I've just returned from Thailand, a destination I know well having visited many times over the years. What struck me this trip was how prevalent the Michelin signage had become — that distinctive red-and-white branding appearing not just on fine dining establishments and hotel lobbies in Bangkok, but on what might otherwise be entirely unremarkable street food stalls tucked into laneways and markets. Thailand's culinary reputation needs no introduction. In my view, it is one

During my early days of consulting on retail developments (over 15 years ago but who's counting?), food was still very much a mystery to most developers and asset managers. It was the category you filled last, often as an afterthought, squeezed into whatever space remained after the "real" retail was secured. Then MasterChef happened. The show, which debuted on Australian screens in 2009, didn't just entertain: it fundamentally changed how Australians engage with food. We've