James Beard Awards, loyalty in California, Chipotle
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June 15, 2026
The James Beard Foundation will name the winners of its annual awards Monday night. For one Milwaukee restaurant, a victory would cap a nearly lifelong career in hospitality for its co-owners. Zak Baker of Ca’Lucchenzo is up for best chef in the Midwest. He and his wife, Sarah, opened their restaurant in 2019 after a decade of working their way up the ladder in the Milwaukee dining scene. It specializes in hand-made pasta and Italian wines and is locally renowned. Like so many nominees, the Beards are giving it a national spotlight for the first time.
A California data privacy bill is raising some concerns for restaurants. The bill is aimed at cracking down on dynamic pricing. But it also contains some rules about loyalty programs. Discounts for loyalty members could continue, it says, but it also suggests that all discounts must be offered to all loyalty members. That raises questions for campaigns that give different offers to different people based on their preferences. The California Restaurant Association is opposing the bill. It has been OK’d by the Assembly and is now with the Senate.
Chipotle is rolling out the red carpet for Father’s Day. For its nearly 23 million rewards members, Chipotle is offering a free regular side or Cilantro Lime Sauce with the purchase of an entree from June 15 through June 21. A side of Cilantro Lime Sauce is listed for $1.50 in the Louisville, Ky., market. It was introduced in March and is part of Chipotle’s increased cadence of menu innovation.
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About the Author
Leigh Anne Zinsmeister
Managing Editor
Leigh Anne Zinsmeister is a managing editor for Informa’s Foodservices Vertical, specifically Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, and Foodservice Director. Leigh Anne works on all of the brands’ special reports, including Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual Top 500 report and Restaurant Hospitality’s Best Cocktails and Best Sandwiches contests. She also manages the group’s digital engagement team, and was the managing editor for Supermarket News until December 2024.
Leigh Anne lives in New York City, but also claims Phoenix, Dallas and Cleveland as hometowns. Leigh Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where she also studied European history.
Email Leigh Anne at [email protected]
Leigh Anne Zinsmeister’s experience:
Group Managing Editor, Informa’s Foodservices Vertical (Aug. 2021-present)
Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-Aug. 2021)
Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020)
Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018)
Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016)
Wire Editor, Gannett’s Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014)
Group Managing Editor, Informa’s Foodservices Vertical (Aug. 2021-present)
Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-Aug. 2021)
Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020)
Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018)
Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016)
Wire Editor, Gannett’s Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014)
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Source: This story originated with Nation's Restaurant News.
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