March 2020: When it all began ... announcing the Wayan & Perry St closures. We had no idea of what was going on ... are we closing for only a few weeks? It just felt unreal. —C.V.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
April 2020: Here with the family. Trying to manage home schooling, how to keep our restaurant from closing for good, our new isolated daily routine, and not freaking out in front of the kids.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
May 2020: Empty NYC streets. At this point, it was feeling kind of like the movie, “I Am Legend." We are trying to hold on, but it is getting very scary. I got mugged a few days after I took this photo.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
June 2020: We decided to move upstate for a month, for fresh air and to allow the kids to run around. I spent the days cooking every day with amazing local products, and working on new recipes for the restaurants.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
July 2020: We came back to NYC. And the energy was starting to change. The weather was nice, people were going out, and now we were allowed to serve food at our restaurants outside. This is our first outdoor dining setup with new furniture from Re-Ply.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
August 2020: With a few projects happening in other states, we decided to travel, but with high precautions. It was weird; all the airports and planes were empty. Is this the new normal?
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
September 2020: Spending some time in Montauk, and decided to learn new skills, like surfing.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
October 2020: The cold was coming, so we needed to start getting ready for winter and set up heaters and tents. This meant more expenses for the restaurants. We were still hoping for the best.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
November 2020: During these difficult times, we had to constantly think outside the box, and stay creative. This is Wayan's Indo-Chalet launch, a pre-fixe outdoor service with tabletop grilling, kind of like a French raclette.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
December 2020: Outdoor dining is paused, so we focused on deliveries and ready-to-eat meals at home. In this picture, we are storing boxes for our holiday delivery and takeout meals.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
January 2021: We had a lot of snow this year. Indoor restaurants are closed, COVID-19 cases are increasing. We are spending some time with our kids, and distracting them from any conversation about COVID, or the news.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
February 2021: Cuomo announces indoor dining's return; impeccable timing, as always. With vaccinations starting, we can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm looking forward to brighter days, as COVID-19 numbers are dropping and people are getting vaccinated. Our lives will come back to some sense of normalcy, even if we have to get used to some new safety routines. I am personally looking forward to traveling again, and to appreciate even more cultures and cuisines of other countries.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
March 2021: R&D (research and development) for our new project opening this summer, I hope.
Photo Courtesy Cédric Vongerichten
Read More Stories From Resy's Special Project: A Year in the Life of Restaurant Workers
