Restaurants in NSW reopened their doors on May 15 as some restrictions eased in the state.
Three Filipino restaurateurs speak of the changes they've had to make in order to run their businesses during the time of COVID-19.
Highlights
- Josh Bantiles of Mama Lor believes that dining out is the spirit of a restaurant.
- Henry Paraan of Mate Burger makes sure that his staff follows the safety protocols set by the government.
- Chef Nina Cruz of Sizzling Fillo says that flexibility and adaptability will help restaurants recover.
The spirit of a restaurant
Joshua Bantiles of Mama Lor Restaurant and Bakery Source: Supplied
"When restrictions eased and we reopened, it felt like how it did when we first opened Mama Lor in 2017," Joshua Bantiles shares.
Although the Bantiles' family restaurant can now accept patrons once again, they can do so under a strict 10-person limit.
"We're welcoming people into the restaurant again, but advise that people call ahead to book a table."
"The weekend was busy, but it's still mostly takeaways. Takeaway though is different. The spirit of any restaurant is still dine-in. It's still better when you can sit down at a restaurant and eat with your family and friends."
But while many still hesitate to sit down at a restaurant to eat, Joshua shares that the difficulties of the times have helped their team "learn a lot about ourselves and about managing our team".
Sanitation and social distancing
Henry Paraan of Mate Burger Source: Supplied
Adapting to reopening their dine-in service means maintaining social distancing within the grounds of the restaurant and practising more stringent sanitation.
"At the door, we put markers on the ground so that people in line would be spaced 1.5 metres apart. There are also floor markings inside the restaurant so that diners are evenly spaced out."
"We also follow the strict guidelines set by the government. We sanitise our shop, the door knobs and the tables every hour. We also put sanitisers at the front counter for the customers."
Following these safety protocols, Henry shares both the staff and customers are more assured that "everyone stays [as] safe and healthy [as possible]".
New strategies
Chef Nina Cruz of Sizzling Fillo Source: Supplied
Like some restaurants, they only sold takeaway before restrictions eased.
"When we began doing takeaways, we gave our customers the option to pay via credit card or through direct transfers so we lessened interactions. We also had a designated table for pick-ups so that the process was quick."
Nina is hoping that things progress for the better and that this is the first step towards more normal business operations.
"We're hoping for the best. Us, along with other restaurants, hope we can recover from this."
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