Famous Food

Eating out in a pandemic-afflicted world might look more like visiting a loved one in prison ... if this test run in Italy is any indication.

Restaurant owner Valerio Calderoni and his wife, Martina, are serving as guinea pigs for a possible new setup at eateries, intended to lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

The couple is seated at a table for 2 in Calderoni's Il Ciak restaurant in Rome's Trastevere district, and as you can see ... there's a large piece of plexiglass between them.

Clearly, the separator makes for a less intimate dinner date, but Valerio and his wife have plenty of room for their food and are still able to cheers with their wine glasses.

It's unclear how the dividers would affect sound travel in the restaurant -- especially if patrons are also wearing masks -- but this is just a test run ... probably a lot of kinks to work out still.

Employees at a Jersey Mike's at LAX flouted the Los Angeles city order to wear face coverings ... but it looks like the customers were too.

The order went into effect in L.A. April 10, which requires both shoppers and workers at essential businesses that are open during the coronavirus pandemic to wear a face covering.

This includes businesses providing food, like the Jersey Mike's at Terminal 2, but based on this video shot April 16 during the lunch hour ... the workers weren't complying.

As you see, at least 2 employees were serving customers without wearing masks -- including the one cutting the meats -- and we're told the guy at the register was wearing a face mask ... but it was pulled down to only cover his beard and chin, leaving his mouth and nose exposed.

Two men ordering food in the vid, including an apparent pilot, were also not covering up.

As you may know ... many health experts now suggest wearing a mask outdoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19, though it's not required in the majority of states and cities in the U.S.

However, in L.A. it's considered a misdemeanor to not comply, though Mayor Eric Garcetti has said he hopes people will voluntarily follow the order.

This Jersey Mike's might need a little more encouragement.

Meghan and Harry have made a bunch of moves lately -- from the UK to Canada to the U.S. -- and we've learned what they're angling for next -- a multi-million dollar home in none other than Bel-Air.

Sources connected to Meghan and Harry tell TMZ, the displaced former royals are angling for a home somewhere between $12 million and $18 mil in the super-exclusive and super-expensive Bel-Air area of Los Angeles.

They're currently staying in L.A. -- the pics above show them wearing masks as they delivered food and other necessities to the poor -- and have been super-hush hush about their real estate move. Most realtors who rep buyers and sellers in that price range haven't heard anything about H&M being on the house hunt, but we know they've had their eye on at least one Bel-Air property and that's definitely the area they want.

There are reports they're also looking in Malibu ... we're told not true.

Our sources say the move to L.A. was mostly Meghan's doing. She wanted to get back in the action, and Hollywood's definitely the place. Harry is already working on a docuseries with Oprah, so he's down with the decision, but we're told Meghan was the driving force behind the move.

Girl Scout cookie sales are crippled due to stay-at-home orders nationwide -- and parents are worried they'll be stuck with a fat bill ... but fret not, your nonprofit's got your back.

TMZ spoke to our Girl Scout sources -- yes, we have them too -- and we've got a consensus from lots of households ... since the girls in green can't set up shop outside and guilt-trip the public into buying cookies right now, there's a TON that are going unsold, with a deadline to pay fast approaching. Normally, it's parents who gotta pay the difference.

Here's how it works, per our sources. Parents can take just about as many cases of Girl Scout cookies from their local HQ as they want -- but they gotta be wise about that, 'cause they can only return a certain amount without penalty. Ten is one number we've heard, but the bottom line is ... if you bite off more than you can chew, you're on the hook.

The cookies add up too. At $5 a box, and at 12 boxes a case ... these things ain't cheap, especially if you aren't moving them at a decent pace. Clearly, because of coronavirus, a bunch of go-to Girl Scout spots in public places are off-limits at the moment, which means a big chunk of these GS sales have dried up in recent weeks.

Our sources say lots of parents are facing steep tabs -- upwards of a several hundred dollars or more -- because cookie season is wrapping up, and local councils want their dough.

Fortunately, Girl Scouts of the USA -- the org at the helm of this whole operation -- tells TMZ they're not going to let their parents default, so to speak. They say, "Girl Scouts of the USA is working closely with our 111 local councils across the country who administer the iconic Girl Scout Cookie program to ensure that no troops, girls, or volunteers are left financially responsible for any excess inventory of Girl Scout Cookies."

Some New Yorkers are still risking coronavirus exposure by going places where social distancing is difficult, but the good news is ... there seems to be less of them.

TMZ got these shots of the Union Square farmers market Wednesday. Despite the state being at the apparent apex of COVID-19 cases and having strict stay-at-home and social-distancing orders in place ... it's still buzzing.

Several photos show people standing closer than the required 6-foot distance, and even more concerning ... some aren't wearing face coverings either.

To be fair, it's not required for New Yorkers to cover up until Friday, but it's being recommended by experts to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Los Angeles enacted its face-covering rule last week at all essential businesses, for which farmers markets are included.

