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On March 2020, 3, Trump announced that the United States had entered a state of national emergency. Major cities in the United States pressed the pause button. The catering, tourism and entertainment industries faced perhaps the biggest challenge since the Great Depression in 13.
To this day, a whole year has passed.In this year, a famous store closed within a few days, and every time it caused waves of sorrow and nostalgia on the social network.We have to bid farewell to this plate of delicacies, and at the same time to bid farewell to the good memories.
Such days are still fresh in my memory, and such days have not passed yet.
In this year, the total revenue of the U.S. catering industry plummeted from 9000 billion U.S. dollars to 6500 billion U.S. dollars, the number of catering employees decreased from 1560 million to 1250 million, and at least 11 restaurants in the U.S. were closed (the figure comes from the National Restaurant Association) .
Behind every shocking number is a vivid story. "A grain of ash of the times, falling on a person, is a mountain."
On this special anniversary, I found more than a dozen catering practitioners in New York. In addition to restaurant owners and employees, they also include practitioners in various upstream and downstream industries such as catering technology, catering marketing, catering media, chef school teachers, etc. Let’s talk about the experiences and feelings that happened this year from their perspective.
I thought this would be a large-scale miserable sale and complaint, but I was wrong-from their words, in addition to difficulties, shocks and sorrows, there are more powerful explorations, reflections, beliefs, touches and hopes.
Perhaps just like the predecessors who came to the United States to open restaurants for a living two centuries ago, the Chinese who do catering have never been easily knocked down, and they are the most flexible minded.New York also has a magical power, as if everyone is here, with such a perseverance.
Now that the spring flowers are blooming, vaccination, and the economy is recovering, indoor dining capacity is gradually opening up.Let us cherish every catering company that has survived and support their persistence and dreams with practical actions.If you can, don't forget to say "It's hard work" to them when you take the food.
A reporter for the Chinese media in New York, a writer for the New York Times Chinese website, Caixin and other media, covering the Chinese food industry for many years
In March, if the epidemic is used as the unit of time, this should be regarded as New York's New Year's Pass.The city has been struggling for a year since the first case of new crown infection appeared. New injuries are piled on top of old ones. There is too much pain to talk about.But if you want to select a frame from the memory album to represent this year, for me, it is the silhouette I saw in winter.
It was a cold evening, and I saw a dim yellow light from a small roadside restaurant near my home.A person, leaning back and sitting alone at the table.At this time, New York restaurants had just banned eating again due to the epidemic, and the tables and chairs for outdoor dining were empty and trembling in the cold wind.I think that should be the boss alone in the store, hoping who can order a takeaway on this bleak night.
The picture comes from the Internet, not the person in the article
This silhouette makes me so moved, not only because I always think that rich cuisine is the most important part of the incomparable charm of the city of New York, but also because the Chinese immigrant group that I have been paying attention to and reporting is inseparable from the catering industry. Close relationship.
For the early blue-collar immigrants, this was a job.They work in restaurants for more than ten hours a day, all their lives are like a day, hunched over in the smoke and fire, and train their children to become lawyers, doctors, judges, and engineers;
For the new generation of young people from mainland China, this is a career.They joined this ancient industry with the passion for entrepreneurship and the dream of improving Chinese food, ready to lead it to a new era.
I have witnessed the magical brilliance that burst out when the Chinese food industry entered the transition period of the old and new at full speed before the epidemic: the old generation of catering industry explored new ways based on experience, and the fashion concepts and enterprises brought by the young people who led the new Chinese food The concept of management is also colliding with each other.At that time, the Chinese food industry was like an old man who was reborn in front of you and regained his youth. Even if he was watching the excitement, he couldn't help but get excited.
Screenshot of Rong Xiaoqing's report in the New York Times
Such a scene is still as clear as yesterday, but it seems like a world away.In the past year, I heard more news that young talented and ideal catering young people leaving New York one by one have closed their doors for decades.Most of those who stayed became silhouettes in that winter night, struggling with fate with a little stubbornness and loneliness.
I don't know how long the silhouette and those silhouettes can last, but after all, March is already spring.There is no spring that will not come. This sentence that was abused during the epidemic is true.As a thirsty foodie who has been eating cakes for too long, I can’t wait to be able to retaliate for consumption, the day when I can eat a bowl of Yangchun noodles from the Manchu Banquet.
