In late 2024, Hillsborough nut butter company Big Spoon Roasters reached out to Big Spoon Sauce Co., a California chili crisp purveyor, alleging trademark infringement. Then things got ugly.
Lena Geller
Lena Geller is a reporter for INDY, covering food, housing, and politics. She joined the staff in 2018 and previously ran a custom cake business.
Posted inCulture
Talking With the Durham Filmmakers Behind “The Last Partera”
The documentary, an intimate portrait of a centenarian Costa Rican midwife passing her knowledge onto the next generation, will see its world premiere at Full Frame this weekend.
Posted inFood & Drink
“Nobody in Our Industry Makes Minimum Wage”: Talking With a Retiring NC Restaurant Lobbyist
Lynn Minges, North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association’s outgoing CEO, answers questions about the state’s low minimum wage, the Brunch Bill, and ICE raids.
Posted inFood & Drink
Brunello Wine Bar Pours Its Final Glass, Owner Heads to Chapel Hill
Esteban Brunello attributes the CCB Plaza wine bar closure to a declining interest in both wine and socializing. He has high hopes for his next spot.
Posted inNews
The System Is Not Designed to Protect You
When violence shattered their sense of safety, a Durham immigrant family found help from community organizations now stretched to their breaking point due to federal funding cuts.
Posted inCulture
In Poetic Memoir “A Jewish Appendix,” Adam Sobsey Encounters Signs and Wonders
Talking with the Durham writer about his new memoir, which takes him around the world and back to a Durham wine bar, as he grapples with belonging, heritage, and hospitality.
Posted inFood & Drink
At New Chapel Hill Café, a Riff on a Family Legacy With Green Beans and Cornbread Flights
“I’m trying to keep the tradition going in my own kind of way,” says Tonya Council, the granddaughter of Mama Dip’s founder Mildred Council. Her cafe opens on March 19.
Posted inNews
Amid Mass Layoffs, Foreign Aid Workers Call on Triangle Officials to Condemn USAID Funding Freeze
The Triangle is one of the largest recipients of federal foreign aid money in the nation. With that funding jeopardized, hundreds of local workers have lost their jobs.
Posted inNews
“It Smells New”: Durham’s Revamped Wheels Roller Skating Rink is a Blast from the Past
For an INDY staffer who grew up skating at Wheels, its HGTV-worthy reno feels like “somebody took my childhood memories, ran them through the wash, and handed them back to me pristine.”
Posted inCulture
A Different Kind of Valentine’s Event: Local Couples Gather to Talk Prenups
Ghirardelli chocolate squares, cross-class relationships, and working to move beyond prenups stigma on a Tuesday night.