On the bright side, the Union Square-area doesn't look nearly as packed as other farmers markets across the country have been in recent weeks ... or even as crowded as Central Park was a couple weekends ago.

Danny Trejo is using his machete for good ... to chop up some carnitas from his famous Mexican joint to feed L.A.'s frontline workers.

We're told the action star hit up USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in L.A. Wednesday, just before lunchtime, and served HUNDREDS of free bowls to hospital workers working to treat patients battling with COVID-19 and various other illnesses.

As you know ... Danny owns Trejo's Tacos, a popular joint with several locations across L.A. Staff at his location on the westside prepped the bowls filled with carnitas, chicken, steak asada and brisket. WHERE'S A DROOLING EMOJI WHEN YOU NEED IT?!?

This is not the first time Danny's gone to bat for L.A.'s healthcare workers. He kicked off the week doing exactly that ... serving up hundreds of bowls for doctors, nurses, administrators and custodians working at Cedars-Sinai in L.A.

Helluva way to give back during a nationwide medical and economic crisis. As we first reported ... Steven Spielberg's production company earlier this month fed a bunch of frontline ER heroes working at a Burbank hospital.

#NotAllHeroesWearCapes

Jon Taffer has a good idea what your favorite restaurant is going to look like when the pandemic smoke clears, and says the new key to culinary success won't be taste.

The "Bar Rescue" star joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and outlined some of the sweeping changes he sees coming to restaurants whenever shelter-in-place restrictions are lifted.

Jon's confident people won't be shy about eating at restaurants or going to bars, because Americans want to socialize and support local businesses. He says what will change is what customers value -- and many will prioritize trust over taste.

The way Jon sees it, people are gonna go to the restaurant they trust to keep them safe, and not necessarily the one with the best food.

And, when Americans do start eating inside restaurants again, Jon says customers are gonna be confronted with lots and lots of changes ... involving capacity, spacing and all-new safety precautions. Let's just say the staff at your fave steakhouse might look more like medical pros.

While experts say the restaurant industry has already lost $255 BILLION due to the outbreak, and 1 in 5 restaurants could close permanently ... Jon says it's not all doom and gloom.

Good ... restaurants and their customers could use a side of positivity!!!

Philadelphia 76ers partner Michael Rubin has the likes of Kevin Hart, Meek Mill, Justin Bieber and Magic Johnson backing his amazing plan to raise money for COVID-19 relief.

Rubin launched the "All In Challenge" Tuesday -- it's a massive fundraiser to feed Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic ... and it's offering once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences in hopes of raising tens of millions of dollars.

People who want to donate to a great cause can throw down as little as $10 to enter to win awesome prizes ... like a chance to be in Kevin's next movie or spend a day with Ryan Seacrest on ALL of his jobs!!!

Meanwhile, Meek is auctioning off his 2019 Rolls-Royce Phantom!!! Opening bid ... $200k. If ya wanna be a baller in the NBA -- it'll be back eventually -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is giving you a shot to suit up for a game. FOR REAL!!

And, for those big ballers, there's a bunch of auctions ... like a $50,000 opening bid to play H.O.R.S.E. with Magic and sit courtside at a Lakers game. NBD.

Scores of other actors, athletes, singers and celebs, in general, are getting involved -- it's a challenge, after all, so everyone's calling out their friends. Kevin's lookin' at you, Rock.

So, check out what Yo Gotti, Alex Rodriguez, Todd Gurley, Zach and Julie Ertz, Ben Simmons and many more are offering. It's all at allinchallenge.com.

Justin Bieber just joined too, and says he's gonna fly to the winner's home and sing, "One Less Lonely Girl."

Rubin says 100% of money raised will be donated to programs to feed the hungry, including ... Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, World Central Kitchen, America's Food Fund and Feeding America.

Good luck and be on the lookout for way more celebs to join the fundraiser. Whatchu got Dwyane Wade???

Sweet gesture from NFL star Quinnen Williams ... the NY Jets D-lineman donated $25,000 worth of food to medical personnel in N.J. -- and it was all handmade by a celeb chef!!

The former first-round pick hit up Brianna's Nutrition Kitchen this month to take care of staffers at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, N.J. -- and the meals didn't disappoint.

TMZ Sports has learned Quinnen and the private chef hooked up the heroes with superhealthy products ... including seasoned protein, veggies and potatoes.

One of the coolest parts of the gift? Quinnen labeled each meal with a smiling photo and the message, "Thank you for your service! Love, Quinnen Williams."

Seemed the people who are laying their lives on the line to stop the effects of coronavirus were more than happy with the grub -- smiling and posing with the meals on Tuesday!

Of course, New Jersey has been one of the states hit hardest by COVID-19 ... with more than 68,000 confirmed cases in the area.