The Charlies is so much more than awards—although don’t get us wrong, that’s the reason we’re all gathering at the Pantages Theater on January 27.Known as the local version of the Academy Awards for the greater Twin Cities food and beverage community, the Charlie Awards also serves as an entertaining show, and this year we’ve kicked it up another notch

The true test of any real diva is getting her eyelashes on straight before 10 a.m. And the women of Flip Phone Drag Brunch are just the kind of real divas to show up for an early Sunday Brunch, to entertain and help raise money and awareness for a worthy cause.

Best-selling author of travel guides, Rick Steves, shared with an audience of restaurant operators why he thinks travel is for more than just entertainment.

The eighth annual Charlie Awards, which celebrates the exceptional contributions of the Twin Cities food and beverage community, will be held Sunday, Jan. 27, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis.

During the awards event at Bunker Hill Golf Club in Coon Rapids, the Minnesota Restaurant Association recognized the recipients of honors such as Restaurant of the Year, and inducted two people into its Hospitality Hall of Fame.

The dog’s menu at Stanley’s NE Restaurant and Bar started as a fun way to reward dogs who accompanied their masters to happy hour on the patio and ended up on Bite Squad’s delivery route.

The annual Stars of the Future, where high school culinary students partner with local chefs for a small-plates fundraiser, was held at the W Hotel in early November. Hosted by Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation's ProStart program, Stars' proceeds go to support student travel and participation fees for ProStart's international competition, which will be held in May 2019 in Washington, D.C.

In September, the Minnesota Beef Council hosted a group of journalists from Japan interested in learning more about the beef industry in the U.S. Journalists who participated included a food blogger; a writer for a food and wine magazine, writers for both a men’s and a women’s magazine, a photographer, plus a representative of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

When does John Kraus sleep? The opening of the St. Paul Rose Street Patisserie was our October cover story and now he's in the pizza business?

After 20 years at its Eden Prairie location on City West Parkway, Campiello was due for a refresh. The D’Amico & Partners mainstay got a comprehensive décor and menu update this summer and showed off its new look and flavors during a menu tasting event October 9.

Michael Larson, marketing and sales executive for Henke Foods, the parent company of Annie B’s caramels and popcorn and B.T. McElrath chocolates, attended the Rose & Loon grand opening party as vendor. And while he didn’t help guests make caramels or popcorn as other vendors did with their products, he did have the makings for s’mores and free samples of candy.

What was the Wild Onion on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue for more than 20 years is now Red Rabbit, the rustic Italian concept from Luke Shimp’s kindRED Hospitality, also behind the Twin Cities’ four Red Cow restaurants.