"A Sri Lankan–Southern pop-up in Lexington, Kentucky, owned by chef Sam Fore was scrutinized after an anonymous tip flagged past social-media posts as evidence of “targeted harassment” and “bullying,” prompting private-investigator interviews. Fore says many of the posts in question were part of anti–domestic-violence campaigns and that investigators offered little concrete context or opportunity to fully defend her, leaving her finalist status unresolved; she purchased tickets to the gala and plans to attend while publicly criticizing the vetting process as flawed and insufficiently transparent." - ByLi Goldstein