May 14, 2021 • 25 mins
Welcome back to Citizen Chef! After wrapping last season, Tom Colicchio has been working tirelessly with the Independent Restaurant Coalition to lobby for funding to help save our restaurants. This week, catches up with one of the key allies of the bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. They discuss why the money is necessary to revitalizing the restaurant industry and how it will help our neighborhoods bounce back from losses due to the pandemic.
Resources: Restaurant Revitalization Fund https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/restaurant-revitalization-fund
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Citizen Chef is a production of I Heart Radio. You know,
I spent a lot of time talking to members of Congress,
and I really believe there are a lot of people
there that that are there for the right reasons. They're
there to help people. And to me, this was democracy
in action. This was a problem. You had people that
got together. They effectively lobby, and that's not a bad word,
lobby government for help. And it worked. And so for me,
(00:22):
this is this is watching democracy really work and and
and it all happened because of democracy in Georgia as well.
Don't give away my punchline. Hello and welcome to season
two of Citizen Chef. I'm your host, Tom Polikio. You
may know me from Top Chefs or my restaurants are
I'm hoping for this podcast. Since we last spoke, however,
(00:46):
the role has been most near and dear in my heart.
What I've been playing for the last year is lobbyist. Yes,
I know, lobbyists can sometimes be considered a dirty word,
frequently associated with sort of industries occurring for ever in Washington,
I get it. But for me, years ago, I was
a co founder of Food Policy Action. We published a
(01:06):
scorecard and we grated a Congress on how he voted
around food issues, which brought me frequently to the hill
UM and I was lobbying them, But I was lobbying
on behalf of people who were in need of food.
I was lobbying around issues around accessibility and affordability of
of food and other other farming issues as well. I
was unpaid registered lobbyist UM and still am. But over
the last year I have been working with the Independent
(01:28):
Restaurant Coalition to lobby our government for directed relief for restaurants.
As you all know, restaurants were probably the most affected
by the COVID pandemic. The only thing I was going
to help and that it wasn't a go funding page,
and it certainly wasn't bake sales. And we needed the
federal government to never want to understand the scope and
(01:49):
scale of the problem and and then to understand that
we needed direct relief, which we did. We got it.
It took a year's worth of work, and it took
a bunch of people, chefs and restaurant hers across the
country that that banned together and just were relentless in
making sure that government understood our needs. Chefs that had
(02:10):
never called on a member of Congress. What they were relentless,
not only calling members of Congress in their district or
their state, but anyone else they can get in touch with.
It was it was great to see. Really, I mean,
for me, it was really democracy in action. It was
a fight. And there were other organizations without naming them
that sometimes gotten. The way is it was tough. All
(02:32):
bloom Nowers a Member of Commerce from Portland area in Oregon,
and he wrote the bill in the House right away,
and he was actually already working on this. Who was
some local restaurants in Portland. One of our members from Mississippi,
Robert st. John, who ended up writing the bill for
the Senate, and that was also supported heavily by Kirsty
Cinema from Arizona, as well as so many other people.
(02:53):
Hory Booker supported, Christian Jillys, Jim McGovern, Rose at DO, Laura,
Shelly Pingry. These are all people who I've worked with
in the past on food policy um. But they were
all very supportive, as well as about two hundred plus
House members and over fifty members in the Senates. This
was truly bipartisan, and of course Speaker Pelosi had her
hand in this. Um, the Lasquas who runs the Small
(03:14):
Business Association. Uh, so many people really put an instrumental role.
But when things looked really bad. Um, you know, when
when President Biden was elected, we were not included in
his stimulus package. The night of the Georgia election, when
Senator Schumer became the leader of the Senate, we reached
out to very quickly and he made promises that we
would be included in that package. And he kept his promise.
(03:36):
We received some funding twenty point six billion dollars. Uh,
it's a lot of money. It's a little short of
what we're asking for. As of today, I believe the
sp A has already processed well over hundred thousand applications.
And also restaurants that do fewer than five thousand dollars
fee than a half million dollars. There's a separate fund
for them of five billion dollars. So we're taking care
(03:57):
of a lot of people here. Um. Senator Schumer kept
his promise. So without further ado, I just want to
say thank you Senator Schumer, and welcome to Citizen Chef.
How are you good? Number one? Thanks for for agreeing
to appear on Citizen chef. This is our our second season.
This this episode is really focusing on restaurant Acts, Restaurant
(04:18):
Revitization Act. Uh, it's such an important role that you
played in getting this past and and part of the
stimulus package. Um. Our listeners may or may not know. Um,
the Restaurant Act was not part of President Biden's original
stimulus package. I've said this publicly before. But you made
a promise to me that it was going to be
in there, and you kept your promise. And as I
was a majority leader, I was going to do it,
(04:39):
and so you did. It's in there, and so far
it's been it's been a huge success. Um. What do
you think would have happened if we didn't take Georgia?
We didn't take Georgia that you know, here was the problem.
As you know, Tom, restaurants had unique problems, more problems
than any other small business because that's where people with
the buness is that had the worst trouble in COVID
(05:01):
where people gathered together, and so many restaurants were closed,
so many restaurants, even when they were open, they could
only have twenty five or ten percent of capacity. And
then of course for New York when it was winter,
people didn't want to eat outside very much. Though restaurants
suffered more than anyone else. And you and I have
to give you and the groups you put together real credit.
(05:23):
You guys came to me and said we are unique.
And I said to Tom, you gotta put together a
whole national network, which you did, and there were restauranturs
all over the country who got involved. And I promised,
if I became majority leader, we would do this special
assistance for restaurants. And the program is really much better
than the p p P some some of the issues
(05:45):
you're actually some of the issues with p p P.