Hope that at that time, those silhouettes are still there.
Founder/Partner of Mala Project, Ghost Bar
There is a regular customer in our store, a writer, who has been in the store five years ago.Every time I ordered a meal after nine o'clock, I took a computer and a notebook, and ate a vegetarian pot while writing.One year after the epidemic, I saw him for the first time in the store yesterday.Actually, I really have the feeling of seeing my relatives.
In fact, when the epidemic started last year, I was quite optimistic.I think that depending on the domestic situation, restaurants in big cities have survived in a few months.Now that one year has passed, it was really naive in retrospect, but no one expected how bad the situation would be.
However, New Yorkers have a willful grass-roots nature. The worse the situation feels, the more dissatisfied it is.During the epidemic, the catering industry made many changes that it had never thought of before and had no chance to make changes.Cocktails are allowed to take out. Everyone on the street is full of food stalls and even parking spaces are no longer needed. The high-end western food has started a takeaway business... The guests were wrapped in a cotton jacket and sat outside to eat in the cold winter, but there was no complaint .
Even the wind and snow can't stop the enthusiasm of outdoor dining
Too many restaurants and bars that define this city have been closed during the year.Every time there is a news about restaurant closing, everyone has to take a moment of silence.New Yorkers may be indifferent and don't even help you at the door, but when it comes to where you go to eat Xiaolongbao, where I go to drink borscht, they immediately become their own.At a party, where to eat and what to eat is always a hot topic.Under the epidemic, my favorite store closed, and where I am going now.
I think while I miss New York before the epidemic, the city after the epidemic is also quite worth looking forward to.I am curious about who the next Jinfeng will be and who will be the ChinaBlue.At the same time, I can't wait to get together again with fellow catering people to talk about how everyone came over this year.
At that time, you may find that, in fact, New York dining has not changed at all.
Spicy Plan uses its own courtyard as an outdoor dining area
"Dunhuang" restaurant partner, owner of Uncle Ted's Chinese Cuisine & Bar and Peking Pavilion
The restaurant has always been a place to carry memories and emotions.The coziness of drinking with friends, the romance of drinking with lovers, the joy of reunion with family members, and even the cross-cutting confrontation with work partners, all these will come to an abrupt end in 2020.
As a practitioner, I was hesitant and fearful in the first half of 2020. The pressure and loss strangled all the diners. The old friends and diners are no longer. Looking at the empty hall and the loss behind them, many practitioners are forced to Closed business or even left, devastated and do not know where to go...
The picture is provided by me and accompanied by the text: A year of baldness
However, the restaurant is also a place for gathering friends. Years of painstaking management have met many noble people, provided valuable help and guidance in times of trouble, set off again in difficult times, quickly transformed, and explored new opportunities...
2020 has passed in a flash. A year has passed. Feihong will step into the snow. In the future, it will only be a sentence on the wine table. He insists on making his own choice and firmly believes that every hard work is worth gaining. Looking back at the restaurant, it is still the place that carries memories and emotions. .
2021, look forward to, goodbye.
Owner of Café China (Qingcheng), Birds of a Feather (鸳鸯), China Blue (Qinguo, closed in September 2020)
I used to be obsessed with martial arts. When I was twelve years old, I practiced martial arts on the terrace. A peach blossom fell unsuccessfully. Unfortunately, I fell colorful and broke the ground.I was forced to suspend school for a year.
The year 2020 reminds me more or less of that year.
Wang Yiming in the outdoor dining area of Cafe China
In-room dining will be cancelled on March 2020, 3.New York City is locked down.I feel that the city is falling one after another: my world is starting to snow, although this spring is a bit cold, I try to treat it with the same mood as spring.
The epidemic can also be happy, and happy is empathizing and forgetting emotions.Being forced to stay at home, knowing that the years are getting better, he closed his eyes in the morning to do eye exercises for the cat lying on his body.Get up, brush your teeth while practicing piano in the sun.Thank you, Master Xie Ming, and thank you for slow life.
The good times are not long, and the new name of the epidemic is "China Epidemic".The allure takeaway boy was bullied, and the New York Times Wall Street Journal reporter left China to return to the United States, and the country that he could not go back to was drifting away.Listen to Shao Heng's headlines in the morning and Jiang Xun in the evening.Roller skating on the deserted streets, calling back email work reports, and participating in industry zoom meetings organized by the city government are all on roller skates.I was ignited by the cheers on the street at 7:00 every evening, and we did not do charity. We did charity; we send food to different hospitals every week. I love New York!
