Black Restaurant Week returns to D.C. and Baltimore for 5th year

By Aria BrentAFRO Employees Writerabrent@afro.com

Black Restaurant Week is returning to Washington D.C. and Baltimore for its fifth 12 months July 16-30. The 2 week occasion  focuses on stimulating the financial system of the Black neighborhood in Allure Metropolis and the District. Annually, Black-owned culinary companies and professionals who can not afford advertising and marketing campaigns are celebrated and promoted to the general public. With quite a lot of cuisines, companies and culinary artists being highlighted through the 2024 marketing campaign, the D.C., Maryland and Virginia space is in for a deal with. 

In keeping with the James Beard Basis’s 2023 Trade Report, 53 p.c of culinary enterprise house owners garnered decrease income final 12 months as a result of fixed rise in meals and labor prices. The expensive modifications have impacted menu costs and income considerably since 2022.

“Black Restaurant Week isn’t solely making individuals conscious of fantastic eating places, however additionally it is growing foot visitors for these companies,” stated Derek Robinson, a managing companion for Black Restaurant Week. “Black Restaurant Week is giving people an important alternative to help their very own native companies and check out new spots. We’re tremendous excited to get these companies extra stability and extra monetary help from their communities.” 

Final 12 months roughly 100 contributors linked with the Larger Washington, D.C. marketing campaign, whose mission is to “feed the cultural famine.” Via this mission they’ve not solely prioritized rescuing the Black restaurant trade but additionally helped the general public perceive the great thing about ethnic cuisines whereas eliminating the stigmas round it. 

A plethora of native eating places are set to take part on this 12 months’s occasion, together with Lydia on H, Appioo Bar and Grill, Berries by Quicha, D.C. Capital Sq., England Eatery and lots of extra. 

Aisha England, chef and proprietor of Baltimore’s England Eatery, weighed in on what she hopes to achieve from the occasion.

“Final 12 months round this time I’m not even positive if we had been prepared, however [we are] a 12 months into the brand new location and having the ability to host individuals for eating. I sit up for bringing in these people and having them expertise our meals,” stated England. 

Though being a Black enterprise proprietor comes with many struggles, England famous that receiving monetary help for her enterprise has been very difficult.

“The most important factor is funding,” stated England. “My largest battle is having the ability to get funding to do stuff. I’ve gotten quite a lot of grants and I’m blessed to have these. I do know among the issues which have occurred to me don’t occur to larger firms so far as funding goes.”

Whereas most of the collaborating enterprise house owners are trying ahead to the monetary good thing about Black Restaurant Week, they’re equally excited for the chance to community and join with their communities. 

“I’m trying ahead to assembly new individuals and new patrons after all, and connecting with new eating places,” stated LaQuicha Brown, proprietor of Berries by Quicha, positioned in Baltimore.

Black Restaurant Week will conclude on July 30. After 9 years, the initiative has helped greater than 3,000 restaurateurs, bartenders, cooks, caterers and meals vehicles.

Tierra Stone, an AFRO Intern, contributed to this text.