Big things are happening in the restaurant world, and OpenTable is thrilled to be a part of it. We’ve partnered with The LEE Initiative to support its groundbreaking new restaurant, SHIA, in Washington, D.C. The non-profit is diving into a project that goes beyond serving meals—it’s about shaping the future of the restaurant industry.
What is The LEE Initiative?
Co-founded by Edward Lee and Lindsey Ofcacek, The LEE Initiative is a non-profit dedicated to making the restaurant industry a more sustainable, equitable, and compassionate place. Since 2018, it’s been leading the way with initiatives that support diversity, equity, and the well-being of workers. The organization’s work is all about promoting change from within, and they’ve consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in this industry.
Their latest venture, SHIA, is a non-profit, research-driven restaurant, opening today, October 29, 2024. It’s more than a fine dining spot—it’s a vision of what restaurants can be when sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity are the foundation.
Meet SHIA: Redefining fine dining
SHIA is no ordinary restaurant—it blends luxury with social responsibility. While guests can expect top-tier cuisine, the heart of SHIA’s mission is to research and test new practices that can help shape sustainability in restaurants. We’re talking about:
- Eliminating single-use plastic in the restaurant
- Reducing reliance on fossil fuels
- Serving tasting menus that showcase local produce
- Minimizing overall waste
But that’s not all. SHIA will have a woman-led, collaborative leadership model and tackle industry challenges such as labor practices, diversity, and innovation. In partnership with a university-backed research program, the restaurant will be essentially a living lab experimenting with new ways to run a restaurant.
How OpenTable fits in
At OpenTable, we believe in the power of restaurants to shape communities and the future of dining. That’s why we’re not just supporting the opening of SHIA—as The LEE Initiative’s exclusive research partner, we’ll be the only place where restaurateurs like you can find its groundbreaking research findings and insights.
As the team at SHIA uncovers new ways to run a sustainable, equitable, and innovative restaurant, we’ll be helping share that information to inspire action in your business. These findings will be open source, meaning anyone can access them and use them to implement changes in their own restaurant. Whether you’re curious about cutting down on waste, improving labor practices, or finding ways to lead more inclusively, the findings that come out of SHIA could help your business solve common challenges and thrive.
For a deep dive on the key issues facing the restaurant industry in the Washington, D.C. area today, download the white paper here.
Stay tuned for more updates from SHIA as we share their journey and findings. Together, let’s learn, evolve, and help build a restaurant industry that thrives for generations to come.
