Coping With the Pandemic: Restaurants and Those of Us Who Write About Them Face Uphill Battle

Let’s face it: the last ten months have been a brutal time for just about all of us, regardless of vocation.

In the hospitality sector (which accounts for the largest amount of jobs in the Austin area by far) things have been horrible for both restaurants and customers alike struggling to cope with virtually weekly changes limiting capacity, mandating masking and social distancing and indoor vs outdoor seating rules. The resulting chaos has led to closings, job losses, and the almost complete disruption of the local dining scene as we have come to know it.

And for of us whose job it is to bring our readers and listeners the take on the food at Austin restaurants, the challenges are both physical and psychological.

After a colleague of mine from Miami contracted COVID-19 and kept me apprised of his daily struggles, my own fears arose. What if I lost my sense of smell or taste?  How then could I possibly even come close to reviewing restaurants? And what kinds of things could occur during  indoor dining if a customer or my waiting staffer had a careless moment?

As do many of the consummate restaurant professionals I’ve come to know, I love my job. But COVID has thrown a gigantic monkey wrench into the  middle of what that job has evolved into for me and others. So as restaurants continue to do their very best, I will practice all safety protocols and continue to cover curbside, takeout, and both indoor and outdoor dining. As usual, my take will be on the positive side. Because for now, we sure as hell don’t need any more negatives.

Good luck to all of us!