My Restaurant Hot-and-Not List
New Cocktail Article, Interviewing, Co-Collaborating with Restaurants
Restaurants, as always, are on my mind.
I am thinking and writing about restaurants because I am in the mood for joy, for basking in conversations about conviviality, and remembering all the sexy times I’ve had in restaurants. Well, not actually sexy times. But like, sexy times.
I recently published my first article in SouthPark Magazine, called Raise a glass: 6 cocktail trends in 2024. Give it a read if you’re curious about the drinks trends taking root in — or maybe passing through — Charlotte (also relevant to other cities).
I have to say that interviewing the very bartenders and food creatives shaping the culture of this city’s food & bev culture is such a gift. It makes me so giddy. This lucky-giddy feeling is no stranger to me, having been pursuing some avenue of journalism since I was 18 years old. Like, how am I the one that gets to bear witness to such creative, introspective ramblings, such behind-the-curtain expertise?
Receiving the stories of someone else is the pinnacle of joy in my writing work. It’s a privilege to enter their inner world. The people I interview, especially in food, are so generous with their time and their capacity to share thoughts and ideas. It’s humbling often, forcing me to quiet my voice and my natural interjections, and to instead, create a safe landing space for someone else’s thoughts. They’re the ones doing the work work, I just do the fun part. It continues to teach me a lot about listening and asking big questions (all of which I have not perfected, but do strive for). I wrote about that in this piece.
So, In celebration of my first article with SouthPark Magazine (AND) the article being the front page cover, I thought it would be fun to think about what’s hot and what’s not in restaurants — and restaurant culture — this year. Check my Don’t Mind Me themed design below.
These lists are just shades of what little old me thinks is hot and not. To be honest, I will always err on the side of celebrating restaurants. I’m not really in the business of putting people out of business. I don’t think it’s my place, even though I’ve worked in restaurants, been trained under legendary food writers, and studied the sociology of food in college. I’m not the one waking up at 5 am to prep ingredients. I take my job as a food writer seriously, yes, but also gently and light-heartedly. Because once basic needs are met around food, that’s what food is largely about — gathering, light-heartedness, not so seriousness, taking weight off shoulders, indulging.
I am really more interested in highlighting what’s good, co-collaborating with small businesses to create something that lasts. While it’s unrealistic for a restaurant with a voice and identity of its own to keep up with fleeting little demands of consumers, a restaurant is still part of the collective, a body of art that is shaped and informed by the people that pass through it, work there, and eat there everyday.
Maybe there exists a future where we can evolve these third spaces together?
The reason our consumer culture is so god damn hyped-up about restaurants, aside from the serious culinary innovation happening inside them, is that restaurants are 21st century cultural institutions. People, for worse or better, stake claim to these restaurants like they are our own. They’ve become a status symbol, a marker of identity, sometimes a means of cool-factor or virtue signaling.
I hope we continue to move toward a future where we appreciate the experimentation, expertise, and grit work behind culinary institutions, while also pushing the boundaries of what can be created when diners, chefs, restaurants, the farmers that make our food, and the land that grows it reimagine food and dining culture together. That sentiment could be said for a lot of industries.
We will see!
Cheers. I’m going to get drinks tonight with my friend, and I simply can’t wait.
More of Ava’s amazing photos. ^^
Song of the Week: Matt shared this song, Up the Junction, with me. It’s getting me excited for our upcoming trip to London!
Food of the Week: I fucking love roasted purple cabbage. With lots and lots and lots of black pepper. Super seasoned and salty. Such an easy way to get a veg in!!
Action of the Week: Very related to this Substack article actually, I want to pitch more food writing focused work. I’ve been doing a lot of freelance-y work that isn’t in food, and I’d like to move more toward editorial pieces in the food & bev space.
I love the experience of it all too :)