First Person
At Down North Pizza in Philadelphia, all the employees are formerly incarcerated, including executive chef Michael Carter. This is his story.
Michael Carter, as told to Elyse Inamine
Ruth Li and her husband have owned their restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens, for nearly 10 years. But when COVID-19 hit they needed help from Chinatown’s next generation.
Ruth Li, translated by Er Li Peng and interviewed by Elyse Inamine
Freshman politician Francesca Hong shares how her understanding of service has evolved as she went from chef and restaurant owner to Wisconsin state assembly representative.
Francesca Hong
Bestselling author Dani Shapiro had no idea what to expect when she made lunch reservations at a cozy suburban Italian restaurant.
Dani Shapiro
Chef Edward Lee shares how independent restaurants are still struggling to find workers and source ingredients—and why he’s still hopeful.
Edward Lee
Amid the stress and isolation of the last year, I found solace in memories of my RV days.
Kaci Neves
In her fourth Restaurant Diary, farmer Kristyn Leach explains how the pandemic destabilized supply chains, emphasizing the importance of reimagining the seed-growing system.
Kristyn Leach, as told to Aliza Abarbanel
Dispatches from the industry’s front lines
The Bon Appétit Staff
Recreating her signature recipe without her meant solving an intergenerational puzzle.
Kwame Alexander
In her fourth Restaurant Diary entry, brand ambassador Jenny Feldt explains how her job has changed due to the recent staffing shortage in the restaurant and bar industry.
Jenny Feldt, as told to Elsie Yang
In his fourth Restaurant Diary entry, line cook Peter Steckler explains how the restaurant he works at handles the wage gap between the front-of-house and the back-of-house.
Peter Steckler, as told to Allyson Reedy
In her fourth Restaurant Diary entry, wine educator Kyla Peal talks about how restaurants need to adapt their beverage programs as they reopen.
Kyla Peal, as told to Angela Burke
Watching the Food Network as a kid helped influence the way I cook.
Zaynab Issa
For Indigenous chef Brian Yazzie, this isn’t a new concept but a way of life.
Brian Yazzie
From college Kamikazi shots to lounge martinis, novelist Dawnie Walton’s taste in booze has evolved, and so has she.
Dawnie Walton
After two decades of sneak-eating chicken in garlic sauce to avoid my father’s wrath, I’m no longer hiding my love—or the reasons why it’s so complicated.
Jenny Liao
In her second Restaurant Diary entry, farmer Kristyn Leach explains how this partnership benefits not only her but her farm and her produce in the long term.
Kristyn Leach, as told to Aliza Abarbanel
Before he was a chef, Alexander Smalls went to Lewis for guidance. She showed him what he knew all along.
Alexander Smalls, as told to Hilary Cadigan
Chef Scott Peacock reflects on his decades-long friendship with Edna Lewis, and what it means to be a Southern chef.
Scott Peacock
In her second Restaurant Diary entry, Jenny Feldt explains how she’s harnessing the reach and resources she has at Grey Goose to support restaurant and bar industry workers.
Jenny Feldt, as told to Elsie Yang
Rice can be so many things to so many people. For me, it’s a constant reminder of where I came from.
Miguel de Leon
Wilson Tang, the owner of Nom Wah Tea Parlor in New York City, looks back on the last year and shares what keeps him going.
Wilson Tang, as told to Elyse Inamine
As a Vietnamese refugee growing up in the Midwest, Beth Nguyen spent a lot of time trying to figure out what American was supposed to mean. Turns out she already knew.
Beth Nguyen
In his second Restaurant Diary entry, line cook Peter Steckler shares how things are not only picking up but looking up.
Peter Steckler, as told to Allyson Reedy