La Grotta is among the nearly 60 Richmond Restaurant Week participants for fall 2021. (Photo courtesy Richmond Restaurant Week)
Having raised a whopping $818,500 in donations, equating to more than 3.2 million meals, Richmond Restaurant Week marks its 20th anniversary this year. In partnership with Feed More, the fall edition of the biannual celebration kicks off Monday, Oct. 18, and continues through Oct. 31.
“It is beyond my wildest dreams that this event has had such a phenomenally positive effect on the community at large,” says the event’s founder, Aline Reitzer. "Richmond Restaurant Week creates a buzz among food lovers and big-hearted Richmonders, and the effect is astonishing. It is always fun when the culinary community comes together with a ‘spirit of generosity’ during Restaurant Week, doing what we collectively love in service of others, all for a good cause.”
Reitzer, former owner of Acacia Mid-town, grew up going to New York City Restaurant Week and wanted to establish a similar celebration here, but with her own touch. She says that Richmond’s is the first restaurant week with a charitable focus, the event also showcasing the talents of Richmond chefs and restaurateurs.
Richmond Restaurant Week and Feed More work alongside local restaurants to raise money for those who suffer from food insecurity. Donations go toward Feed More projects like Meals on Wheels, a volunteer-run meal delivery service for homebound adults, and monthly School Markets that supply children in rural Virginia with food.
In previous years, a portion of each purchased meal would be donated to Feed More. Now, due to the pandemic, Reitzer has had to reimagine the way the event operates. Restaurant-goers can participate by dining in or ordering takeout or delivery from participating restaurants any time during the two-week event. Each restaurant's online menu will include an option to donate $5 or more. Donating just $5 can provide up to 20 meals for those in need.
The first Richmond Restaurant Week started off small, with nine participating restaurants, and raised over $5,000 in donations. Twenty years later, the two-week-long celebration has blossomed into including nearly 60 participating restaurants.
“This event is the true definition of neighbor helping neighbor in so many ways,” says Christy Dalton, community events manager for Feed More. “It's been fun to watch the [Richmond] restaurant scene grow, and then to see the benefit of this amazing [event] we have come back to Feed More. I get excited every year when I see the list of who's participating because it is always the who's who of Richmond restaurants.”
It's no secret that the pandemic has had a huge impact on the restaurant industry. Reitzer says she takes pride that the event not only helps Feed More, it also helps to bring in business for Richmond restaurants. She describes it as a win-win.
“Richmond Restaurant Week benefits everyone in our community: Folks who visit our participating restaurants get a delicious meal, the local restaurant community sees an always welcome uptick in business, and Feed More’s efforts to help our hungry neighbors benefit significantly,” Reitzer says.
Not only has the pandemic caused upheaval to local businesses, it has been devastating to households that were struggling before the virus hit. This year, food insecurity will likely affect 1 in 9 people and 1 in 6 children within Feed More’s service area.
“Our commitment is twofold,” Reitzer says. “To create a positive consumer event for the local restaurant community and to support a charity that does so much good for so many people.”