"If you love someone, send him to New York, because New York is paradise." The spring of paradise is very busy.Grit your teeth.I don’t have a mask to find a mask, and no one goes to work.
Soldiers come to block.Grit your teeth.
Maomao is very happy this year and has never been able to spend so much time with us.
The flowers have fallen, and spring is over. BLM began vigorously.The parade crowd walked in groups in front of Qingcheng and Mandarin Duck windows, and I saw many familiar faces: that was my former self.
Life is weird, right.Back then, I was an invisible man on Wall Street. The team was parading in the crowd, for freedom and ideals, and for New York to be a paradise. BlackLife Matters!The shouts soared, the arms of various skin colors rose and fell, but the martial arts were good and evil, and they couldn't be separated.
The skating avenue is still smooth, the shops along the road are closed, and the Fifth Avenue in the Allure area is fretting.Politics is as pervasive as the air, and there is no escape.The smell of the air was wrong, and the Soho store was robbed. Defund the Police, Portland, Seattle burns an angry raging fire.Zhang Gongzi is also investigating how to buy a pistol.
The last group photo of all the employees before the closing of "Qinguo"
The industry expects that the restoration of the catering industry on July 7 will be postponed indefinitely, and life still needs to continue.I made a major decision:Shut down.
This sentence, so far, has made me feel weak, and my nose is sour.More than a thousand words are omitted here.
"I feel like I am not iron, but as strong and fierce as iron."
Autumn is here, and it's cool for a long time.Autumn in New York is gorgeous, and Jiangnan's poems are generally not posted, unless it is for composing new poems to express sorrow.If it weren't for martial law, I would really not update so many times.
The affection of plants and trees makes us feel that we are overwhelmed by nature, and we got our PPP.Outdoor dining has brought a lot of life to the New York neighborhoods. I have made outdoor dining areas at the front and rear doors of Mandarin Duck.Eating outside in autumn is very pleasant!
In the past few years, the research on planting has also found its use: the tomatoes and melons grown by Mandarin ducks have produced lovely fruits. I also planted wasabi, daisies, seven-star sunflowers, mint, lavender, and Queen Anna's lace!The first time I planted fennel was very elegant, with a bamboo-like charm, and also planted honeysuckle for detoxification in a timely manner.In New York, plants are also a luxury item, but we all grow them in the backyard and transplant them into the store.I was really moved by my own mind, and the feeling of touching the soil felt at ease.
On the day Biden was elected, the streets of New York were crowded.We also went to the crowded Washington Square Park, which is equivalent to the triangle of Peking University.A lot of people are singing in groups, a lot of people are laughing, a lot of people are dancing, a lot of people are crying, there are full of police around.Finally relieved, New York is New York again.
I understand the worries of people in the industry. Indoor dining was only opened 25% and closed again.It can be opened outdoors, but the regulations are complicated.Space creation has always been my responsibility area, so I always study the rules of the Urban Construction Bureau as soon as possible. Even if I acted in time, plexiglass still went to three or four building materials stores to buy it all.Market heating was once sold short.
Although I come from the northern country of ice and snow, although I cannot predict the amount of snowfall this year, my common sense about the structure of northern residential buildings tells me that if you want customers, you cannot act according to the rules.I won again. I made different designs in Qingcheng and Yuanyang's outdoor areas. The effects were quite good. The guests and the host enjoyed it. But this year's winter is long, and my trick to keep my mind warm is work!
To build the next all-you-can-eat city, after all, such a calm and comfortable winter is rare.I count on every second and frequent the construction site. It is said that the epidemic will accompany us further and further away.
The layout of the restaurant was adjusted while designing. Beautiful screen doors were cut out of old silk screens to isolate the private dining space and gave them beautiful names: Xiaofeng, Chuhuahua, Xiangxue, Full Moon.
I like the feeling of working with singing workers. The construction site is cold and severe, vast and almost poetic.Even if they meet, they should not know, the dust is covered with dust, and the temples are like frost.The construction site is Su Shi's poem, which is strong and intense, but I want to make it a poem by Li Shangyin and Wang Jiawei.I want to grasp every handle in life, because only poetry is true.
