Every week we’re rounding up some of our favorite articles with trends and tidbits from the world of restaurants. Tell us: what made your reading list this week?

Restaurants Reliant on Outdoor Dining Get Creative in Preparation for Winter Chill Ahead – Restaurant Hospitality
Many cities opened their streets and sidewalks to outdoor dining this spring, offering a boon for restaurants with shuttered dining rooms. Now, with fall on its way, some restaurants are exploring structures like pergolas and igloos to weather-proof their outdoor setups for colder temperatures. The city of Chicago even hosted a challenge to solve the weather dilemma – as Eater reports, 640 submissions rolled in.

Louisville-Based Lee Initiative Recognizes James Beard Finalists With Grants – Nashville Scene
With the 2020 James Beard awards cancelled amid controversy about a lack of diversity among winners, chef Edward Lee’s LEE Initiative announced a plan to celebrate all of the 88 chefs named as finalists with $3,000 grants. Meanwhile, the Beard Foundation will create an investment fund for food and beverage businesses owned by Black and Indigenous Americans.

NYC Restaurants Will Soon Be Allowed to Add Up to 10 Percent Surcharge to Diners’ Bills – Eater New York
The New York City Council voted in favor of a bill that lets restaurants add a surcharge (up to 10 percent of a check total) to help restaurants recover during the pandemic. It’s set to last until 90 days after indoor dining resumes at full capacity. The New York Times reports that owners are divided about the charge, as many are hesitant to ask more from cash-strapped guests.

Operators Out West Face a New Threat: Wildfire Smoke – Restaurant Business
As outdoor dining has become more important (and lucrative) than ever, poor air quality caused by raging wildfires adds additional complexity for restaurants. From air-quality meters to new revenue streams, here’s how operators are coping.

These Black-owned restaurants were saved by the social justice movement – Nation’s Restaurant News
The killing of George Floyd raised awareness about anti-Black violence in the U.S. and launched a movement to support Black-owned businesses, resulting in increased traffic and sales. Said Barbara “Sky” Burrell of Los Angeles’ Sky’s Gourmet Tacos, “His death is not in vain. We would not have survived COVID.”

Every week we’re rounding up some of our favorite articles with trends and tidbits from the world of restaurants. Tell us: what made your reading list this week?

New York City to Resume Indoor Dining at Restaurants – The Wall Street Journal
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this week that as of September 30, NYC restaurants can resume indoor service at 25% capacity. Assuming COVID-19 cases don’t spike, they plan to allow 50% capacity by November 1. As Eater NY reports, responses from the industry have been mixed: some need more time, others more clarity – and most agree that 25% isn’t enough to sustain their businesses.

Every week we’re rounding up some of our favorite articles with trends and tidbits from the world of restaurants. Tell us: what made your reading list this week?

The Virtual In-Person Restaurant Event – Expedite
New platforms, like The Infatuation’s Outpost, give chefs and restaurants the opportunity to sell goods and experiences either virtually or via intimate, in-person events. As writer Kristen Hawley points out, experiential marketing is now moving in both directions: translating in-person dining to digital platforms, and also using said platforms to promote and sell in-person events. Here’s how.

Even New York City’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants Are Struggling to Survive – The Wall Street Journal
Top NYC restaurateurs including Danny Meyer and Daniel Boulud say that the ban on indoor dining threatens to close their restaurants permanently, Charles Passy writes. Meanwhile, local officials still haven’t pinned down a date to resume indoor service. Business Insider echoes the sentiment, reporting that chain restaurant sales have returned to normal as independent restaurants are still struggling.

Bon Appétit’s Next Editor in Chief Is a Book-World Star – The New York Times
Following the resignation of editor Adam Rapoport, Bon Appetit named Dawn Davis, a vice president at Simon & Schuster, as the brand’s new editor-in-chief. In addition to steering the magazine, Davis will oversee the outlets Epicurious, Healthyish, and Basically – becoming one of the few Black top editors in Condé Nast history.

Riverside’s Newly Legal Home Restaurants Look to Revolutionize California’s Food Scene – Eater Los Angeles
California’s new Retail Food Code AB-626 has legalized home kitchen operations, meaning anyone can run a licensed restaurant out of their home kitchen and dining room with local permits, Farley Elliott reports. The law could spur a dining revolution in California in a moment when restaurants are hungry for solutions.

Every week we’re rounding up some of our favorite articles with trends and tidbits from the world of restaurants. Tell us: what made your reading list this week?

Every week we’re rounding up some of our favorite articles with trends and tidbits from the world of restaurants. Tell us: what made your reading list this week?

Why We’re Not Announcing the Remaining 2020 Award Winners – James Beard Foundation
In a post on their website, the Beard Foundation announced that it would not present the rest of its 2020 award winners in September as it had previously planned. Instead, they’ll use the same time slot to celebrate previously announced honorees (including America’s Classics, Lifetime Achievement, and more) via Twitter broadcast. The foundation will also forgo its 2021 presentation in favor of championing the independent restaurant community.