25 Reasons Why We’re Thankful For the Restaurant Industry in the Year 2020
2020 will be remembered as the year that the restaurant industry fought for its life. A year that saw the closing of nationally acclaimed restaurants with Michelin stars, as well as small local haunts cherished by their immediate neighbors. Although the fight for survival is nowhere near done, now is a time to pay tribute. Because even in a year that saw so much devastation, there was also so much grace, resilience, and ingenuity. It was proof that restaurants are built on taking care of others — and not even a pandemic could stop that.
We’ve been thankful for every restaurant that has tried to keep going this year. But we wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to a handful of restaurants, industry folks, and grassroots initiatives that went above and beyond, helping their communities in the most unprecedented of times. They reminded us, despite everything, what hospitality is all about.
1. We’re thankful for…
Heart of Diner, a community grassroots initiative that delivers care packages of hot meals (cooked by neighboring restaurants) and handwritten letters to elderly Asian New Yorkers, who’ve been isolated in senior housing developments throughout the pandemic. // New York
2. Thankful for…
The creation of the McAtee Community Kitchen, which provides support in the shape of meals, groceries, and supplies to families in need across Louisville, in honor of community leader and barbecue man David “Ya Ya” McAtee. // Louisville, KY
3. Thankful for…
The London Restaurant Cooperative, which was formed during lockdown by former staff at restaurants Le Bab and Maison Bab, to feed vulnerable Londoners at the start of the pandemic, as well as providing work and income for at-risk restaurant workers. // London
4. Thankful for…
The SF New Deal movement, which works with restaurants like Nari, Mourad, The Morris, Mister Jiu’s, Hawker Fare, Uma Casa, Rich Table, Prubechu, and many more to prepare and deliver meals to San Franciscans in need. // San Francisco
5. Thankful for…
No Us Without You, a charity that provides food security to the backbone of the industry: undocumented back of house restaurant workers, who aren’t eligible for unemployment benefits, even though they’re taxed on every paycheck. // Los Angeles
6. Thankful for…
Grocery stores like H-E-B, which immediately tried to find ways to help out local restaurants in the wake of the pandemic. // Texas
7. Thankful for…
Small neighborhood restaurants like 886, FieldTrip, Ho Foods, and Raku, that mobilized to donate crowdfunded hot meals to New York frontline hospital workers at the height of the pandemic. // New York
8. Thankful for…
Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice, a coalition that was created to raise money to benefit Black communities in the South. // The Southeast
9. Thankful for…
Reem Assil of Reem’s CA for her continued ascension as a leader for the national restaurant industry. // Oakland, CA
10. Thankful for…
Chef and owner Erik Bruner-Yang, who provided immediate financial relief to small neighborhood restaurants when they needed it the most, thanks to his crowdfunded initiative, the Power of 10. // Washington, DC
11. Thankful for…
Chef-owners like Irene Li, who are committed to making the restaurant industry more transparent and better for all. // Boston
12. Thankful for…
Brandon Jew for becoming a leader in his community and urging Chinese American restaurants to know their worth. // San Francisco
13. Thankful for…
Organizations like Welcome to Chinatown and Send Chinatown Love, that were launched to help out local Chinatown businesses when they were hit first and hardest. // New York
14. Thankful for…
DeliverAid, which supported many out-of-work and struggling restaurants, caterers, and cafés by enlisting them to help feed frontline NHS workers (UK National Health Service) in the wake of the pandemic. // London
15. Thankful for…
Chef-owners like Chris Williams, who are doing all they can to help out their local communities right now, whether through donated meals or as pop-up hosts. // Houston
16. Thankful for…
Restaurants like Golden Diner, Saigon Social, Kopitiam, and others who banded together to help each other out by encouraging diners to dine around at each of them. // New York
17. Thankful for…
Nonprofit organizations like La Cocina that are still finding ways to help low-income food entrepreneurs, especially now. // San Francisco
18. Thankful for…
The pop-ups that are keeping us well-fed when every day feels like Groundhog Day, but also giving chefs an opportunity to express themselves like they might never have been able to before. // Everywhere
19. Thankful for…
Restaurants like Chick ‘n’ Sours, Patty & Bun, 12:51, Manteca, Trullo, and many more for stepping up and making sure kids don’t go hungry over the school holidays, when the government voted against an extension to free school meals. // London
20. Thankful for…
Gertie, which has made doing good part of its DNA, preparing over 1,500 meals per week for New Yorkers in need in partnership with Rethink Food and City Harvest NYC, and hosting weekly RAD (Restaurants Advocating for Democracy) pop-ups, benefiting Fair Fight Action. // New York
21. Thankful for…
Nok Suntaranon and the rest of the Kalaya team, for offering free “Phamily Meals” and inspiring restaurants to donate produce going to waste due to the shutdown, and put it to a purpose: feeding anyone in need, whether they be healthcare workers or out-of-work industry peers. // Philadelphia
22. Thankful for…
Pay It Forward Charleston and Butcher & Bee, which are providing emergency assistance to the Charleston Food & Beverage community. // Charleston
23. Thankful for…
The Suerte team for always looking after their own, and fighting for social justice initiatives in the most delicious ways — whether it be a chef taco series with proceeds going to Jolt Action, or a chef collaboration benefitting local charities. // Austin
24. Thankful for…
The Pasjoli team, which facilitated a raffle that was able to donate over $100,000 to Black Lives Matter-related causes in LA. // Los Angeles
25. Thankful for…
Neighborhood restaurants like Wayla and Short Stories, which are feeding their communities with pay-what-you-wish lunch boxes and groceries. // New York
Noëmie Carrant is a Resy staff writer. Follow Resy on Instagram and Twitter.