Thousands of miles are frozen, unable to cover up political lies and nothingness.Although avoiding the news, bad news always has a chance to find me. How to say hate crimes in Chinese, besides the measuring instrument, utility knife, and pepperspray in the pocket of the coat, it is as big as a long-lost reunion lipstick in the hand, and it turns on when the suspicious person does not move.
"If you hate someone, send him to New York"?
The massive amount of work on the construction site made me feel at ease: the feeling of touching the soil.There is only Fifth Avenue between the construction site and Qingcheng on the same street: the busiest place has become the loneliest place.This winter, I fell in love with a happy dog and also fell in love with comedy.China needs more and better talk shows, come on Siwen, come on Yang Li!
Wang Yiming at the Xindian construction site
When I was working and working, I was sitting in the outdoor greenhouse built by myself and ordering a plate of Chongqing spicy chicken with plum wine.
With heavy snowfall, I think of the word "Ke" in the New Yorker, which clearly refers to the New Yorker.Could it be a stranger in a foreign land?Thinking of Ms. Rong Xiaoqing’s New York Times article about people in the industry returning to the country, many of my friends have returned this year.Compared with the over XNUMX million cases of the epidemic in the United States, China is truly a home of gentleness and wealth.But will the people who go back be "children who meet and don't know each other, and laugh and ask where the guests come from"?Do you feel anti-customer-oriented when you return home?
The cuteness of New York is that it is fast, and unanswered questions are not problems!The silver saddle illuminates the white horse, rustling like a meteor!Winter is over, and the new Allure is about to meet the New Yorker, I am excited and nervous.
After the accident at the age of 12, I was disabled for two years.After learning from the pain, reflecting on the teenager's recklessness, removing impetuosity, strengthening the muscles and bones, and sorting out the behavior.
It's been a year in a blink of an eye.Indoor dining from 25% to 35% 50% next week, more than half of the team was vaccinated.The spring in front of the window is just right, let us go ahead and cherish it.
New Yorkers, spiritual wanderers, citizens of the world: A foreign country can also be a hometown, the most New Yorkers are tourists.
Catering entrepreneur, former Michelin three-star restaurant Eleven Madison Park and Jean Georges chef
It seems, seeing the dream in New York just disappeared like this.
After four years of exploration and two years of preparation, with the courage and expectation, the plan to open a new Chinese restaurant in New York in mid-2020, but because of last year's sudden change, it was in vain.
The restaurant’s Instagram account can only stay in three pictures.I hope there will be a renewal day
As a Wuhan native who used to be in New York, there were several ups and downs last year-when Wuhan was closed at the beginning of the year, I was busy with restaurant decoration projects in New York.My heart is full of worries and anxiety about my family.But still tacitly agree, although guilty for not being able to be with my family in the most difficult time, this store in New York is my dream for many years. For this, I will be strong and will work harder to do it well.
Until the lockdown was ordered by New York in mid-March, the decoration of the store was forced to suspend. I was still confident that the crisis would pass soon, and I would continue to open as planned after the closure was unblocked.
But in May and June, many ethnic incidents occurred in New York and even throughout the United States.Discrimination against the Chinese has escalated into hatred, and violent conflicts and violent conflicts occur from time to time.I originally wanted to use restaurants as a medium to promote Chinese food culture.But this kind of strong cultural output must be based on a peaceful, inclusive and open society.The Chinese fine dining that I want to do is difficult to form in such chaos.
"New York Times" report on Xiaoqiu and her restaurant
During the period, someone advised me to switch to take-out or fast food, but apart from some practical constraints, I myself did not want to change the rudimentary [Dream] into a strange [Jianju].So after months of struggle, I still chose to abandon this project.
This process is really painful.In the dream, he swayed wantonly in the kitchen, and the surprises and smiles of the diners were torn into tangled negotiations and lawsuits for more than half a year.I won't recall it in detail here.
In the end, things were not as expected. Doing a good job in the aftermath may be the only thing I can draw an end to New York.
Xiaoqiu made a dinner for my wedding anniversary before returning to China. Poke ↑↑↑ to get a glimpse and imagine how amazing the store would be if it were really opened.
I would like to thank all the friends and family members who gave me advice and help to me.Without you, I cannot survive the setbacks of the past year.
