I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t have the words to describe what’s going on right now. Something we can’t see, smell, touch, or listen to, is making us all feel a pain we’ve never endured. If you’re not physically sick from COVID-19, you probably feel mentally exhausted. And if you’ve managed to turn self-isolation into something positive, it’s likely that you are still missing a part of you. For me, that part is family. And friends. And of course, food. And while this shitty chef has made the most of enjoying cold beer while cooking recipes (Serious Eats is my go to), not being able to dine out has made me realize that the best part of restaurants is the ability to be social with complete strangers, and perhaps not having to worry about cleaning a sink full of dishes.

But like an aging prizefighter that doesn’t want to admit when it’s time to throw in the towel, restaurants, even the ones with souls, were primed to get knocked out. We got tired of the idea that restaurants could be about local farmers and carefully selected ingredients. We got tired about the rigorous demands chefs go through in order to work their way up through the ranks. Whole hog feasts? Kamayan night? Tasting menus? Secret dining rooms? Michelin-starred street food? It all became standard fare to those of us that could afford to go out and flaunt our exploits across social media. “The experience” of dining out became familiar. We became spoiled.

But now that COVID-19 has taken away our ability to dine out, we have the opportunity to sit back, reflect, and find new ways to get excited about the food that’s sitting on our plate. Want to know how we can come out of shit storm this smelling like roses - or at least like a fresh batch of fries? Keep reading.

1. Food media and influencers changed the game. Now, it’s time for payback.

Honestly, I blame myself and those who turned restaurants into places that could never meet everyone’s expectations. We got greedy. We used the power of the review and attention to set an unrealistic standard. We started demanding photos for food, and then took photos of that food until it turned cold. We took over dining rooms and turned them into photo studios, and most of us didn’t tip wait staff when we attended media dinners. We wrote stories that hyped up chefs as prophets and food as a religion that if you believed in just hard enough, great things would happen. The less talented of us used Yelp to try and bully restaurants into submission.

When we get out of this, my hope is that chefs and restaurants will not buckle at the pressure media and influencers put on their staff to deliver an experience that isn’t authentic. How much free food and drink do you think restaurants give away in their PR and marketing budgets? As we all probably are aware by now, media and marketing can only do so much before we discover a business’ true colors.. A great restaurant succeeds by doing the little things. By being warm to their neighbors. By treating staff right. And of course, by making food and drink that’s comforting, delicious, and we probably wouldn’t be able to dream up at home. Media and marketing is helpful, but it’s not one of Dr. Oz’s magic pills. It jades our experience when things don’t match exactly what we read or see in advance. By putting the focus on delivering an in person experience as opposed to making dishes pretty for the ‘gram, my hope is the focus will be put back on cooking for the enjoyment of the crowd and not for an elite few. Hospitality is about a shared experience that benefits everyone. Let’s get back to this.

2. Restaurants will embrace alternative revenue sources, and we will love them for it

From t-shirts to selling spice rubs (and oh yea, cooking classes both virtual and real), restaurants realize they can’t just serve food in order to pay the rent anymore. Restaurants are going to have to lose their ego and get creative when it comes to their offerings. Dining bonds in exchange for credit? Great idea! Small group classes that teach you realistic recipes you CAN make in your apartment? Sign us up! Quarantine cooking has taught us all we need serious work when it comes to stocking our cupboard, and restaurants are the perfect place for us to learn. Am I biased here? Yes, absolutely. But I’m confidant that if you’re like me, you want to be connected to places that make you happy and whether you’re making a recipe or wearing your favorite taco on your chest, you’ll feel great knowing you’re part of a community and not just someone whose sole purpose is to fill up a table.

3. Everyone is going to have to raise the game. And we will show our respect for it every time

From appreciating servers to tipping big, we are all going to play a part in making hospitality a thriving industry. The restaurants that will re-open, and the new ones to come, will be bringing their A game each and every night. They will succeed because they will have our support in a way that hasn’t been felt before. Because although we always knew restaurants are a business, we now know that they’re actually the fabric of our communities.