Front Burner Restaurants and CitySquare collaborate to serve up hope, one meal at a time
DALLAS (March 24, 2020) – Front Burner Restaurants, LLC, a restaurant innovation lab, today announced the opening of Furlough Kitchen, a non-profit operation that will provide furloughed hospitality workers one free meal a day, no matter their former employer.
Formed during the COVID 19 crisis, which decimated employment in the hospitality industry, Furlough Kitchen is a curbside pick-up kitchen that will serve individually packaged meals to furloughed hospitality workers Monday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m.
Located in the heart of East Dallas, Furlough Kitchen is a unique collaboration between Front Burner Restaurants and CitySquare. Furlough Kitchen utilizes Front Burner’s catering kitchen, Vestals Catering Co., and CitySquare’s support network to create a united team ready to cook a hot meal for anyone affected by restaurant and event closures and deliver hope, daily. The team anticipates it will be able to serve more than 1,000 meals per day.
“Here at Front Burner Restaurants, we are doing everything possible to keep our kitchens operating for contact-free, curbside service and we have been successful in serving many of our guests ‘Home Meal Kits,’” said Randy DeWitt, CEO of Front Burner Restaurants. “This program has allowed us to continue to employ about 8% of our staff and provide a free daily meal to all of our furloughed team. We are deeply committed to the welfare of every person in our hospitality industry and as community leaders, we are focused on utilizing our resources to help these men and women in this time of need.”
Front Burner Restaurants is seeking partnerships and sponsorships from hospitality vendors, owners and concerned individuals and companies.
“Every dollar you donate will ensure we can continue to provide meals to the very people that have served you for years, in many of your favorite establishments,” DeWitt continued. “Your donation will foster hope for the future of our industry and give back to this industry’s reputation for giving everything it’s got.”
If you would like to donate, please visit www.furloughkitchen.org or click HERE.