2020 is a magnifying glass, there are many regrets and guilt, many broken relationships, and many unsaid goodbyes.Although placed in the long river of life, these may be just sorrowful experiences in the end.But I want to remember them forever, but I want to never mention them again...
(I’m sorry that I didn’t write any positive words, but in fact, I know that there are still many New York catering people who are still tough and finally come back against the wind. I am really moved and proud of them. But I think that Mianzhu’s article must be There will be many hopeful stories, and there is no shortage of my little encouragement. So I just want to leave a very true record in this most familiar place.)
Practitioners of Crop Circle in Guokui shop and MENO in milk tea shop
In the most difficult stage in New York, I participated in two hardest things: ️1: opened a restaurant during the epidemic; ️2: opened another restaurant at the same time.
In the summer before the outbreak, I went to Gongan County, Jingzhou, Hubei, the birthplace of the public security pangui, to apprentice to learn art; I also came to Changsha, Hunan, where the tea market is shining.I was about to bring the most authentic and delicious food to New York. When the epidemic was raging, it was a blessing to keep breaking my hands and feet.
Under the epidemic, the catering industry bears the brunt.As a diner, I regret that my beloved restaurant has been closed permanently, my stomach has lost its sustenance, and my memories have no carrier.As a practitioner, I also feel the hardships and helplessness of many colleagues.
I pay tribute to every catering person who manages and works hard, and I am grateful for the satisfaction and joy that every meal and every meal brings to me.
(At the end, I take the opportunity to confess all the help and support my good friend Xiaoqiu has brought to me. With all my heart, I wish your restaurant will be born at the most suitable time)
A New Jersey restaurant "Tai Chi" who works as a dietitian in New York
The restaurant at home is opened in Parsippany, which is a little less traveled in New Jersey. Because it specializes in Cantonese cuisine, most of the guests are old overseas Chinese.Before the epidemic, most of the profits came from morning tea on weekends and banquets at various major festivals. At the beginning of the domestic epidemic in 2020, ethnic Chinese should be among the first to know the severity. At that time, it was approaching the Spring Festival, all scheduled banquets were cancelled, and weekend morning tea began to gradually decrease.So before the epidemic really started, profits had already begun to plummet.
Compared with other peers, we are much better. At least the landlord is willing to let us postpone the rent payment/reduction.It's already May when the limelight has passed, and we started to reopen our self-pick-up.After seeking transformation, I happily took my friends to help with the delivery of finished/semi-finished products, and redesigned the menu.After sending it a few times, I found that because of the awkward location, the maintenance cost of this business was quite high, so I didn't let it go.
Danying who went into battle to deliver food
Later, dine-in in New Jersey opened.Coupled with government subsidies and tepid business, I barely managed to maintain all the expenses.It's been a year in the blink of an eye, and now I don't expect restaurants to make money. If I can survive, it should be a feat to feed everyone.
When the epidemic began, restaurant business was bleak, and our catering upstream and downstream companies were also forced to change. There were no layoffs, but all salaries were cut, some people left, and those who remained began to actively change.
I have been researching the area of catering loans. As restaurants closed one by one, the demand for loans increased, but banks became more and more afraid of them, and the risks were also high. Later on March 3, the banks that cooperated with them simply All commercial loan projects have been closed, and this road has been closed.
As of March 3, the federal government has introduced a series of subsidy programs, including unemployment benefits, subsidies that citizens can receive, disaster subsidies, wage subsidies, and so on. Beginning on March 20, there is one item for restaurant owners. All small business owners can apply for a sum of money of up to $3, which may not be repaid.In the evening I compiled the tutorial and sent it to our customer base, and it was fried.
The next day I received a lot of inquiries and doubts.Many bosses consulted the accountant at the first time. The accountant said that there would be such a good thing, and reminded the bosses not to fill in the information randomly and be careful of scammers.What I remember is that I was scolded by a boss for more than 20 minutes on the phone. He just didn't believe it. I sent him the official SBA website, but he still didn't believe it.I said that if you don’t believe it, don’t apply for a while. He also said that it’s okay if he doesn’t apply. If others believe that I apply, there will be problems. A company like ours must have a sense of responsibility and not make false information...
