By: Emily Ao
“Hospitality to me means you get to prioritize care for everyone in the system,” chef Devonn Francis says. For Francis, making sure people are comfortable and carefree in their environments isn’t unordinary or hard to do; in fact, he’s quite used to it due to his parents, who held parties very often. Since Francis also grew up cooking with his mother, cooking is extremely easy for him, and can even be considered an enjoyment.
One way Francis makes his food stand out to newcomers is by expressing how welcoming he is to all people, no matter their gender, race, age, etc. By making diners feel more comfortable, he creates a calm and enjoyable atmosphere for his guests. Francis says that restaurants pay attention to food quality and preparation, but not all pay attention to whether their business is considered a welcoming space for queer people and people of color. Francis believes that guests have a greater overall experience when they are able to dine in a safe space.
Restaurants don’t only thrive on the quality of their food. If the food is good, but your restaurant doesn’t necessarily deliver the right atmosphere to guests, they may not come back. Francis believes that another important aspect of a thriving restaurant is representation in terms of the cultures on the menu.
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