We’re a food-focused bunch at Curator. From the daily coffee meeting to the weekly Friday happy hour to the annual “family dinner” at the holidays, our agency’s culture and traditions center on experiences over food and drink. 

That passion is the engine that drives the work we do on behalf of brands such as Whole Foods Market, Domino's Pizza, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Allrecipes.

Food – and what we’ll be eating next – consumes our thoughts. Here are three topics I’ve been intrigued by lately.    

Chefs on the Move. For years, I’ve admired Chef Grant Achatz. His triumph over tongue cancer is inspiring. And as a marketer, it’s amazing to see how hard he works to keep people buzzing about his business. He's not content to prove himself from his Chicago-based restaurants. Instead, he packs up his kitchen and travels the world, convincing people of his genius one plate at a time. During January and February, he was at it again. He shut down the Chicago operations of Alinea and set up shop in Madrid.  

But Achatz isn’t alone in his culinary wanderings. The New York Times had an interesting story last week about a new wave of “nomadic chefs.” 

Plants, Plants, and More Plants. Everywhere you look, people are touting the benefits of a plant-based diet. Even the fast casual industry is catching on, with chains like Sweetgreens and Veggie Grill packing diners’ plates with plants. Locally, we’ve got our eye on Frankie & Jo’s, a plant-based ice cream and sorbet shop that begins scooping this summer. 

Garbage to Gold. Food waste is a serious problem in America. Donations for edible food is part of the solution, but entrepreneurs are beginning to recognize there is opportunity in items that would typically go to waste. For example, Misfit Juicery in D.C. uses imperfect food in its cold-pressed juices. And right here in Washington state, our client Whole Foods Market is working with the innovative company, WISEerg to convert food scraps from the store into organic fertilizer available for sale to farmers and store customers. We're excited to go deeper with that story in the year ahead. 

Do you dream in food, too? Let's grab lunch. I'd love to hear what's on your mind.