P PP was fine if you were a business, a
small business that maybe saw impact on your bottom line.
Maybe you laid off a handful of workers, so you
were able to bring those workers back, pay them through
p p P, pay your rent and then essentially uh
lower your cost and so you did okay. But if
you were shuttered, if you were closed, like well restaurants were,
(06:08):
it really didn't help at all. Right, so this is
a much more generous program. Um you just do you
calculate your revenues you lost between right, it's the difference
between revenue and twenties revenue UH minus any p p
p UM. A restaurant can get up to two million dollars,
(06:29):
but restaurant groups are kept at ten million. You don't
have to deduct if you got an IDOL grant, you
don't have to deduct it. The earned at tax credit
you know where you get paid that didn't get deducted.
And here's first, we made it sure that it wasn't
just a restaurant per se, but it went to caterers
and brew pubs and tap rooms and tasting rooms, all okay.
(06:51):
And we also made it very broad. The p p
P was very limited in what you could do, and
if you didn't, if you had a higher rent, you
were because the first BPP said the only fifty percent
of your costs could go to UH employees and rents
were so okay. So now it just as very broad.
And I'll give I'm gonna list all the things here
(07:11):
I have it. Not only it can include rent, utilities, mortgage,
maintenance supplies, equipment, cleaning materials, food, operational expenses, supplier costs,
um um. All of that can be included. You know what,
when when we when we we made sure that that
was there for a reason when we made the claim
(07:32):
of how big of a problem uh, having restaurants closed
the impact that it wasn't just the impact of the
people who worked in restaurants, but it was the entire ecosystem.
It was all the suppliers. And so without having that
money flow through to pay for suppliers, you weren't. You
can keep that that that that that eco ecosystem intact,
more New Yorkers lost jobs who worked in restaurants than
(07:52):
any other category. So first it's just unemployed people left.
And second, all the suppliers and everybody else would told
we stuck back all the way to the agricultural eco system.
And third, and this is what you know. Restaurants provide
us not just in New York but everywhere, but especially
in New York. We have the best restaurants. In my
(08:14):
humble looking, you identify you want to live in a
neighborhood because of restaurants. You identify with communities. Because of restaurants.
People have made their friends, their partners, their plans. It's
a sense of community, it's a common bond over shared food. Listen.
Senator Schumer was such a great ally for this bill
because he really understands that this isn't a ballout. This
(08:36):
is a heartfelt effort to preserve one of our vital ecosystems. Uh.
This is about people's livelihoods. It's it's about preserving the
true source of joy for a lot of people, and
it's really about keeping communities together and safe. We'll be
back with more. Citizen Chef Tom Colochio and I'm talking
(08:58):
with Sender Schubert are about a path ahead as the
restaurant industry attempts to fall back the losses from the pandemic.
I care about small business people, as you know, Tom,
I'll tell your listeners my dad had the opposite of
a restaurant. Restaurants bring things to life. We'll use an
exterminator terrible business, so we need him in restaurants. Yes,
and that's well, that's another part of the ecosystem. That's exactly.
(09:22):
But I saw how small business people struggle. So you
add the fact that small business. Restaurant is a small business,
but then it's a special place for the community. And
then it's organic itself. You know, a restaurants not just
seven people or twenty two people working together. It's a
team and there's a chef and a Sioux chef, and
there's a major d and there's waiters and the waitresses,
(09:44):
and and you don't want to lose all that. You
lose it, you lose something spiritual almost. So I made
it a pledge that we were going to get this
done if I became majority leader. Let me give you
some good news here today. This is um. The SBA
today informed us that the first wave of restaurant applications
have been approved. Sixteen thousand awards worth two billion dollars
(10:08):
has been given out and the funds are going to
arrive as soon as today for those who have been approved.
And I say to your listeners, you don't have to
go through a bank. You can just call up the
SPA and they will help you. And if you need help,
you can call Tom's group, you can call my office.
I have this huge smile on my face. It's you
can't see this. You can, but the listeners won won't
(10:30):
be able to see this because this is is the
coination of a year's worth of work that the Independent
Restaurant Coalition did. And we were celebrating when the s
b A actually opened up the program for applications. The
idea that money is going out today is something that
I'm sure all of my colleagues that fought so hard
for this program, they're just gonna be just just over
the moon. Yes, Um, you know what happened in the
(10:51):
first bill when Trump was around, and frankly the Republicans,
they let all the big chains scoop up all the money.
They can't get it any more. It was originally twenty
five billion, and then I upped it. I you know,
was not in the House bill, it was not in
the President's bill. But my love for restaurants and my
love for my caring about the struggles of small businesses
(11:13):
combined said, um, this was a must do. I put it.
I said, I'm not going to put a bill on
the floor that doesn't have the Restaurants Act in it.
And I got to get your independent restaurant group such
credit you were you were, I don't know what how
you say the word indefatigable whatever. We must have talked
Hi and he is as a chef too. If we
(11:34):
didn't have the grass roots, we couldn't have got this
for giving me a lot of credit. And then there's
there was so many chefs restaurateurs across the country who
who had never reached out to elected officials, and it
was just great to watch body stuck. He was a
restaurantur in Colorado. He just was NonStop, would call everyone
(11:54):
um and just you know. They found that some of
the qualities that you have running a restaurant, especially in
the front of the house where you're making relationships. Yeah,
and you're that that that really paid off because they
understood how to how to figure out what people wanted,
what they needed. And so we had to tell a story.
