North Carolina is known for its barbecue and its bustling food scene. But the state’s restaurants and bars have grown quiet and empty over the last few months. Some eateries have been able to offer takeout, delivery or curbside pickup — but not all dishes work well in a box.
Host Frank Stasio checks in on the state’s restaurants and bars with Matt Lardie and Jenn Rice. Lardie and Rice are both freelance journalists who write for Eater Carolinas. They share their reporting on how different establishments are adapting to take-away food and how chefs are trying to connect directly with patrons. Lardie explains how bars have been particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus, and Rice talks about how restaurants in smaller towns are making more money because their neighbors are no longer commuting to big cities for work.
Chefs from around the state share what they are doing now and how they are thinking about reopening. We hear from Ricky Moore, chef and founder of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham; William Dissen, chef and owner of the Market Place restaurant in Asheville, Haymaker restaurant in Charlotte and Billy D’s Fried Chicken at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro; Dean Neff, chef of the upcoming restaurant Seabird in Wilmington; and Katie Button, executive chef of Cúrate and Button & Co. Bagels in Asheville.
