Should Socially Distant Dining Remain a Thing, Even After the Pandemic?
Pre-pandemic, I would frequently attend media dinners for new restaurants opening in the city. I am a food writer (not a food critic) in Dallas and I often write first-look articles on restaurants, as well as backstories on notable chefs and articles on where to find good deals in the metroplex. Prior to COVID-19, if I weren’t visiting a restaurant anonymously, I would be invited to a tasting in which myself and several other journalists, bloggers, photographers and influencers would sample various food and drinks. At the first media dinner I attended since coronavirus, special social distancing guidelines were in place.
Now, Dallas is known for its abundance of restaurants. Last year, the city was named Restaurant City of the Year by Bon Appétit. So when coronavirus struck, and restaurants and bars were ordered to close, several hundred hospitality industry workers were devastated when they found themselves without work. Additionally, new restaurant openings were put on pause.
Earlier this month, I attended a media dinner for a restaurant that was originally set to open in March. The pre-opening event that was originally set to take place in March would’ve entailed several members of the media inside the restaurant, all having dinner at the same time. Instead, the July event entailed only a select…
