The diversity of those spearheading Trump's coronavirus response within the restaurant industry should mirror America itself, yet it's dominated by a group of older white men. Over a month ago, I, like many other gastronomes across the nation, was stunned by this new way of life. Upon Aurora ordering the closure of Annette to halt Coronavirus spread, we had to let go of our hourly wage workers, postpone bills, and scramble for a takeout model to slow down financial drain while ensuring guest safety.
Since then, I'm proud of what we've achieved—ensuring employed and insured staff, feeding community stalwarts and health heroes, and keeping local ecosystems alive constituting farmers, livestock farmers, butchers, and bakers. However, as every independent American restaurant is engulfed in a crisis needing intelligent, continuous federal support, I was appalled to see that most advisors to Trump's Economic Recovery Industry Panel were either foreign or not food industry professionals, with corporations like McDonald's, Pepsi-Cola, and Chick-Fil-A, or older white men represented.
This isn't surprising given Trump's penchant for Fast Food, reportedly enjoying well-done steaks, but never showing interest in the restaurant industry. Nevertheless, every state-level response designed to rejuvenate the US economy should recognize the economic impact and extraordinary diversity of America's independent restaurants. Employing over 11 million individuals and supporting a job chain for millions more, these establishments are integral to farmers, livestock raisers, butchers, and bakers.
There's no doubt that Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Daniel Boulud, as the group's affluent, pioneering chefs responsible for training top American chefs, should be commended. But their presence in the committee disregards the fact that upscale restaurants are increasingly inaccessible to many Americans, while ignoring the divergence between their experiences and those of most chefs.
Most chefs endure similar struggles: they queue, flip burgers, grill chicken, prepare salads, and work tirelessly to feed people. They are small business owners and community anchors—women, immigrants, and people of color, not globe-trotting celebrities. Reviving America's economy means preserving us.
Last year, I was honored to be named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chefs 2019. That moment was the proudest of my life. My peers ranged from a Japanese immigrant who learned Soba noodle rolling from her grandmother to a Kambodjian refugee who brought the aroma of his homeland to Oakland streets and a Transgender chef running "Asian Creole Cuisine" in San Juan, Puerto Rico. An advisory committee truly reflecting America's culinary diversity would represent these trailblazers.
A quote from former Food & Wine restaurant critic Jordana Rothman highlights the present-day U.S. restaurant scene as "...more exciting, radical, and integrated" than the Euro-centric, male-dominated past. It's tastier too.
As white men in positions of power, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, and Jerome Bocuse should acknowledge their limited perspectives and advocate for more diversity within Trump's 'Economic Recovery' panel.
With Christmas just around the corner, I, as a white male in power, am reminded of my responsibility to elevate those thrown into the deep end during the pandemic—other chefs juggling new business models, insurance claims, state funds, ensuring guest and employee safety, all while surviving dramatic sales plunges—just as America must lift itself to thrive.
