Navigating Hospitality. With Dedicated Food Folks. Welcome to a special episode, the second in a segment I like to call the Edacious Round Table. Instead of learning one person's journey, area Food Folks discuss a topic. The first covered #MeToo. Today we're talking hospitality. How do we traverse these waters in the stormy Age of Outrage? Are there folks just not allowed in the restaurant because of their choices? My co-hosts are Chef Laura Fonner of Duner's in Crozet and Chef Harrison Keevil who with his wife Jennifer runs Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen while also taking the reins at Commonwealth Skybar on The Downtown Mall.

It's a volatile topic with many recent ties to this region. In February, Chef Scott Crawford refused service to a restaurant critic at Crawford and Son in Raleigh. In May, Boylan Heights was taken to task for their "No drugs, no thugs," policy which has since been discontinued. Then in June Sara Huckabee Sanders tried to eat at The Red Hen and we all know what happened there. Lines are being drawn and tempers are high. Are restaurants still safe spaces? Places of refuge for food and intelligent, thoughtful discourse?

The employees of a restaurant can be family in the right situation. A chosen family. This is the case at Duner's where some employees have worked there for 30 years. Family and hospitality go hand in hand. All of us agreed family dinners and celebrations were so important growing up, setting the tone for the rest of our lives. Why is hospitality important? It can change a person’s day. It’s a gift we give to folks. Restaurant hospitality is taking care of you, feeding you good food, and making sure you leave happy. Can the restaurant remain a judgment-free zone? A safe space where you leave politics at the door and your only goal to be fed and fed well? Maybe socialize a bit? That’s what we’re here to work out. Over food of course.

We all agreed a customer causing an outright disruption is a pretty simple problem to solve. The customer needs to be quietly handled. And shown the door. Hopefully without too much disruption. But what about someone in the public eye with extreme political beliefs who just wants to eat? We discuss the pros and cons of the various decisions business owners made in the past, then work out what we would do. Which isn't always easy. Choice is a privilege. It’s easy to choose to serve someone if you own the business, not so much if you’re washing dishes or scraping plates in the back for an hourly wage and no benefits.

Think about this for a minute. Simple hospitality. Even at the Red Wedding, Walder Frey served the Stark family a meal before the knives started flying. We’re so divided. Hate begets more hate. Can’t we do the same with a smile? Take the hard road and make the effort to be nice. Being mean, showing them the door, is easy, being hospitable takes way more effort. Charlottesville is a crazy quilt of folks, from old hippies and punkers to Lulemon Moms to Farmington Fridas to Belmont Bettys, students, folks of color who have lived here for decades, or recently arrived as immigrants from far shores. Plus every Dad, frat bro, techie startup preppie and freshman student in flip flops just navigating Bodo's for the first time. We’ve always served them. Why wouldn’t we now? Be kind. Serve all.

“Life is about dealing with the hard stuff, working through it, and making yourself a better person.” ---Harrison Keevil

How do you navigate self-care in this volatile age? We spend a great deal of time discussing this, sharing tips, including two chefs working hard to create a better culture in the kitchen so folks will stay for more than a year or two. What works? Exercise is good. As is sleep. Good food. Which is hard when you spend all your time making it for others while navigating hate. Like we have to do this weekend if Nazis show up August 12th. We talk about this too, our preparations, our hopes. We all agree that what Brian Ashworth did last year when scumbags starting throwing the heil around Ace Biscuit was the very right thing. He showed them the door. Disrupt my place? Don’t need to see your face.

“Customers do expect us to be superhuman. Remember, we’re humans just like you are. We have bad days too. And then we have to deal with your bad day.” ---Laura Fonner

What two famous opponents just dined opposite one another at Duner’s without incident? Who is the Duner Lunar? Who do we all agree has the most important job in the kitchen? Listen to find out. I’m so grateful to these talented folks for sharing their day off as well as their thoughtful responses. I’ll remember this conversation for a long time. Be safe out there Charlottesville. Big Love. One of the most thoughtful conversations I’ve ever been a part of. Makes me proud to live in this town. Stay edacious.

“I’m going to be at Commonwealth (August 12th). I’m going to be there to serve anyone who wants to walk through those doors...I hope people come out. I’m not scared. I’m going to do my job. I’m going to open the kitchen.” ---Harrison Keevil

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