Number one. We had a picture coverress understood the issues
that restaurants had, and we also had to get it
(12:14):
out there to the public. And we also, I gotta
say the press. They were also really instrumental because they
were allowing us to tell our stories. Right. And by
the way, that's another thing we did to him. We
made it nonpartisan. We didn't want it to so that
it actually the first amendment I put on the floor
of the Senate the power of the Majority Leader. One
of them is you determine what goes on the floor
of the Senate was a bye part is in bill
(12:36):
your bill. The Bypartisan Bill Restaurants Act passed by the
sponsors were cinema. She's a Democrat of Arizona, and Wicker
he's a Republican of Mississippi. And that was the first
bill we put on the floor, and it passed in
a big bipartisan vote, overwhelming. So that means if we
run out twenty eight billion in there will have a
(12:57):
very good chance and I will fight hard to get
it new. So let me that's where I wanted ahead
with this, because there's a good chance that it will
run out twenty eight point six billions. It's a it's
a big number, but we were asking for a hundred
and twenty billion, I believe the number for all restaurants.
So if you factor out some of the chains, I
think the number was about two hundred billion that we
(13:18):
were affecting. Our revenue was affected, but if you factor
out some of the big ones, it probably isn't about
a hundred and twenty billion. Um. We're sure of that. UM.
So we're pretty sure this is gonna going to run out.
We've done a bunch of town halls just to let
people know. I mean, we have members of our group
walking into restaurants in their community saying, do you know
about this? Apply and so, so what is the process
(13:39):
that we have to go through now to get the
revitalization fund plussed up? Well, when we get a little
when we get a little closer, I gave it a
few more weeks. Um, you should go do the same
thing you did before. I go to the Senator's Democrat
Republican from every corner of the country and say, there
are still many more restaurants that have applied that may
not get it if we don't knew it, and it
since it had such pularity, I think it has a
(14:01):
damn good chance. Again, is this a standalone vote, Well,
we'll have to design. You know, stand alone votes in
the Senator take a long time. So often get an
amendment to something we could hope, you know, I it's
too early to tell right now, when and what bill
we detach it to God one way or another. I'll
do everything I can to get it renewed, and we
(14:22):
don't have to make so far. And I don't know
what you've heard, Tom, but I've you know, I go
to restaurants all the time, and I've heard from the
people who are applying that's relatively easy. They're not making
them jump through hoops. So if restaurants who are listening
to this podcast haven't applied, please do So's any chefs
and restauranturs out there that haven't applied yet, you should
(14:44):
go to SPA dot gov and click on the Restaurant
and Vitalization Fund under COVID nineteen relief options. Also, if
you don't own a restaurant um you can't help putting
a call into your representatives, members of Congress, Senators and
let them know that you want to see the Restaurant
Vitalization Act plused up if the funding runs out, you
(15:04):
want to see more money in their applications. In the
first three days, came in from fifty states, fifty different states,
includes all the Blue ones and all the Red ones
and five territories as well. A lot of people out
there need help. We'll be back with more citizen chef
(15:24):
We're back. Independent Restaurant Coalition worked with the SPA to
actually stand up the program. Early on, you had to
have a SAM number and the d n B number.
They dropped that. That was really tumblings. My my director
of finance, who's uh you know a c p A
has been with me for twenty years. It took him
four hours to get those numbers and so they dropped
that um and and they made it easy. They really
(15:46):
listened to us, and so it was really great to
see government agency working with restaurants. Being Administrator Guzman, so
she's very open to suggestions onto how to make it easier. Yeah,
they were great to work with the processes is. It
was much easier than even P P P. So we
also renew the e r TC, the Revenue Tax Credit,
(16:07):
and that means that if you you can pay up
to seven you get a tax credit of up to
seventy percent of the first forty thousand of people's salary
who you didn't who you normally wouldn't be able to
keep on because of your lost revenues. So people should
look into that. That's in addition to the Restaurants Act.
You can do both. Yeah, that notice it has been
(16:30):
hard finding staff. And I'm not one of those who
believe that it's because they're more comfortable with unemployment. I
think a lot of a lot in our industry. I
think a lot of people left the industry. We had
a lot of career changes in our industry, and I
think they went back to their their careers. Also, a
lot of people started their own businesses. You know, they
had to make the pivot during COVID and they started
baking out of their homes and setting up small businesses.
And I think they've just decided that they'd rather work
(16:51):
for themselves, and so there are uh My understanding is
that there's a ton of new businesses that have been
started over the last year, UM, and that trend will continue. UM. Also,
a lot of restaurant workers are afraid of coming back
because they're afraid they're only going to get one or
two shifts, and so they're not willing to give up
unemployment only to to to work, you know, one or
two shifts. Once we come back, fully many more people. Yeah,
(17:14):
I I believe that's the point. You know, once it's
clear that you know, the vast majority of us are vaccinated,
there are some people who don't want to come back
because they're worried about the COVID and that's understanding that
they are they are that's going to change over the
next few months, I think, right. And I think the
other important thing for people understand is there are a
lot of women in the industry that their kids are
home still and they can't go back to work because
(17:35):
they're they're taking care of their children. You know, we're
seeing all the tweets go out by the Republicans that
did not vote for for the stimulus package, and yet
they're sending tweets out saying, you know, if your restaurants
in my district, you know, go apply. We we got
to this program and we want you to take advantage
of it. And so that's all only good. And I've
seen that a lot of people are going after them
(17:56):
for taking credit. But I think now now they're on
record of saying that they did this, they they're gonna
have to plus this up. Let's I think they. I
think they paint themselves into a corner. And the big
problem will not be getting votes on this proposal, but
if it's on a must pass bill, because it's hard
to do it alone, that they don't vote against the
must pass bill, and they see I voted for this,
but the must build. You gotta vote for both teams.