In fact, after being scolded, I am also a bit embarrassed. I don’t dare to have any guarantee, because I represent the company, and I’m not sure if everyone can actually get the money, and if the money really doesn’t have to be paid back. ……Fortunately, all the bosses who applied according to my tutorial got them. With the influence of the company, they have helped tens of thousands of restaurant bosses in the United States, which is actually quite proud.
With the closure of dine-in since April, we began to fully help the boss to shift the catering from offline to online.
In the process of helping catering to switch from offline to online, I have also seen that our Chinese restaurant bosses are fast enough. We provide tools to help bosses make timely strategic adjustments. Most of the epidemic has survived. The restaurant originally only accounted for 20% of the take-out, but it was just a wave of online promotion and private domain traffic operation that made myself alive.The net food delivery income is higher than the previous total income, and even many bosses were unable to apply for the second round because they did not reduce their sales by more than 25% in a quarter when they applied for the second round of PPP.
My biggest feeling this year is that whether it is a company or an individual, under the crisis, as long as we find the right direction, change fast enough, crisis can turn around, and our Chinese community is smart + able to endure hardships. It is really man-made.
Editor-in-Chief of "New York Isn't Delicious"
Quicksand Between Fingers
The epidemic is like a dream in a year. There are many regrets, sadness, and a lot of moving and self-examination. It is like trying to face it with a smile in tears.
The impact of the epidemic on the catering industry is undoubtedly huge and terrifying: we watched the familiar restaurants continue to operate, temporarily closed, and never open again; watched the favorite barbecue restaurants, trotters and hot pots. The self-service, morning tea, and chocolate shops left, and from now on can only be remembered in memories; watching the restaurant alive struggles to survive between the difficult delivery of takeaways and the increase in prices...One by one is so regrettable and so heartbreaking. .
Under the heavy pressure of the epidemic, New York catering people are also tenacious and admirable, just like the sprouts that broke through the ground after the melting of ice and snow, which gave birth to hope after going through hardships.We saw that the restaurant was working so hard to make adjustments and transformations: beautiful outdoor courtyards were built to become beautiful streetscapes and unique check-in points; exquisite and thermally insulated take-out packaging was made, and it was still hot when you got it. Warm and warm food; convenient DIY alcohol carton grilled fish and grilled raw skewers have been sold, and the richness of dining at home has greatly increased; there are also online orders and various takeaways emerging...
Change is to survive and to adapt to development. As those of us who enjoy benefits and services, we are moved and want to say from the bottom of our heart: catering people have worked hard!
During the epidemic, "New York is not delicious" also experienced many firsts: the first time I wrote a little red book, I met more enthusiastic and lovely fans; the first time I made a video, and explored the charm of food in a new way; and Together with Wuhan University, they called for donations and serialized the New York doctors' protest diary, which contributed to the epidemic.Under the torrent of the times, everyone has become a witness.
I hope that the epidemic will end soon. I hope that we can return to the embrace of hot pot skewer, wine and joy, and high-quality food. I also hope that all the good and bad changes this year will become the paving stones for the future catering industry.After an epidemic, a practice, there will eventually be a day of Nirvana rebirth.
PR person in the catering industry, founder of Noon creative
Today I went to a restaurant that was in preparation before the epidemic, but it turned out to be open during the epidemic.Because too many restaurants close down every day in New York, especially those old-fashioned restaurants that have been in business for decades, I was wondering, how powerful are the ideas and actions that can be opened up under such circumstances?
"How are you doing?" I asked the other person.
"Very busy, just after opening this restaurant, I have to prepare for the next project."
This epidemic has made me meet a lot of ruthless people.It is not obvious when the world is peaceful, but when the industry is down, some people choose to close their doors, some choose to take the unemployed minimum wage to wait for work at home, and some are more fierce than before. They are turning around day and night to challenge their limits.
The epidemic is like a magic mirror-it will show you who you are.In the early days, I felt that I and the people around me changed a lot, in terms of character or work, but looking back at those things that we didn't have a chance to show when things went well.
When the catering industry was hit hard, although it was difficult, it was the best opportunity to polish oneself.I believe I will be grateful for this time to make myself stronger.
Catering PR person, founder of Solare Global, a public relations marketing company in New York
The past year has really been a tremendous impact and opportunity for the catering industry.
I remember that a year ago, the New York restaurant was ordered to close, and there was no life on the street.New York without the catering industry is no longer complete. Local mom and pop shops slowly wiped out the last bit of cash flow, and they all closed down; restaurants with flexible marketing methods and cash flow all took a good copy because of this wave of black swans.
