Several Houston-area chefs and restaurant owners have added their names to a national letter urging Congress to reject a budget reconciliation bill they say would severely harm independent restaurants, their workers, and the communities they serve.
The letter, organized by the James Beard Foundation, was sent this week to members of Congress on behalf of more than 300 chefs, restaurant owners, and industry professionals from across the country.
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Among the Houston-area names supporting the letter are Chester Chambers of Cornrow HTX, Shawn Gawle of Camaraderie, Anita Jaisinghani of Pondicheri, Jailyn Marcel of The Franky Collective, Nina Quincy of Rex Hospitality, Felipe Riccio of Goodnight Hospitality, Sandra Stone of SLS Design Arts, Kiran Verma of Kiran’s, and Ryan Grimes of Knives in Water in Sugar Land.
The letter warns that if passed, the legislation would create lasting challenges for independent restaurants already dealing with rising costs, workforce shortages, and the ongoing effects of climate change.
In it, they call on lawmakers to oppose the legislation, which has already passed the House and is now being considered in the Senate.
In its current form, the bill would eliminate funding for climate programs, cut Medicaid access, reduce SNAP benefits, and include a “No Tax on Tips” provision that advocates say would leave behind the majority of hospitality workers, including dishwashers, porters, and line cooks.
“From gutting critical climate programs to threatening the health care access of our workforce, this bill is a direct threat to the backbone of our industry and food system—our workers, our farms, and our communities,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation.
Independent restaurants collectively employ 3 percent of the U.S. workforce and contribute more than $209 billion in annual revenue, according to the foundation.
“This bill will harm our industry and the people and communities we serve every day,” the letter states. “It is deeply out of step with the values of our industry.”