(18:16):
You gotta get the you know, Fauci said something very smart.
He said, just having the vaccines on the shelf does
no good. You gotta getting people on. Just having the
money on the government shelves does no good. You gotta
get it into the restaurant tours hands right. You know,
I'm wondering, is this is this something where um this
revitalization fund? Is this a fund that could be used
(18:37):
for localized disasters where let's just say, like we saw
the storm in Texas where these restaurants are forced to
close for a period of time, that can be used
specifically for for targeting disasters as well. Well, it's for
this year, yes, but later. But here's something else. Your governors,
your state, your county leaders, mayors, all the local people
(18:58):
got money. And one of the specific fick uses of
the money is for disasters or particularly hard hit areas.
Let's let's say you know the street your restaurant is on.
The Restaurant Act will help your restaurant, but the street
needs to be revitalized, or you need to do advertising.
Come back to Elm Street. It's alive, it's happening. They
can use this money for that. So I would recommend
(19:18):
people talk to their local officials because there's money in
addition to encourage people to get back out to the restaurants.
They could even advertise come to all the restaurants on
main Street. These seven are open, right. Well, I listen,
things are changing. When you were in the restaurant last week,
it was pretty busy. Um, New York. Last month things
have been dramatically increased. And we love the Latta thank
(19:43):
you what it meant and I forgot it's a thank you.
So Lata is the town that my my father's family
is from. That's what I uh. It's about forty five
minutes northeast of Naples. It's an avellino um in Campanda.
But there, as it was in your restaurant. You know,
I've never been, my my brother's been. I've never been
south of Rome, so I need I need to get there.
(20:04):
But um, you've never been to Naples. No, no, no,
I've been. I've been to Sicily, but I've never been
to Naples. Yeah. I've noticed that I'm going out to
tables and everyone's seen. Everyone that's coming in seems to
be vaccinated. Um, we've got great news. I think today
that now children twelve to twelve to sixte get vaccinated,
and right now in New York and most states, but
(20:26):
certainly in New York, if you are now twelve or older,
you can just line up and get the vaccine. You
don't have to make an appointment. That a hundred questions
did you have diabetes? For sixteen and over? That's already
done and now it will go to twelve. Well, Senator Suar,
I just want to say thank you for joining us today.
I know this was again a year long process, starting
(20:47):
with a few phone calls the I r C was formed. Uh,
luckily we had people like a Blue Ban who wrote
the bill in the House and Senator Wicker in the Senate.
But um, I have to say the heavy lifting done
by you and your team because I know the conversations
that we had with with a lot of your team members. Um,
I have a great Stan gets a lot of credit
(21:08):
on John John does. I had some harsh words from
one afternoon with him on a call and uh not
not harsh, but you know we were we were, I
mean I was starting to feel desperate. It was a
day after we won Georgia and I was I was
just like, okay, we have this now, let's just tell
me what I want to hear. And he did. And
(21:29):
again you kept your promise, and so did you. Tom.
A lot of done without I r C and you,
so thank you, thank you, and we're a great team
and we'll keep working for our restaurants. And I'll tell
you one thing. You know, one of these great satisfactions
and this is where you to public officials and you beings.
I walked into a little restaurant, very small, in my
neighborhood in Brooklyn, and the proprietor said to me, Without you,
(21:52):
I would have closed. Thank you. Yeah. Well that's her,
and that's the four or five people who work for her,
and that's the neighborhood. The feeling, there's no better feeling
and satisfaction when you're ready to actually help somebody. Yeah, well, thanks,
thanks for putting online and like they say, thanks for
being in the arena. Um, I'd love to talk to
you again some aside from food about what we're gonna
(22:15):
do to keep the Senate and the strategy behind that,
because I think it's gonna be fascinating. Um. I know
that's it's so important to do that because we want
to keep what we have going. That's important to me too.
All right, good talking to you again. Yeah, take my
bye bye. Okay, thanks again to Senator Schumer for taking
(22:35):
the time to talk to us today. And um, now
I want to know what you're dreamy about once you
get your vaccination. For me, uh, live music was it. Um.
I can't wait to get to see a show. Obviously.
For me, seeing a full restaurant is something. I'm looking
forward to. A restaurant where that's noisy and bustling and
(22:57):
people seem just less trade, really looking forward to that. Also,
keep in mind, yes, the money is going to restaurant
urs to keep their doors open. But uh, you know
when you think about where you go to celebrate a graduation,
or you go on a first date, our anniversary or birthday,
(23:19):
um a place to go relax in the wine with
your friends and family, it's restaurants. You know. Restaurants are
the cornerstones of our communities. Also because we're opening late
and lights around, we keep communities and neighborhoods safe. Often
someone's first job is at a restaurant. If you are
recently released from being incarcerated, restaurants will typically hire you.
It's one place you can get a second chance. This
(23:41):
in our industry is UH is here for so many reasons,
and so this this is why this bill is important.
If you don't own a restaurant and you think that
the funding should be there, um, you can make sure
that you are part of the solution by calling your
member of Congress and let them know how important the
Restaurant Revitalization Act is and that you want to see
(24:02):
it plused up so it can continue to help people.
So please join us next week as we continue our
conversation about the intersection of food and politics and policy.
