A group of 150 renowned chefs and restaurateurs wrote a open letter endorsing Joe Biden as president, saying restaurants across the country “are facing an existential crisis due to Donald Trump’s mismanagement of COVID-19.”
Among those who signed the letter is the Food Network star Duff goldman, “Top Chef” alum Nina Compton and chef and author Anita Lo.
The letter, which was published by the Biden Campaign and first reported by Eater, says that while the restaurant industry has struggled to adapt over the past six months since the start of the pandemic, “the Trump administration has blown up the response to the pandemic.”
100,000 breathtaking restaurants, nearly 1 in 6 across the country, have closed permanently or long term since the start of the pandemic, depending on investigation published last week by the National Association of Restaurateurs.
The closures have also resulted in the unemployment of nearly 3 million employees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the letter says the industry is expected to lose $ 240 billion by the end of the year.
Restaurant owners have had to deal with security and social distancing measures due to the pandemic that have put companies in a situation of financial support or do not have a sustainable future. A recent CDC report found that people who tested positive for COVID-19 were more than twice as likely having eaten in a bar or restaurant.
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“Throughout the crisis, the restaurant industry begged this administration for help,” the letter read. “We pleaded with those in charge to fix the P3 program, to recognize the impending tsunami of restaurant closures that we are now starting to see and to respond with a plan. Yet at every turn the president has mismanaged the response. downplayed our struggles, refuted the idea that restaurants would suffer because they depend on social interaction, and insisted that there was no shortage of personal protective equipment needed to ensure safety restaurant staff. “
A new bill called the Restaurant Act seeks to relieve the industry. Chief Tom colicchio, owner of Crafted Hospitality and judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef”, spoke TODAY last week on the bipartisan bill, which proposes $ 120 billion in direct support to restaurants.
The National Association of Restaurateurs has also sent a letter to the Trump administration September 14 to ask for help.
“We are losing money every day,” Colicchio said. “We’re going to see a lot of boarded up spaces and a lot of open spaces for a while if we don’t get help here.”
Independent restaurant owners have also expressed frustration with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which has given money to big chains like Shake Shack while small businesses have struggled to get a loan or An assistance.
The popular burger chain, which has nearly 250 locations worldwide, announced in April that it was return of a $ 10 million PPP loan. Another great chain, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, made a $ 20 million PPP loan after public outrage that included an online petition signed by more than 200,000 people.
When TODAY asked the White House if the president plans to bring additional relief to restaurants and make it easier for small businesses to access these funds, Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere replied, “The fact is. that President Trump has taken unprecedented and decisive action. to provide assistance to small businesses impacted by COVID-19 and he is fully prepared to do more, but Democrats in Congress are still focused on politics and hurting hard-working Americans and those in the industry. restoration. “
“By not leading our country through this crisis, Donald Trump has proven his inability to hold the presidency,” the open letter read. “He let down the restaurant industry, our people, our customers and the stakes are too high to continue down this path. America needs new direction and real leadership. We need to elect Joe. Biden as the next President of the United States. “
The letter says Biden will establish a small business fund with resources reserved for restaurants as well as small business loans to keep workers on the payroll.
“Without a change of direction, many of our businesses simply will not survive the end of this crisis,” the letter concludes.
