Food and Country - Surviving during Covid-19

 FOOD and COUNTRY

Directed by Laura Gabbert Producers: Laura Gabbert, Ruth Reichl, Paula P. Manzanedo, Caroline Libresco

Run Time: 99 min.

International Premiere at Hot Docs - May 28, 2023

Just as the Covid-19 pandemic started to shut down the world in March 2020, director Laura Gabbert and famed Food Writer Ruth Reichl got together to tell the stories of the Restaurants that were forced to shut down.

You don't know how important things you have are until they are gone.  

The shut down of the Restaurants had a ripple effect like we have never seen before.   It wasn't just about the fact that you couldn't go to restaurants anymore, it was about the workers who worked in those restaurants that weren't getting paid and how they were going to continue to support themselves.  Then there were the farmers who were not able to sell their products to the restaurant industry to support their farms and families.  The whole supply chain started to crash down like a jenga puzzle.

The new word became PIVOT if the industry was going to get through this pandemic.  Reichl and Gabbert tell the stories of the people that had to think outside the box to survive the changing times.

Reichl speaks to many restauranteurs such as Marcus Samuelsson, celebrity chef and owner of Red Rooster and other restaurants about the loss of his businesses and what he had to do to survive.

Also profiled in the film is Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, Waters pioneered the Farm to table and was acutely aware of the effects on the farm community.

Other restauranteurs featured included,  Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas of Alinea, Reem Assil of Reem's, Brandon Jew of Mr. Jiu's, Minh Phan of Porridge + Puffs.

Farmers featured included: 

• Will Harris White Oak Pastures
• Bob and Lee Jones Chef’s Garden
• Angela Knuth Knuth Farms
• Bren Smith Greenwave
• Steve Stratford Stratford Angus
• Karen Washington Rise and Root Farms  

It's important to hear their stories because without them the rest of the world would not be able to have food and survive the Global shutdown.

Farmers had to change the way they were farming and restauranteurs had to work through take-out and delivery and create grocery packages for their staff and community.  

They all did whatever it took to support and feed people so that everyone could make it through the storm.

This is an important story that everyone should see to know what the impact was on these strong people who wanted to save their communities.

I have a lot of respect for food producers because it's not an easy job.  Long hours and little pay and most of the time people take it for granted that they will be there to do the work for us.

Part of the film was told through Zoom calls due to the travel and other restrictions so it's a very intimate peek as if you are listening in on a call with a friend.  It's a look into the sustainability of food production and the food industry as a whole.

Please see this film, it's filled with empathy, grit and hope which is what the World really needs.