Being Black in the Hospitality Industry - Part III with Black People Eats and Chicago Food On The Run

To close out What's On Tap's "Black in the Hospitality Industry" series, we sit down with Jeremy Joyce, founder of Black People Eats, and Kristal Long, Business Manager at Chicago Food on the Run, a newly opened black-owned restaurant. Although the end of the series doesn't mean our listening phase is over, we do hope that we now have a better understanding of the experiences of our friends and coworkers. We are humbled by our guests' openness to share their personal experiences and perspectives. Episode 7 brings us to a Chicago neighborhood that many "foodies" normally wouldn't seek out, and we are glad we were able to experience it!

Jeremy Joyce is the founder and face of Black People Eats, a restaurant directory and media company that shines a light on black-owned restaurants that he started in December of 2017. Joyce would vlog his meals and experiences hoping to boost traffic and attention for the under-appreciated and rarely recognized Black-owned restaurant community. Despite the slow start, he persisted and focused on consistency and the mission. In June of 2018, he changed his Instagram handle from his personal name to @BlackPeopleEats and his videos exploded. Joyce's restaurant directory has now expanded to six cities across America. In light of the heightened Black Lives Matter movement, Joyce continues to promote Black-owned businesses to a wider audience than ever. Using its platform, Black People Eats raised over $75,000 for their Black-owned Restaurant Relief Fund, a fund that gives financial support to restaurants in need. We filmed this episode at one of the restaurants that Black People Eats featured - Chicago Food on the Run.

Chicago Food on the Run is a soul food restaurant on Chicago's Southside. Their talented Chef & Owner, Jonetta Holloway, creates flavorful plates that remind customers of Grandma's cookin' complemented by unmatched customer service in a beautiful setting. We sat down with their Business Manager, Kristal Long, and discussed everything from defining soul food to the lack of restaurants making home-cooked meals in their neighborhood, to why they chose to set up shop in an area that doesn't draw much attention for its culinary scene. If the line out of the door wasn't enough to convince you, we can attest to their delicious food, warm service, and unique and beautiful decor. Go check them out!

This episode featured:

Jeremy Joyce, Founder, Black People Eats

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Kristal Long, Business Manager, Chicago Food On The Run

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Joseph Sheahan, Cofounder & CEO, TappedIn and Host of What's On Tap

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