tats? Now you can just fire up your computer to see what chefs are sporting. Members of the National Restaurant Association have put together Kitchen Ink!, an online photo gallery to of the best chef body art.

If you've been searching for a fresh reason to cut back on your meat consumption, look no further. According to the National Restaurant Association, beef prices have risen almost 20% since August 2007 and are poised to go up another 5% to 8% over the next year. Part of this inflation is due to increases in the price of feed, although the cost of gas has also made it much more expensive to transport beef to markets. Regardless, this might be a good time to dust off some of your favorite tofu recipes.

Wendy's, which has raised the price of its quarter pound burger by 4-8 cents in the past year, will probably be joined by McDonald's in its efforts to deal with meat inflation. The ultimate fast food joint is contemplating either raising prices on its dollar menu or changing the items that it offers.

The great meat shortage of the 1970's, which also resulted in price inflation, arguably led to America's culinary renaissance and the increased popularity of pasta, tacos, and other foods that didn't rely heavily on meat. One can only wonder what this new meat inflation will lead to!