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I'm sure there's a lot of 2020 we'd like to leave behind, but I hope these food-related issues continue to be on our minds in 2021. (A thread):
A continued look into food delivery apps and their effects on labour rights. Labour reporter Sara Mojtehedzadeh has been tracking this well before the pandemic: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/12/15/app-companies-can-no-longer-charge-restaurants-exorbitant-delivery-fees-but-front-line-couriers-fear-theyll-be-the-ones-left-hurting.html
Sara the superstar reporter has also been covering the conditions of migrant farm workers who are responsible for putting food on our tables. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/11/12/migrant-worker-fired-for-speaking-out-about-covid-19-wins-a-rare-reprisal-case-against-an-ontario-farm.html
Linking race, poverty, housing, city-building and policymaking to who in the city gets to have access to fresh food. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/06/11/healthy-food-is-harder-to-come-by-for-the-racialized-and-vulnerable-amid-covid-19-heres-who-stepped-up-to-help.html
Transit as well. Not everyone has a car and can afford to pack a trunk with two weeks' worth of food. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/07/23/how-my-craving-for-ontario-peaches-got-me-thinking-about-transit-and-food-access.html
More plaza and strip mall coverage, please. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/11/22/plazas-are-gold-why-the-neighbourhood-strip-mall-has-all-delicious-eats-you-are-looking-for.html
And the cottage food industry, and what can be done to foster and legalize these businesses to support local entrepreneurship and enrich our food landscape. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/10/25/covid-19-has-turned-the-restaurant-industry-upside-down-is-it-time-to-rethink-regulations-around-home-food-businesses.html
There's a new generation of children of resto owners helping their parents' businesses reach new diners and bridge language/technology gaps, and along the way telling the stories of their parents. I'd love to see more of this. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/09/24/do-it-for-the-gram-how-these-restaurant-owners-children-helped-them-build-social-media-buzz-during-covid-19.html
I learned a lot about the flaws in the restaurant industry, but also met (via phone, anyway) a lot of people trying to make it a more equitable and safe space for employees and diners. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/06/19/racism-abuse-low-wages-what-the-restaurant-industrys-new-normal-needs-to-address.html
A lot of food fundraisers have popped up, and they will continue to do so unless there is more legislation and policy that will get at the root of the problem of food insecurity. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/12/04/these-grassroots-initiatives-are-battling-growing-food-insecurity-by-catering-to-cultural-and-neighbourhood-needs.html
It's been a big learning process these last months to rethink our relationship with food. But I look forward to continuing these conversations next year, and learning from other food writers as well. https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/07/14/theyre-holding-restaurants-accountable-meet-the-people-trying-to-changehospitality.html
Oh, and one more thing: I hope there's a bigger push from food mags to feature recipes that make 1-4 servings. Through COVID we see diff. family structures and are aware of more solo dwellers. The way we cook has changed so the recipes being put out should reflect that.
Like, why are we still assuming that everyone who picks up a food mag or cookbook is married with 2.5 kids here?