This time we're looking beyond the pandemic to the many,
many branches of the U. S d A with our guest,
Kathleen Merrigan. Citizen Chef was executive produced by Christopher Haciotas
(24:24):
and produced by Gariel Collins. Our researcher and writer is
Lillian Holman and is always a very special thank you
to a place at the table. Citizen Chef is a
production of I Heart Radio. For more podcast my Heart Radio,
visit the i Heart Radio app. Apple podcasts are anywhere
you listen to your favorite shows. Assssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Citizen Chef is a production of I Heart Radio. You know,
I spent a lot of time talking to members of Congress,
and I really believe there are a lot of people
there that that are there for the right reasons. They're
there to help people. And to me, this was democracy
in action. This was a problem. You had people that
got together. They effectively lobby, and that's not a bad word,
lobby government for help. And it worked. And so for me,
(00:22):
this is this is watching democracy really work and and
and it all happened because of democracy in Georgia as well.
Don't give away my punchline. Hello and welcome to season
two of Citizen Chef. I'm your host, Tom Polikio. You
may know me from Top Chefs or my restaurants are
I'm hoping for this podcast. Since we last spoke, however,
(00:46):
the role has been most near and dear in my heart.
What I've been playing for the last year is lobbyist. Yes,
I know, lobbyists can sometimes be considered a dirty word,
frequently associated with sort of industries occurring for ever in Washington,
I get it. But for me, years ago, I was
a co founder of Food Policy Action. We published a
(01:06):
scorecard and we grated a Congress on how he voted
around food issues, which brought me frequently to the hill
UM and I was lobbying them, But I was lobbying
on behalf of people who were in need of food.
I was lobbying around issues around accessibility and affordability of
of food and other other farming issues as well. I
was unpaid registered lobbyist UM and still am. But over
the last year I have been working with the Independent
(01:28):
Restaurant Coalition to lobby our government for directed relief for restaurants.
As you all know, restaurants were probably the most affected
by the COVID pandemic. The only thing I was going
to help and that it wasn't a go funding page,
and it certainly wasn't bake sales. And we needed the
federal government to never want to understand the scope and
(01:49):
scale of the problem and and then to understand that
we needed direct relief, which we did. We got it.
It took a year's worth of work, and it took
a bunch of people, chefs and restaurant hers across the
country that that banned together and just were relentless in
making sure that government understood our needs. Chefs that had
(02:10):
never called on a member of Congress. What they were relentless,
not only calling members of Congress in their district or
their state, but anyone else they can get in touch with.
It was it was great to see. Really, I mean,
for me, it was really democracy in action. It was
a fight. And there were other organizations without naming them
that sometimes gotten. The way is it was tough. All
(02:32):
bloom Nowers a Member of Commerce from Portland area in Oregon,
and he wrote the bill in the House right away,
and he was actually already working on this. Who was
some local restaurants in Portland. One of our members from Mississippi,
Robert st. John, who ended up writing the bill for
the Senate, and that was also supported heavily by Kirsty
Cinema from Arizona, as well as so many other people.
(02:53):
Hory Booker supported, Christian Jillys, Jim McGovern, Rose at DO, Laura,
Shelly Pingry. These are all people who I've worked with
in the past on food policy um. But they were
all very supportive, as well as about two hundred plus
House members and over fifty members in the Senates. This
was truly bipartisan, and of course Speaker Pelosi had her
hand in this. Um, the Lasquas who runs the Small
(03:14):
Business Association. Uh, so many people really put an instrumental role.
But when things looked really bad. Um, you know, when
when President Biden was elected, we were not included in
his stimulus package. The night of the Georgia election, when
Senator Schumer became the leader of the Senate, we reached
out to very quickly and he made promises that we
would be included in that package. And he kept his promise.
(03:36):
We received some funding twenty point six billion dollars. Uh,
it's a lot of money. It's a little short of
what we're asking for. As of today, I believe the
sp A has already processed well over hundred thousand applications.
And also restaurants that do fewer than five thousand dollars
fee than a half million dollars. There's a separate fund
for them of five billion dollars. So we're taking care
(03:57):
of a lot of people here. Um. Senator Schumer kept
his promise. So without further ado, I just want to
say thank you Senator Schumer, and welcome to Citizen Chef.
How are you good? Number one? Thanks for for agreeing
to appear on Citizen chef. This is our our second season.
This this episode is really focusing on restaurant Acts, Restaurant
(04:18):
Revitization Act. Uh, it's such an important role that you
played in getting this past and and part of the
stimulus package. Um. Our listeners may or may not know. Um,
the Restaurant Act was not part of President Biden's original
stimulus package. I've said this publicly before. But you made
a promise to me that it was going to be
in there, and you kept your promise. And as I
was a majority leader, I was going to do it,
(04:39):
and so you did. It's in there, and so far
it's been it's been a huge success. Um. What do
you think would have happened if we didn't take Georgia?
We didn't take Georgia that you know, here was the problem.
As you know, Tom, restaurants had unique problems, more problems
than any other small business because that's where people with
the buness is that had the worst trouble in COVID
(05:01):
where people gathered together, and so many restaurants were closed,
so many restaurants, even when they were open, they could
only have twenty five or ten percent of capacity. And
then of course for New York when it was winter,
people didn't want to eat outside very much. Though restaurants
suffered more than anyone else. And you and I have
to give you and the groups you put together real credit.
(05:23):
You guys came to me and said we are unique.
And I said to Tom, you gotta put together a
whole national network, which you did, and there were restauranturs
all over the country who got involved. And I promised,
if I became majority leader, we would do this special
assistance for restaurants. And the program is really much better
than the p p P some some of the issues
(05:45):
you're actually some of the issues with p p P.
P PP was fine if you were a business, a
small business that maybe saw impact on your bottom line.
