It's 'gonna take some time': Restaurateurs discuss impact of pandemic, what future holds
It’s no secret that restaurants were among the hardest hit industries when the pandemic took hold last March. Now, 16 months later and with restaurants allowed to reopen their doors to indoor dining as well as outdoors, the Whig-Standard’s Peter Hendra asked local restaurateurs Zoe Yanovsky, owner of Chez Piggy and Pan Chancho, Matt Day, owner of Days on Front, and Tim Pater, owner of Black Dog Tavern, Atomica, Harper’s Burger Bar and Dianne’s Fish Shack and Smokehouse, to share how they have weathered the pandemic, if the dining experience feels different this time around, and their thoughts about what the future holds for the restaurant industry. Also sitting in on the discussion was James Rilett, the vice-president, Central Canada, of Restaurants Canada, the advocacy and lobby group for the foodservice industry. (Note: This discussion has been edited and condensed because of space limitations.)