Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon - Chef-Owner, Kalaya
VOICES
Reflections from the Philly Food World on COVID-19
Anyone familiar with the Philly food world knows that pride and community are the currents that make this an amazing place to eat. Yet, COVID-19 has had visceral effects, from shuttered restaurants and a takeout shift to supply chain disruptions, which have people reconsidering the role of a diversified local food system.
With an eye on the future, we reached out to five Philadelphians who play a role in the local food world to take the pulse of the city and get an early read on lessons learned that may carry us forward. Here’s one of them.
2020 was meant to be a standout year for Bella Vista’s southern Thai gem. Case in point: A James Beard Foundation nomination for Best New Restaurant in America. Yet, despite a Beard survey placin -g 80 percent of restaurants at risk amid the pandemic, chef-owner Nok Suntaranon remains optimistic. “We are restaurant people. We are fighters,” she said during the nomination ceremony. Since the shutdown, Suntaranon has pivoted to takeout and community care, from feeding hospitality workers to delivering meals to hospitals. You see who your friends are at a time like this, she says. “You know who is willing to help.”
How She’ll Remember the Crisis:
“I went home to Thailand in January. I saw what happened there, and it hit me: I knew it was coming our way. We started planning for the worst-case scenario, and it really happened. I knew that even if I survived this, if my restaurant didn’t survive, my staff were going to struggle. The next question was: What are we going to do to stay open? I knew that I had to change my restaurant format into a take-out business.”
Phamily Meal:
“When I met with my team, I said: ‘What about our friends who lost their jobs? Let’s feed them. Let’s have a family meal for them, where whoever needs food can come and pick it up.’ I will remember the kindness and the support that I had from my chef-friend community and from my customers. We put all of our energy together to help the community, to help and support each other.”
Looking Ahead:
“Other people say the small restaurants will not survive. We will. We will.”