Maybe you laid off a handful of workers, so you
were able to bring those workers back, pay them through
p p P, pay your rent and then essentially uh
lower your cost and so you did okay. But if
you were shuttered, if you were closed, like well restaurants were,
(06:08):
it really didn't help at all. Right, so this is
a much more generous program. Um you just do you
calculate your revenues you lost between right, it's the difference
between revenue and twenties revenue UH minus any p p
p UM. A restaurant can get up to two million dollars,
(06:29):
but restaurant groups are kept at ten million. You don't
have to deduct if you got an IDOL grant, you
don't have to deduct it. The earned at tax credit
you know where you get paid that didn't get deducted.
And here's first, we made it sure that it wasn't
just a restaurant per se, but it went to caterers
and brew pubs and tap rooms and tasting rooms, all okay.
(06:51):
And we also made it very broad. The p p
P was very limited in what you could do, and
if you didn't, if you had a higher rent, you
were because the first BPP said the only fifty percent
of your costs could go to UH employees and rents
were so okay. So now it just as very broad.
And I'll give I'm gonna list all the things here
(07:11):
I have it. Not only it can include rent, utilities, mortgage,
maintenance supplies, equipment, cleaning materials, food, operational expenses, supplier costs,
um um. All of that can be included. You know what,
when when we when we we made sure that that
was there for a reason when we made the claim
(07:32):
of how big of a problem uh, having restaurants closed
the impact that it wasn't just the impact of the
people who worked in restaurants, but it was the entire ecosystem.
It was all the suppliers. And so without having that
money flow through to pay for suppliers, you weren't. You
can keep that that that that that eco ecosystem intact,
more New Yorkers lost jobs who worked in restaurants than
(07:52):
any other category. So first it's just unemployed people left.
And second, all the suppliers and everybody else would told
we stuck back all the way to the agricultural eco system.
And third, and this is what you know. Restaurants provide
us not just in New York but everywhere, but especially
in New York. We have the best restaurants. In my
(08:14):
humble looking, you identify you want to live in a
neighborhood because of restaurants. You identify with communities. Because of restaurants.
People have made their friends, their partners, their plans. It's
a sense of community, it's a common bond over shared food. Listen.
Senator Schumer was such a great ally for this bill
because he really understands that this isn't a ballout. This
(08:36):
is a heartfelt effort to preserve one of our vital ecosystems. Uh.
This is about people's livelihoods. It's it's about preserving the
true source of joy for a lot of people, and
it's really about keeping communities together and safe. We'll be
back with more. Citizen Chef Tom Colochio and I'm talking
(08:58):
with Sender Schubert are about a path ahead as the
restaurant industry attempts to fall back the losses from the pandemic.
I care about small business people, as you know, Tom,
I'll tell your listeners my dad had the opposite of
a restaurant. Restaurants bring things to life. We'll use an
exterminator terrible business, so we need him in restaurants. Yes,
and that's well, that's another part of the ecosystem. That's exactly.
(09:22):
But I saw how small business people struggle. So you
add the fact that small business. Restaurant is a small business,
but then it's a special place for the community. And
then it's organic itself. You know, a restaurants not just
seven people or twenty two people working together. It's a
team and there's a chef and a Sioux chef, and
there's a major d and there's waiters and the waitresses,
(09:44):
and and you don't want to lose all that. You
lose it, you lose something spiritual almost. So I made
it a pledge that we were going to get this
done if I became majority leader. Let me give you
some good news here today. This is um. The SBA
today informed us that the first wave of restaurant applications
have been approved. Sixteen thousand awards worth two billion dollars
(10:08):
has been given out and the funds are going to
arrive as soon as today for those who have been approved.
And I say to your listeners, you don't have to
go through a bank. You can just call up the
SPA and they will help you. And if you need help,
you can call Tom's group, you can call my office.
I have this huge smile on my face. It's you
can't see this. You can, but the listeners won won't
(10:30):
be able to see this because this is is the
coination of a year's worth of work that the Independent
Restaurant Coalition did. And we were celebrating when the s
b A actually opened up the program for applications. The
idea that money is going out today is something that
I'm sure all of my colleagues that fought so hard
for this program, they're just gonna be just just over
the moon. Yes, Um, you know what happened in the
(10:51):
first bill when Trump was around, and frankly the Republicans,
they let all the big chains scoop up all the money.
They can't get it any more. It was originally twenty
five billion, and then I upped it. I you know,
was not in the House bill, it was not in
the President's bill. But my love for restaurants and my
love for my caring about the struggles of small businesses
(11:13):
combined said, um, this was a must do. I put it.
I said, I'm not going to put a bill on
the floor that doesn't have the Restaurants Act in it.
And I got to get your independent restaurant group such
credit you were you were, I don't know what how
you say the word indefatigable whatever. We must have talked
Hi and he is as a chef too. If we
(11:34):
didn't have the grass roots, we couldn't have got this
for giving me a lot of credit. And then there's
there was so many chefs restaurateurs across the country who
who had never reached out to elected officials, and it
was just great to watch body stuck. He was a
restaurantur in Colorado. He just was NonStop, would call everyone
(11:54):
um and just you know. They found that some of
the qualities that you have running a restaurant, especially in
the front of the house where you're making relationships. Yeah,
and you're that that that really paid off because they
understood how to how to figure out what people wanted,
what they needed. And so we had to tell a story.
