Chefs, Lexington dining spot opening relief center for struggling restaurant workers
With bars and many restaurants across Kentucky closed down, thousands of hospitality industry workers are struggling. Now their colleagues are stepping in with help.
Chef Edward Lee of Louisville launched a Restaurant Workers Relief Program through his non-profit, the LEE Initiative. Last week, his restaurant 610 Magnolia became a makeshift relief center. The work is being supported by Maker’s Mark and has spread to Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. with Seattle and New York coming soon.
“People are going hungry and no one has paychecks and no one knows what the future is,” Lee told CNN. “We saw an immediate need to open up our kitchen to help the millions of restaurant workers that are out of work, many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck.”
Now he’s opening on in Lexington at Great Bagel & Bakery at 3650 Boston Rd. Hand-out will take place in the parking lot to keep everyone safe.
Beginning March 26, out-of-work restaurant workers can stop by and pick up meals and essential supplies including non-perishable food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and diapers and baby food.
Every night between 250-300 meals will be available on a first come first serve basis.
The pickup will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Anyone from the hospitality industry, including restaurants, bars and hotels is welcome; bring a pay stub or other paperwork to show recent employment.
The dinners will be prepared by fellow restaurateurs who are desperate to keep the local restaurant scene alive through shutdown mandated by Gov. Andy Beshear to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Donations are needed to support the effort; local donations will help feed people in Central Kentucky. Go to leeinitiative.org to give.
Samantha Fore of Lexington is one of the chefs who is helping to organize the effort.
Fore said she and other local chefs and restaurant owners contacted Lee last week “to say we’ve got an opportunity to feed Lexington. ... We’ve got trucks of stuff don’t know what to do with. If we can put those perishables and necessary items into the hands of people who need them … that’s a victory in a very terrible time.”
She said Great Bagel was able to provide a large kitchen that will ensure all those preparing meals can stay far enough apart. And volunteers have stepped up to help with cooking, packaging and handing out the items. Food trucks and others in the restaurant community have offered storage space and other necessary items.
“It is incredible to see how much everyone is trying to help one another, Fore said. “I’m excited because it makes me fell like something is getting done. The more we can do to help each other is going to be what ensures our survival. ... We have so many service industry workers who are out of work and they don’t know how they are going to make it.”
