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There are a lot of feelings about restaurants right now. They are not all alike.
There are people who are worried about the closings and mourn the loss of their favorite spots. There are people who don't want to see restaurant workers or anyone else get sick. In many cases, these are the same people.
There are restaurants that think we need to open up right now and there are restaurants that would not, even if given the chance. There are businesses on the line, there are lives on the line. All around.
Because they need to, the voices are starting to come together.
Yesterday, Hospitality MN, the local restaurant association, had a meeting with the Governor to talk about the future of restaurants and resorts. This group represents not only restaurants in the metro, but over the entire state, corner to corner. They have a seat at the table.
Today, Gavin Kaysen introduced the Twin Cities Restaurant Coalition on his instagram. This group is comprised of many of the movers and shakers of the Twin Cities food scene, but isn't limited to just them. You'll see on the list many types of indy restaurants, from Travail and Young Joni to Ngon Bistro, Red Cow, Union Hmong Kitchen, the Blue Plate restaurants and brand new Estelle. Andrew Zimmern and other industry adjacent professionals are also in the group. Any restaurant or bar who wants to join, regardless of their location or type, can be a part of the coalition.
"We need to be a part of the conversation," Kaysen told me over the phone. "There's not a one-size-fits-all solution to this. Some restaurants say they can open with 50% occupancy and make it work. Others will not survive 50% when they've lost 100% of their revenue for two months and 100% of the bills start kicking in." The group has started a resource page for restaurants trying to think and plan their re-opening. It's 19 pages long.
It seems to me that everyone is looking for guidance and direction. Matt Winter and the Prior Lake contingent that I talked with last week said the same thing, that even though they want to open, need to open, they are all trying to figure out the how. It's part of the reason they thought they might be able to be a test case, because we need to understand the affects and differences between small and big places, between full service and counter service, between big cities and smaller towns. I don't think any of them want this to evolve into an us vs. them argument, which it frequently seems to do online. Like I said, many feelings.
"We see the TCRC as linking arms with Hospitality MN, and going into this together," Kaysen said. "One of our members Brent Fredrick of Jester Concepts, is also on their board. We're not looking to be a splinter in this block of wood."
This group is hoping that by coming together, and contributing their thoughts and experiences, which may differ greatly from the resorts and restaurants in the out-state regions, they can all come to a fuller understanding of what the next few months to a year might look like. "Just because you can open your restaurant doesn't mean that you're going to be better off," James Winberg and Mike Brown of Travail told me on speaker phone, "Our biggest job is taking into consideration the health of our employees, the health of our guests, and the cost to the business. And there's a lot that goes into that. Everyone in this is affected differently. The Governor has many arduous decisions daily. The TCRC has great insight from a lot of great restaurants in the most infected areas. That insight can help broaden the scope of those decisions. Something that would help out nearly all restaurants is bailing out landlords."
Watching the testimonial videos from restaurant owners that Hospitality MN has been posting, I was struck at how varied their thoughts were as far as actions and solutions, but the one clear thread is fear and care. From Bill Kozlak to Tim Murray, from Cathy Brovard of D'Amico to Mike Runyon of The Nook, and Denese Jokela of Necce's Ristorante in Park Rapids: not one human doesn't understand the massive impact of all of this or has all the answers. They, and we, are all trying to survive this.
Again, the TCRC wants more small hospitality industry members. They plan to hold weekly town hall meetings, gather information, and share resources in order to strengthen the local dining world. "We've all got to come together to do this, we have to all have a part of this discussion," Kaysen noted. "For a long time we've talked about the great unity of Minnesota restaurants, and now we have to bring that to the powers that be."
What does that mean? More money, more rules, less rules, more action? I don't know, but I am happy to support the voices that are finally rising together in thoughtful unison.
Let's try and listen.
