Chef José Andrés was one of the first on the scene of the COVID-19 pandemic, feeding passengers trapped on infected cruise ships in early 2020. But even Andrés could not have predicted what the world would become, including the increased food insecurity in his hometown of Washington D.C. and increased restaurant advocacy in the government.
Andrés’ company ThinkFoodGroup adapted to the pandemic at some of its locations while others closed, unable to keep up with the rents or to adapt the model for off-premises. In this video, Andrés discusses minimum wage, tipped workers, paying farmers and how to fix food insecurity across the country, as well as the future of the industry.
“I think the restaurant industry will come back strong. I’m more worried about the time between today and the day we beat COVID-19,” said Andrés.
Ed note: This video was filmed before the labor crisis fully hit the restaurant industry.
