Labor
Burlingame ups minimum wage
The Daily Journal 9.11
Burlingame officials divided over hardships facing small businesses during the pandemic narrowly agreed Tuesday to hike the city’s minimum wage.
Indoor Dining Returns Soon. Here’s Why Some Restaurant Workers Are Terrified.
Grub Street 9.11
There are no signs that America’s COVID-19 pandemic will end, or even slow, anytime soon, yet in less than three weeks, restaurants in New York City — the country’s most densely populated metropolitan area — will reopen for indoor dining.
Food Industry Policy
Please don’t call the cops on pop-ups
San Francisco Chronicle 9.14
This past Wednesday, popular Oakland pop-up Broke Ass Cooks was shut down by the health department of Alameda County, which sent a letter to their landlord insisting that they cease operations immediately.
Time to Recirculate the To-Go Cup Debate
The Spoon 9.13
Since we now live in a world where the to-go order is the main attraction at restaurants, we need to start treating the issue of excess single-use packaging with a whole lot more urgency.
Plastic waste cuts probably headed to California ballot as advocates give up on Legislature
San Francisco Chronicle 9.12
After the California Legislature killed bills designed to combat plastic pollution for the second year in a row, environmentalists say they’ve concluded the fight might be unwinnable at the heavily lobbied state Capitol.
DA was right not to charge Fresno restaurants over COVID-19 health order violations
The Fresno Bee 9.11
When Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp decided not to bring criminal charges against four local restaurants for violating state COVID-19 rules, it was not necessarily an applause-worthy decision, but an understandable and right one.
California rolls out small business relief while federal efforts stall in Congress
Restaurant Dive 9.11
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three bills into law Wednesday designed to support small businesses struggling with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the Side
Extinction event for restaurants’ anticipated as federal loan money runs out
San Francisco Chronicle 9.14
Pim Techamuanvivit is trying to make the math work when it comes to using her Paycheck Protection Program loan to keep her San Francisco restaurant Nari open, but it’s a struggle, and she feels time is running out.
Smoke be damned, Napa’s luxury restaurants are seeing high demand
San Francisco Chronicle 9.12
Wildfires, a pandemic and Armageddon-orange skies don’t seem to deter diners from venturing to some of the most luxurious restaurants in Napa.
Why restaurant critics can’t ignore the pandemic
Los Angeles Times 9.12
“What a lot of noise!” a reader named John M. wrote concerning my recent call for more food journalism oriented toward the stories of restaurant workers.