Number one. We had a picture coverress understood the issues
that restaurants had, and we also had to get it
(12:14):
out there to the public. And we also, I gotta
say the press. They were also really instrumental because they
were allowing us to tell our stories. Right. And by
the way, that's another thing we did to him. We
made it nonpartisan. We didn't want it to so that
it actually the first amendment I put on the floor
of the Senate the power of the Majority Leader. One
of them is you determine what goes on the floor
of the Senate was a bye part is in bill
(12:36):
your bill. The Bypartisan Bill Restaurants Act passed by the
sponsors were cinema. She's a Democrat of Arizona, and Wicker
he's a Republican of Mississippi. And that was the first
bill we put on the floor, and it passed in
a big bipartisan vote, overwhelming. So that means if we
run out twenty eight billion in there will have a
(12:57):
very good chance and I will fight hard to get
it new. So let me that's where I wanted ahead
with this, because there's a good chance that it will
run out twenty eight point six billions. It's a it's
a big number, but we were asking for a hundred
and twenty billion, I believe the number for all restaurants.
So if you factor out some of the chains, I
think the number was about two hundred billion that we
(13:18):
were affecting. Our revenue was affected, but if you factor
out some of the big ones, it probably isn't about
a hundred and twenty billion. Um. We're sure of that. UM.
So we're pretty sure this is gonna going to run out.
We've done a bunch of town halls just to let
people know. I mean, we have members of our group
walking into restaurants in their community saying, do you know
about this? Apply and so, so what is the process
(13:39):
that we have to go through now to get the
revitalization fund plussed up? Well, when we get a little
when we get a little closer, I gave it a
few more weeks. Um, you should go do the same
thing you did before. I go to the Senator's Democrat
Republican from every corner of the country and say, there
are still many more restaurants that have applied that may
not get it if we don't knew it, and it
since it had such pularity, I think it has a
(14:01):
damn good chance. Again, is this a standalone vote, Well,
we'll have to design. You know, stand alone votes in
the Senator take a long time. So often get an
amendment to something we could hope, you know, I it's
too early to tell right now, when and what bill
we detach it to God one way or another. I'll
do everything I can to get it renewed, and we
(14:22):
don't have to make so far. And I don't know
what you've heard, Tom, but I've you know, I go
to restaurants all the time, and I've heard from the
people who are applying that's relatively easy. They're not making
them jump through hoops. So if restaurants who are listening
to this podcast haven't applied, please do So's any chefs
and restauranturs out there that haven't applied yet, you should
(14:44):
go to SPA dot gov and click on the Restaurant
and Vitalization Fund under COVID nineteen relief options. Also, if
you don't own a restaurant um you can't help putting
a call into your representatives, members of Congress, Senators and
let them know that you want to see the Restaurant
Vitalization Act plused up if the funding runs out, you
(15:04):
want to see more money in their applications. In the
first three days, came in from fifty states, fifty different states,
includes all the Blue ones and all the Red ones
and five territories as well. A lot of people out
there need help. We'll be back with more citizen chef
(15:24):
We're back. Independent Restaurant Coalition worked with the SPA to
actually stand up the program. Early on, you had to
have a SAM number and the d n B number.
They dropped that. That was really tumblings. My my director
of finance, who's uh you know a c p A
has been with me for twenty years. It took him
four hours to get those numbers and so they dropped
that um and and they made it easy. They really
(15:46):
listened to us, and so it was really great to
see government agency working with restaurants. Being Administrator Guzman, so
she's very open to suggestions onto how to make it easier. Yeah,
they were great to work with the processes is. It
was much easier than even P P P. So we
also renew the e r TC, the Revenue Tax Credit,
(16:07):
and that means that if you you can pay up
to seven you get a tax credit of up to
seventy percent of the first forty thousand of people's salary
who you didn't who you normally wouldn't be able to
keep on because of your lost revenues. So people should
look into that. That's in addition to the Restaurants Act.
You can do both. Yeah, that notice it has been
(16:30):
hard finding staff. And I'm not one of those who
believe that it's because they're more comfortable with unemployment. I
think a lot of a lot in our industry. I
think a lot of people left the industry. We had
a lot of career changes in our industry, and I
think they went back to their their careers. Also, a
lot of people started their own businesses. You know, they
had to make the pivot during COVID and they started
baking out of their homes and setting up small businesses.
And I think they've just decided that they'd rather work
(16:51):
for themselves, and so there are uh My understanding is
that there's a ton of new businesses that have been
started over the last year, UM, and that trend will continue. UM. Also,
a lot of restaurant workers are afraid of coming back
because they're afraid they're only going to get one or
two shifts, and so they're not willing to give up
unemployment only to to to work, you know, one or
two shifts. Once we come back, fully many more people. Yeah,
(17:14):
I I believe that's the point. You know, once it's
clear that you know, the vast majority of us are vaccinated,
there are some people who don't want to come back
because they're worried about the COVID and that's understanding that
they are they are that's going to change over the
next few months, I think, right. And I think the
other important thing for people understand is there are a
lot of women in the industry that their kids are
home still and they can't go back to work because
(17:35):
they're they're taking care of their children. You know, we're
seeing all the tweets go out by the Republicans that
did not vote for for the stimulus package, and yet
they're sending tweets out saying, you know, if your restaurants
in my district, you know, go apply. We we got
to this program and we want you to take advantage
of it. And so that's all only good. And I've
seen that a lot of people are going after them
(17:56):
for taking credit. But I think now now they're on
record of saying that they did this, they they're gonna
have to plus this up. Let's I think they. I
think they paint themselves into a corner. And the big
problem will not be getting votes on this proposal, but
if it's on a must pass bill, because it's hard
to do it alone, that they don't vote against the
must pass bill, and they see I voted for this,
but the must build. You gotta vote for both teams.
(18:16):
You gotta get the you know, Fauci said something very smart.
