WASHINGTON, DC - Shining a light on the trials and tribulations of the foodservice sector, as well as those that work to maintain it, the National Restaurant Association has rolled out a distinctive new initiative, People Behind the Plate, highlighting the stories of those who play a key role in the restaurant industry. The People Behind the Plate initiative takes people behind the scenes of the personal stories of six restaurant owners, operators, and chefs from Michigan, Oregon, and Texas who persevered to keep their doors open through the pandemic.

“When you hear the word community, you think of the people, places, and experiences that make your town feel like home,” said Tia Mattson, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications, National Restaurant Association. “By creating good jobs, welcoming customers, and helping to feed the less fortunate, community is at the heart of the people in the restaurant industry. The People Behind the Plate initiative puts names and faces to the restaurant owners, operators, and employees who serve their communities every day.”

The first six videos of the inventive new series will showcase the personal accounts of restaurant owners and operators, and the impact their restaurants have on those around them. Each of the stories provides a unique snapshot of what the people in the restaurant industry are doing to help others, from supporting deployed troops to providing free meals for those in need and serving meals to exhausted frontline workers during the pandemic, as noted in a press release.

Foodservice experts to be featured in the series include:

• Lance Trenary, President and Chief Executive Officer, Golden Corral
• Chef Petro Drakopoulos, Owner and Chef of Republica Gastro Pub in Berkley, Michigan
• Katherine Lam and Daniel Nguyen, Owners of Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen in Portland, Oregon
• Kelsey Yoho, Co-Owner of Weekend Beer Company in Grants Pass, Oregon
• Jerry Maddox, Owner of Fazoli’s in Pharr, Texas
• CaSarah Pine, Staff Sergeant, United States Air Force

Click here to view the videos and learn more about each of the dedicated restaurant owners and operators.

In recent months, the devastating reach of the pandemic, labor shortages, rising costs, and supply chain delays have caused economic challenges across the foodservice industry. The People Behind the Plate initiative brings to light the many ways these small business owners have addressed their challenges while continuing to make a difference in their communities, as explained in the release.

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National Restaurant Association