Today, one year later, New York’s dining and entertainment has finally begun to gradually recover, but some consumer habits brought about by the epidemic cannot be completely written off.The New York restaurant that was forced to play with food delivery and QR codes finally made me, who had always been greedy for domestically developed take-out and popular Alipay, saw the dawn of modernization in this old-school industry.
I look forward to one day when the owners of New York restaurants can praise the QR code, it's so fragrant.
Time flies so fast, and in a blink of an eye it is the first anniversary of the outbreak in the United States.
Think about this time last year, bombarded by various news every day; the fear of the epidemic is mixed with the increasingly serious discrimination against Chinese in the United States, and the confusion about future life is far greater than the pressure brought by work.
As a catering industry practitioner and half a catering photographer, the blockade at the beginning of the epidemic is undoubtedly fatal to the entire industry.After a round of customer churn, and living in the anxiety of being unemployed at any time, this state lasted for three to four months.
However, after another thought, in a social environment where the epidemic is the main problem, who is not living with anxiety?So "work" has gradually become "helping each other" among colleagues in the catering industry-apart from work, the days of isolation at home are to join various panels that share how the catering industry survives in the current environment.In the cold winter of the catering industry, I saw former customers and restaurant owners personally cook and donate hundreds of lunches to local hospitals every day when the epidemic was the worst; conscientious landlords offered rent reduction or exemption for restaurants experiencing difficulties; also witnessed This is the movement to save Chinatown restaurants initiated by New Yorkers and almost everyone around them has spoken out.However, as individuals, all we can do is to do our little bit to support this industry.
In early March, when the indoor dine-in was just recovering, I tried to go to a few bars that I used to love.As a result, many have been permanently closed, and most of the surviving bartenders have changed their original taste early, or they have maintained their business by selling takeaway bottled cocktails.
Over the past year, we have seen a restaurant close in the news from time to time, which drew a voice of regret.However, after all, there are few restaurants that have achieved fame. When I saw these obscure local bars slowly disappearing in the corners where no one noticed, I realized that this is the true status quo that most New York diners are experiencing.
The only Chinese teacher at the Culinary Institute of America, teaching Asian cuisine
On March 2020, XNUMX, U.S. states began to close cities and stores, requiring people to stay home and protect themselves.The Culinary Institute of America where I belonged was also forced to close.In order to continue to pay the teachers, the school requires us to use the spring and summer vacations first.Then ask the chefs to write online textbooks at home.
In May, we started to teach students online, cooking knowledge courses.However, the chef school, which takes hands-on training in the kitchen as its strength, is not enough just to talk on paper.Each course can only take one-third of the content, the other parts must be completed in the kitchen.
Suddenly, all our chefs were temporarily fired by the school.In other words, we are unemployed!
This really shocked everyone, isn't it possible?Dignified American Culinary Institute chefs go to collect government relief money!Something that has never happened in history.The history of our school is to cultivate a skill for the unemployed and find a job. How can we be fired like this?The epidemic became more serious at the end of May, and the government required all schools to switch to online classes.And so we started the life of receiving unemployment benefits.
In fact, to be honest, we have to thank the government for its unemployment benefits.I have never received it before. With unemployment benefits and epidemic relief, there is no problem in life.With a lot of time, I can do many things I want to do, reading books, planting flowers and grass, doing yoga, and it feels like "retiring" early.
In early August, the New York State Government finally agreed to open the school.The chefs have to go back to school to give face-to-face lessons to the students, but we are very worried about safety because we can't keep a six-foot social distance from the students in the kitchen.Public schools are backed by teachers' unions and insist on not returning to school to teach.However, we are a private school. If we do not go back to school, our school will close down.
Therefore, we require teachers and students to wear protective masks like doctors in the hospital. Masks and masks are not afraid of being close.However, in the summer, wearing face masks and masks in the kitchen, standing in front of the high-temperature stove and giving lectures can be imagined, it is very hard.Fortunately, the students also worked very hard to bear hardships and stand hard work. They are studying hard. In the kitchen in August, we were all sweating and our hats were soaked. I still insisted on it, which made me very touched.
"Fully armed" class after the resumption of the chef school
The small virus has forced the world to stop.With the closure of restaurants, many restaurants have since closed down.In particular, high-end restaurants in Manhattan closed one after another.
