Over the past year, the situation has been dire for restaurants -- forced to temporarily let go of staff in the best of cases or close their doors permanently and struggle to make ends meet in the worst. The restaurants we've seen close were more than just places to get food -- they were the keepers of memories, the places you had your first date with your now-husband, the spots you took your first bartending job or the venues you visited to celebrate significant life moments. More importantly than the impact on us diners is the one it has on everyone who works within the industry. As of January 2021, over 10,000 restaurants had closed and 110,000 restaurant workers had lost their jobs in Canada alone.
To help raise awareness of this and support those who have been impacted, the Toronto Restaurant Workers' Relief Fund (TRWRF) introduces Last Dish, a fundraising initiative created by advertising agency lg2, to help support the many restaurant workers who find themselves unemployed. After seeing the shocking amount of restaurant closures, the team at lg2 wanted to do something to help -- and so, Last Dish was born.
The initiative has local artists illustrating one-of-a-kind commemorative art plates that display the restaurant's signature dish on it. For example, the Tennessee Tavern plate, designed by Dave Murray, features the Cevapi, and Cam & Allison features the Frankie Tomatto's buffet. These "last dishes" will be auctioned off on the Last Dish website from May 17-31 -- with 100% of proceeds going to the TRWRF to help support unemployed restaurant workers during these challenging times. In addition to the plates, prints are also for sale -- which can be purchased on their own, or bought in a bundle. And, of course, people are always encouraged to donate funds directly to the cause.
Founded by Arianne Persaud and Stefhan Iwaskow, former passionate restaurant-workers themselves, TRWRF is a not-for-profit organization that started out of necessity in 2021 to provide ongoing grocery assistance and access to therapy for restaurant-workers across Toronto. Assistance is given in a way that maintains dignity and supports local farms and POC-owned businesses, connecting those in need to a nurturing community.
“Since March, the TWRWF have sent out almost $150,000 in gift cards to restaurant workers in the GTA. As the pandemic progresses, the number of people applying for support continues to climb,” explains Arrianne Persaud, founder of TWRWF. “We have been so thankful for the support to date, but we’re not done yet. With ongoing lockdowns, we are at a critical point and the Last Dish initiative will help us raise the funds necessary to continue to help restaurant workers continue to thrive.”
The launch of Last Dish is just one step in raising awareness of the challenges that restaurant workers faced pre-pandemic and the ones they may face in the future. Unfortunately, as more restaurants continue to hurt, the Last Dish initiative plans to continue to commemorate them, engaging more Toronto-based illustrators. Bid on the plates, purchase a print, donate to a worthy cause, and continue to support your favourite restaurants so their next dish doesn't become their last.
