Airing between regular episodes of the VinePair Podcast, “Covid-19 Conversations” takes an inside look at how the coronavirus crisis is impacting all areas of the alcohol business.
In this installment of “Covid-19 Conversations,” VinePair podcast co-host Zach Geballe interviews Hanna Raskin, food editor and chief critic for the Charleston Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C., who tackles the challenging topic of restaurant reopenings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Raskin describes South Carolina’s reopening plans, which took place without the enforcement of definitive laws and left restaurants to navigate uncharted territory on their own or on a peer-to-peer basis. She offers advice to consumers on taking extra care not to put themselves, nor hospitality workers, at risk. As she has written, her aim is to educate consumers on the importance of being cautious during the reopening phase.
Additionally, Raskin laments the permanent closures of notable restaurants, and speaks about cultural components of Charleston’s food scene like “Three O’Clock Dinner.” She encourages listeners to celebrate Lowcountry cuisine for which Charleston is known, from crab cakes to red rice, and points to cooking demonstrations by local catering group Carolimas for an authentic look at home-cooking traditions.
Looking forward, Raskin anticipates the survival of extremes in the restaurant industry: fast-casual on one side, and fine-dining on the other.
