A non-profit group that launched at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vancouver is behind a new fundraising initiative that puts the spotlight on the city's hard-hit restaurants and food businesses.
Breaking Bread, which began in March 2020 as an online hub for independent Vancouver restaurants to promote their offerings as public health restrictions forced dining rooms to close down, has launched "Behind the Plexi," a photography fundraiser that is raising money to support hospitality industry workers.
"Behind the Plexi" showcases 33 Vancouver restaurants as captured through the lenses of four of the city's prominent photographers: Wade Comer (@wadecomerphoto), Miranda Hudson (@hudsonny), William Luk (@mayowill) and Luis Valdizon (@whentheyfindus).
The four photogs generously donated their talents to the project, which is the result of a collaboration between Breaking Bread and Vancouver restaurateur Brad Roark of Nook and Oddfish.
Roark was inspired by a similar venture done in Toronto called "Lockdown 2.0."
Toronto restaurants, incidentally, are also able to make use of what Breaking Bread offers; soon after its launch in Vancouver, the initiative opened up Canada-wide, and has proven a powerful platform and connector for restaurants and their customers in several cities.
"Behind the Plexi" showcases evocative behind-the-scenes images taken at popular Metro Vancouver restaurants like St Lawrence, Livia, and New Town Bakery, and the limited-edition prints are available to purchase online for $200 each.
Prints are for sale until Monday, May 31.
All proceeds from the sale of each print will be dedicated to the creation of two new scholarships for restaurant workers who have experienced employment set-backs due to COVID-19 — one via the BC Hospitality Foundation and the other to the Chinese Restaurant Awards scholarship at Vancouver Community College. The Chinese Restaurant Awards will also contribute $10 for every print sold from the collection of photos taken at Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants.
“We’ve been inspired by the support and advocacy that Breaking Bread has shown independent restaurants during this pandemic and I knew they could apply the leadership to bring this project to light,” says Roark. “Behind the Plexi aims to capture the very essence of this period of time — a time of determination and resolve in which we need to stick together, support one another and keep going until we can come out on the other side.”
