New Jersey’s dining scene continues to make waves nationally as two of the state’s standout chefs, David Viana of Judy & Harry’s in Asbury...

A new wave of sustainable food innovation has arrived in New Jersey. The plant-based revolution has found its next major home in Rockaway, where Meati Holdings, Inc. is now headquartered following the company’s acquisition of Colorado-based Meati Foods in late 2025. The move positions New Jersey as a new hub for food technology and alternative protein development — an industry that continues to expand as consumers seek smarter, healthier, and more environmentally responsible ways to eat. Originally founded in 2016 by Tyler Huggins and Justin Whiteley in Boulder, Colorado, Meati Foods was launched under the name Emergy Foods with one ambitious goal: to create whole-cut meat alternatives made entirely from mycelium — the root-like structure of...

Montclair, NJ — In a bold demonstration of support for restaurant workers and the fight for equitable pay, NJ-11 congressional candidate Analilia Mejia will step behind the counter at Leone’s Pizzeria and Restaurant on Thursday, January 22, 2026, for a “Server for an Hour” event. Partnering with One Fair Wage and the Living Wage for All campaign, Mejia will work alongside restaurant staff to experience firsthand the realities of tipped work under New Jersey’s subminimum wage system. Currently, tipped workers in New Jersey earn a subminimum wage of just $5.26 per hour, a rate that leaves thousands of employees struggling to cover rent, groceries, transportation, and other essential expenses. Reliant on tips to make ends meet,...