![]() ![]() When the government put the PPP loan programme together, originally it was supposed to be for eight weeks, and we were able to and get them to extend it to 24 weeks. We've been reaching out to legislators and trying to make changes to some of the legislation that's coming down. Now, there are over 100 restaurateurs who are part of the Coalition and we represent everything from the tiny mom-and-pop single operator, to small bars and star chefs like José Andres and Thomas Keller. Joining the Independent Restaurant Coalition: “A group of restaurateur friends of mine banded together early, and I got pulled into it around April. ![]() It's been incredibly depressing, we've cried a lot of tears over it, and there's definitely a hole in our in our restaurant world because of it.” But when Covid hit, we realised we had to shut down – just pull the plug and get out while we could. We had celebrations and collaborations planned for our 20th anniversary. Although we still had a vibrant following, it wasn't enough to maintain it in a profitable manner. But the restaurant was over 20 years old, and before Covid, LA was having a restaurant renaissance with chefs from all over the country opening and it was really hard to compete. during the lockdown (image: Suzanne Lanza) Caroline Styne poses with a visor (image: Caroline Styne)Ĭlosing her first restaurant: “That was a very depressing decision to make, because Lucques is our first baby. Sous Chef Tiffany dela Pena cooking at A.O.C. Now we're operating out of just one restaurant doing outdoor dining and we're still at about 50% or 60% of our capacity.” So we built a whole dining space in our parking lot. Then, we got shut down again for indoor dining. The minute LA allowed anybody to open, we started doing dining service. ![]() We did a bit of take-out to keep our staff employed, although it was nowhere near enough to sustain us. The second LA lockdown: “We closed all the restaurants for about six weeks and I got PPP loans for the businesses. We went into emergency mode, as you can't just close the doors, you have product in the restaurant that's going to go bad, you have people you have to deal with, you have bills to pay.” We had to lay off all our employees – we couldn't keep them and not be operating for over two weeks. Suzanne and I said: ‘OK, we have to do something’. The first LA lockdown: “We got a notice around 15th March that we were going to have to close down for two weeks, but we recognised that it was probably going to be longer. Styne and Goin manage the casual eatery, bakery and retail market concept The Larder and took over the culinary and wine operations of Hollywood Bowl in 2016. In 2002, the pair opened A.O.C., an iconic spot at the forefront of the small-plate movement then, in 2009, they added Tavern Restaurant, bringing together a dining room, craft cocktail bar and artisanal wines. With chef and business partner Suzanne Goin, she launched Lucques – a 50 Best Discovery restaurant – in 1998, pioneering the concept of a market-led menu in LA. Here, she takes you inside the battle to save restaurants in the US, shares her predictions for the future and calls on the public to support their local restaurants and bars todayĬaroline Styne is the co-founder of The Lucques Group in Los Angeles. With thousands of hospitality venues at risk of closing and the livelihoods of over 10 million workers at stake, Styne felt compelled to join the leadership of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. Restaurateur and wine director Caroline Styne has been at the forefront of restaurant trends for over 20 years. ![]()
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