He said, just having the vaccines on the shelf does
no good. You gotta getting people on. Just having the
money on the government shelves does no good. You gotta
get it into the restaurant tours hands right. You know,
I'm wondering, is this is this something where um this
revitalization fund? Is this a fund that could be used
(18:37):
for localized disasters where let's just say, like we saw
the storm in Texas where these restaurants are forced to
close for a period of time, that can be used
specifically for for targeting disasters as well. Well, it's for
this year, yes, but later. But here's something else. Your governors,
your state, your county leaders, mayors, all the local people
(18:58):
got money. And one of the specific fick uses of
the money is for disasters or particularly hard hit areas.
Let's let's say you know the street your restaurant is on.
The Restaurant Act will help your restaurant, but the street
needs to be revitalized, or you need to do advertising.
Come back to Elm Street. It's alive, it's happening. They
can use this money for that. So I would recommend
(19:18):
people talk to their local officials because there's money in
addition to encourage people to get back out to the restaurants.
They could even advertise come to all the restaurants on
main Street. These seven are open, right. Well, I listen,
things are changing. When you were in the restaurant last week,
it was pretty busy. Um, New York. Last month things
have been dramatically increased. And we love the Latta thank
(19:43):
you what it meant and I forgot it's a thank you.
So Lata is the town that my my father's family
is from. That's what I uh. It's about forty five
minutes northeast of Naples. It's an avellino um in Campanda.
But there, as it was in your restaurant. You know,
I've never been, my my brother's been. I've never been
south of Rome, so I need I need to get there.
(20:04):
But um, you've never been to Naples. No, no, no,
I've been. I've been to Sicily, but I've never been
to Naples. Yeah. I've noticed that I'm going out to
tables and everyone's seen. Everyone that's coming in seems to
be vaccinated. Um, we've got great news. I think today
that now children twelve to twelve to sixte get vaccinated,
and right now in New York and most states, but
(20:26):
certainly in New York, if you are now twelve or older,
you can just line up and get the vaccine. You
don't have to make an appointment. That a hundred questions
did you have diabetes? For sixteen and over? That's already
done and now it will go to twelve. Well, Senator Suar,
I just want to say thank you for joining us today.
I know this was again a year long process, starting
(20:47):
with a few phone calls the I r C was formed. Uh,
luckily we had people like a Blue Ban who wrote
the bill in the House and Senator Wicker in the Senate.
But um, I have to say the heavy lifting done
by you and your team because I know the conversations
that we had with with a lot of your team members. Um,
I have a great Stan gets a lot of credit
(21:08):
on John John does. I had some harsh words from
one afternoon with him on a call and uh not
not harsh, but you know we were we were, I
mean I was starting to feel desperate. It was a
day after we won Georgia and I was I was
just like, okay, we have this now, let's just tell
me what I want to hear. And he did. And
(21:29):
again you kept your promise, and so did you. Tom.
A lot of done without I r C and you,
so thank you, thank you, and we're a great team
and we'll keep working for our restaurants. And I'll tell
you one thing. You know, one of these great satisfactions
and this is where you to public officials and you beings.
I walked into a little restaurant, very small, in my
neighborhood in Brooklyn, and the proprietor said to me, Without you,
(21:52):
I would have closed. Thank you. Yeah. Well that's her,
and that's the four or five people who work for her,
and that's the neighborhood. The feeling, there's no better feeling
and satisfaction when you're ready to actually help somebody. Yeah, well, thanks,
thanks for putting online and like they say, thanks for
being in the arena. Um, I'd love to talk to
you again some aside from food about what we're gonna
(22:15):
do to keep the Senate and the strategy behind that,
because I think it's gonna be fascinating. Um. I know
that's it's so important to do that because we want
to keep what we have going. That's important to me too.
All right, good talking to you again. Yeah, take my
bye bye. Okay, thanks again to Senator Schumer for taking
(22:35):
the time to talk to us today. And um, now
I want to know what you're dreamy about once you
get your vaccination. For me, uh, live music was it. Um.
I can't wait to get to see a show. Obviously.
For me, seeing a full restaurant is something. I'm looking
forward to. A restaurant where that's noisy and bustling and
(22:57):
people seem just less trade, really looking forward to that. Also,
keep in mind, yes, the money is going to restaurant
urs to keep their doors open. But uh, you know
when you think about where you go to celebrate a graduation,
or you go on a first date, our anniversary or birthday,
(23:19):
um a place to go relax in the wine with
your friends and family, it's restaurants. You know. Restaurants are
the cornerstones of our communities. Also because we're opening late
and lights around, we keep communities and neighborhoods safe. Often
someone's first job is at a restaurant. If you are
recently released from being incarcerated, restaurants will typically hire you.
It's one place you can get a second chance. This
(23:41):
in our industry is UH is here for so many reasons,
and so this this is why this bill is important.
If you don't own a restaurant and you think that
the funding should be there, um, you can make sure
that you are part of the solution by calling your
member of Congress and let them know how important the
Restaurant Revitalization Act is and that you want to see
(24:02):
it plused up so it can continue to help people.
So please join us next week as we continue our
conversation about the intersection of food and politics and policy.
This time we're looking beyond the pandemic to the many,
many branches of the U. S d A with our guest,
Kathleen Merrigan. Citizen Chef was executive produced by Christopher Haciotas
(24:24):
and produced by Gariel Collins. Our researcher and writer is
Lillian Holman and is always a very special thank you
to a place at the table. Citizen Chef is a
production of I Heart Radio. For more podcast my Heart Radio,
visit the i Heart Radio app. Apple podcasts are anywhere
you listen to your favorite shows. Assssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
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