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'Back of House' Supports Food Service Workers

Kris Fulton, owner of Sophomore Coffee, creates a unique drink using fire, herbs, and of course, coffee. Credit: J.M. Giordano
Kris Fulton, owner of Sophomore Coffee, creates a unique drink using fire, herbs, and of course, coffee. Credit: J.M. Giordano

Restaurant workers took a huge hit during the pandemic. The comeback is steady … but slow. Now a special cookbook, called ‘Back of House,’ is dedicated to them, and to raising funds to lighten their hardships.

Photographer J.M. Giordano tells why he chose to depict the ‘behind the scenes’ hustle in gripping black-and-white. And editor Jess Mayhugh explains what’s behind the title, and why the project is an ode to those who labor at all places in a restaurant.

"It’s sort of this ironic idea of people in the front of the line being back of house. You know they didn’t get to work from home, they didn’t get to take time off, you know they were just always working and these photos and these recipes really portray that."

Links: Purchase 'Back of House' here. All proceeds go to the Baltimore Restaurant Relief Fund.

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.
Melissa Gerr is a Senior Producer for On the Record. She started in public media at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minn., where she is from, and then worked as a field producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. She made the jump to audio-lover in Baltimore as a digital media editor at Mid-Atlantic Media and Laureate Education, Inc. and as a field producer for "Out of the Blocks." Her beat is typically the off-beat with an emphasis on science, culture and things that make you say, 'Wait, what?'