After Nashville's 2010 flood, an neophyte food writer for the Scene (OK, it was me) worked with a bunch of local restaurants to create a fundraiser to aid in the community’s recovery. Not wanting to step on the toes of the local Nashville Cares fundraiser Dining Out for Life, we called the initiative Eat Out for Nashville. While the name evoked a few puerile chuckles, more than 50 restaurants participated, and we raised thousands of dollars for the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Anyway, apparently, we needn’t have worried about infringing on the “Dining Out for” trademark — this month, two other worthy causes are co-opting that name as part of efforts to raise funds for the local hospitality community. The first is Dine Out for Independents, an initiative of the Independent Restaurant Coalition in celebration of October’s Independent Restaurant and Bar Month. The monthlong fundraiser also includes online programming and seminars to help educate the public on the plight of independent restaurants in the wake of the pandemic. The fundraising component comes in the form of restaurants donating a dollar from the sale of a chosen menu item to the IRC.
Locally, Butcher & Bee is participating by giving a buck from every order of Schmashed Potatoes sold. And you have to admit that having to order a dish of potatoes cooked in schmaltz and served with spicy salt creme fraiche is hardly a sacrifice when it comes to helping out independent restaurants. At chef Bryan Lee Weaver’s other restaurant, Redheaded Stranger, the fantastic RHS burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs, tater tots, chorizo, cheese and green chile sauce will be the charitable menu item.
If you’re interested in any of the online panel discussions, visit the IRC website for more information.
The second October fundraiser is organized by Giving Kitchen, the Atlanta-based organization that has opened an office in Nashville to help hospitality workers address crises within the food service community through care and compassion. Offering financial assistance and access to a network of community resources willing to step in and help when hospitality workers find themselves in need, Giving Kitchen has made a tremendous impact in Nashville in a short time.
Their latest initiative is called Dining With Gratitude, in which participating restaurant commit to donating at least $1,000 to help raise funds for restaurant workers in crisis. Locally, all four Nashville-area locations of Emmy Squared have pledged to take part in the campaign, so when you patronize Emmy’s for their Detroit-style pizzas and decadent burgers, you’ll be helping them as they support the rest of the local hospitality community.
