the hospitality industry is broken
Hospitality; a beloved industry by many, but one where employees and vendors are too often exploited and the mainstream food system is choking our planet. While this is not an absolute, it is the prevailing culture.
There seems to be a “survival of the fittest” sentiment at this moment in time. But is it a worthy statement and the right attitude in these times, or should we be trying to rescue the ones that matter; the ones at risk that may not survive. The ones that matter to me are the small “mom and pop” restaurants that have made the food scene in Toronto what it is today.
If you are not a part of the hospitality industry, or have never worked in a restaurant, it’s natural to be oblivious to the challenges and struggles faced by those in the hospitality industry. But just think of your favourite “mom and pop” restaurant suddenly being boarded up and disappearing; the one you and your family have frequented for years. That just got real, didn’t it?
As members of this community, the mental health and safety of our peers is a pressing issue. That, along with owners and chefs having to justify financially supporting local growers because of the cheap food system that prevails, or finding staff that actually care and will show up for work, and dealing with landlords and local bureaucracy that are difficult and put up roadblocks to success. These challenge just scratch the surface of what those in the industry face on a daily basis.
Hospitality is arguably the most difficult industry on the planet. So, why do so many get involved? Many, by choice. But we must also recognize that this is a means for so many who do not have another choice. They must be supported; they in marginalized communities and with mental health challenges.
We must lobby our government on behalf of this industry that doesn’t have a cohesive voice for itself. Why is it that (and I don’t have stats here, so this is for the sake of the logic of this argument) an industry that is likely one of the highest employers in the country (and the world) not actually represented properly in lobbying efforts on a local, provincial, and most importantly, federal level? The hospitality industry is the most vulnerable, and the least cared about.
We have to change the narrative.
I will end by sharing a quote from someone I have great respect for in everything he does to support hospitality:
“If you love food, love this industry” - Ryan Hinkson, AKA @eatfamous
If you fall within that category, here are some things you can do to support hospitality:
- Write your MP and MPP and the PM asking them to get involved in helping and truly supporting the hospitality industry (and small farmers/farmers markets) at this time and always
- Choose a local restaurant that is a true small business and support them by ordering take out
- Go on all of the platforms out there (Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc.) and give your favourite local restaurants positive reviews
- Tell your friends and families about these places you love to support and give them a shout out on your personal social media accounts
- Be sure you are following and commenting on their social media to boost their engagement (you can turn post notifications on for Instagram, so you don’t miss any opportunities).
- Talk to people who work in this industry to learn more about the challenges they face and things you can do to be helpful to them, because it’s likely, with so much to cover in the way of hospitality challenges, that I missed something.