Clockwisefromtopleft:
ShaneDeliapreparing
foodathisrestaurant,
MahainMelbourne;the
emptydiningroomat
Pilot,Canberra;Attica
at Home classics meal.“Arestaurantbelongstothecommunity,andpartofbeing
ina communityis takingcareofpeoplewhoarelessprivileged.
There’sa lotofneedforthatrightnow.Sadlythatneedwill
probablygoonforeverbecauseweseemtobeableto,inthis
incrediblyluckycountry,leavea lotofpeoplebehind.”
Shewryagreesit’sa mantleallrestaurateursshouldbe
lookingtoassume.“Itdoesn’ttakemuch.There’slotsofsmall
waysthatbusinessescanimpactcommunitiespositively,and
I thinkbusinessesshouldbelookingforthoseways.”
Whiletheindustrylookssettoenduremanymoremonths
ofuncertainty,restrictionsandlimitedtourismincome,Attica’s
frontmanremainshopeful.
“I feela senseoffreedomandopportunity,”hesays.“When
everyone’sfightingtosurvive,andthenyousurvive,it’svery
empowering.We’velearneda lotfromCovid,andwecan’twait
tobringthatspiritintothediningroom when we reopen. It’s
going to be an exciting time.”●“I’dlike tosee takingcreditcards details
withreservationsbecomethenorm.The
damage we see from no-shows is huge.”GOURMET TRAVELLER 53