Of course, we say "crisis, crisis, there is danger, there is also opportunity."In order to survive, restaurants have increased their takeaway business.Fight to survive.Especially the Chinese food industry.My friend, Xiao Guan, owns two Chinese restaurants, one in Upper East Side and the other in Midtown.At the beginning of the epidemic, it was the most difficult. The restaurant suddenly closed and then there was no dine-in. Customers were afraid, and employees were even more afraid.These difficult dilemmas have to be overcome slowly.
After this year, when I chatted with her, I asked her, what kind of positive energy do I see in New York City, where so many people die every day?What moved her and encouraged her?
she says"What touched her most was the love of her customers, especially those nearby, who gave her full support. Not only did she order takeaways every day, she also tried to sit down and eat as much as possible when allowed, and give tips to employees and delivery of food. Extraordinarily generous".Customers said that they all know that it is very difficult to keep restaurants open in Manhattan during the epidemic. "The truth is in adversity" made her feel the warmth of society, the kindness and love of human nature.
At the same time, she also realized the solidarity and understanding between employees and industry in this kind of disaster that has not been encountered in a century.As a boss, in order to make employees safe at work, she arranges cars to send employees off, giving them more working hours to earn money, and employees volunteered to help overtime.So, working hard in adversity, the Chinese restaurant maintained its business and survived.
But another chef friend, Master Liu, is in a different situation.Master Liu is the senior chef foreman of a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan. He has stopped working to receive unemployment benefits since March last year.The restaurant is still open, and the business relies on takeaway. However, the strategy of restaurant management is to leave low-paid employees and temporarily lay off high-paid employees to keep the restaurant alive.This is understandable.He was very optimistic and told me that he would return to work in the restaurant in May.
Half a year has passed since the class started in August last year. Due to the strict protective measures in the school, there are very few cases of new coronary pneumonia among students in the school. Our daily kitchen operation learning courses are still going on.I originally thought that because of the closure of restaurants in various places and the uncertain future of the catering industry, the number of students coming to learn chefs would definitely decrease. But this is not the case. The students are full, except for the number of international students.
Compared to other industries, such as theaters, tourism, hotels, etc., we are relatively lucky.Of course, there are also industries where business is booming during the epidemic and sales have increased sharply, such as raw material suppliers, supermarkets, and express delivery.
When it comes toChange and the charm of Chinese food, I said on the online forum “How Chinese Food Survives the Epidemic” organized by the US-China Catering Association in May last year. Re-recognized the importance of the catering industry.
We must accept this "new daily" and must face the "unknown future."Many restaurants will either have closed, and those that can survive must slowly recover, and it will take time.Many customers will not come back right away.But only if we persist in making Chinese food, Chinese food will eventually flourish.
I also told you a short story: "On May 75th, Poughkeepsie, a local American restaurant in Upstate New York, Mill House, had to cancel their most popular family set meal for $200. Why? This set meal is too popular with local customers. They increased from 600 servings per day to XNUMX servings, from once a week to three times a week, and it was sold out within half an hour. So that customers rushed to the restaurant if they could not order the set meal. Shoot the door, even send death threat text messages.
Why is this set meal so popular, because they cook Chinese food.Because all the Chinese restaurants nearby are closed.And people miss their Chinese food, even ordinary Chinese food, kale beef, sesame chicken, cold noodles, spring rolls, fried rice, lo noodles". This is reported by the newspaper in our city. This incident has made us understand. The appeal of Chinese food in the hearts of Americans. This American restaurant now tells customers to go to a Chinese restaurant to order their Chinese food because all nearby Chinese restaurants are open.
2020 has finally passed.The Xinguan virus plague has changed many aspects of our lives. After such a radical change, we have re-recognized the importance of health and realized that no matter how great mankind is, it cannot beat a small virus.Of course, in the end human beings still reversed the situation and brought back this battle, but at a painful price.So we have to take care of our environment, the earth.
Today I still wear a mask and face mask to teach students how to cook in front of the hot oven and stove, but I am thankful that I am alive and healthy and can continue to make a meager contribution to the catering industry.
*This article is a reprinted article for food,
Does not involve commercial interests,
For transmission and reference purposes only.
Does not constitute a recommendation for any behavior.
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