Restaurant Industry Trends - Chefs, experts talk state of industry

Restaurant Industry Trends - Chefs, experts talk state of industry
Washington Business Journal - by Missy Frederick

Diners in the Washington area are becoming more empowered, relying less on food critics, spending more on alcohol and demanding cheaper wine.

These were some of the conclusions from a panel of chefs, restaurateurs, food critics and industry experts, who shared their thoughts on the state of dining in the Washington area at the Cornell Hotel Society's Mid-Atlantic Restaurant Symposium and State of the Industry event.

Here are some highlights from the discussion, which involved Chef Geoff Tracy of Chef Geoff's fame, Lynne Breaux of Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, former WaPo critic Phyllis Richman, Cornell's Gary Thompson and Clyde's Managing Director David Moran. Jay Treadwell of Optimum Hospitality Services moderated the panel and organized the event.

On the recession and the economy:

* Washington was the one area that was less affected by the recession than others. "If you're looking to expand and nervous about every place else, you're less nervous about this place," said Richman about the mix of chain restaurants and chef-driven concepts opening up locations in Washington in the past couple years.

* This means, though, that there is a lot more competition in D.C. restaurants, whether it be from food trucks or fine dining experience. "It's hard to succeed in a very competitive marketplace," said Tracy.

* Old Ebbitt Grill saw its sales go up during the recession, according to Moran, but diners' habits did change — people would order less expensive bottles of wine, for example.

On industry challenges:

* D.C.'s regulatory environment remains an issue for restaurants, whether it be proposals to close Metro early or proposed tax increases. "D.C. unfortunately sometimes stands for disconnect," said Breaux.

* Although many restaurants are opening, D.C. has trouble finding good talent that will stick around, particularly because restaurant industry jobs don't command the same respect here as they do in some other major cities. Breaux asked for terms like "burger flipper" to be retired; Tracy echoed that "unskilled worker" is similarly inappropriate.
 

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