GET BY IN THESE CHALLENGING
TIMES.
NBC’S JOE FRYER TALKED TO BOTH
OF THEM.
>> IT’S TAKEN ME TEN YEARS TO
BUILD THESE THREE RESTAURANTS
AND IT TOOK A MATTER OF A WEEK
FOR IT ALL TO BE TORN DOWN.
>> Reporter: IT IS A RAW, REAL
LOOK AT THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
DURING UNREAL TIMES.
>> I HOPE WE GET OUT OF THIS
STRONGER.
I KEEP CONVINCING MYSELF THAT WE
WILL.
BUT IT’S FRIGHTENING.
>> Reporter: "RESTAURANT HUSTLE
2020 ALL ON THE LINE" IS A NEW
DOCUMENTARY THAT FOLLOWS FOUR
CHEFS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN
THEIR OWN WORDS.
>> WHAT IF THIS IS THE YEAR THAT
CHANGES THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
>> Reporter: THEIR HONEST
EMOTIONS.
>> I CAN’T SEE MY GRANDKIDS.
>> Reporter: AS THE COVID
PANDEMIC UPENDS THAT IF
INDUSTRY.
>> WE HAD TO LAYOFF THE MANAGERS
AND THE REST OF THE REMAINING
TEAM.
>> YOU’RE ON A SINKING SHIP BUT
ASKING SOMEBODY TO TAKE JOURNAL
NOTES AS TO WHAT IT FELT LIKE
WHEN THIS WENT DOWN.
>> Reporter: GUY FIERI TEAMED
WITH THE FOOD NETWORK AND
ENLISTED HIS CULINARY COLLEAGUES
LIKE MARCUS SAMUELSON TO
DOCUMENT THE UNPRECEDENTED
CHALLENGES THAT HAVE CAUSED ONE
IN SIX RESTAURANTS TO GO OUT OF
BUSINESS.
>> IT WAS A VERY TRYING TIME TO
LISTEN TO YOUR FRIENDS THAT YOU
LOVE AND RESPECT AND SEE THEM GO
THROUGH THIS UP AND DOWN THAT
YOU COULDN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
>> WITH GUY’S TEAM, WE FIGURED
OUT HOW TO TELL A RAW,
AUTHENTIC, HONEST STORY.
THIS WAS NOT FOUR-STAR CHEFS
COMING INTO THE RESTAURANT.
>> YOU PROBABLY HAD ENOUGH ON
YOUR PLATE AS IT WAS THIS YEAR.
WHERE DID YOU WANT TO TAKE PART
IN THIS DOCUMENTARY?
>> I’M PART OF A COMMUNITY AND
WE NEEDED TO SHARE THIS.
>> WE’RE OFF TO BRIDGEPORT
HOSPITAL, GETTING TONS OF PIES
TO SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN REALLY
USE A PROPER MORALE BOOST.
>> Reporter: BEING PART OF THAT
COMMUNITY MEANT SUPPORTING
FRONTLINE WORKERS.
>> THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU
GUYS DO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, OKAY?
YOU GUYS ALL STAY SAFE.
>> Reporter: AND THEIR NEIGHBORS
IN NEED.
>> WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: AND IN TURN, THE
EVERYDAY PERSON ORDERING FROM
THEIR FAVORITE LOCALLY OWNED
RESTAURANT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
ORDERING TODAY.
>> OF COURSE.
>> UNDER THIS MASK THERE IS A
BIG SMILE, I PROMISE YOU.
>> Reporter: TO KEEP THOSE
BELOVED PLACES IN BUSINESS.
>> THOSE TICKETS, THAT PAYS THE
UTILITIES FOR A MONTH.
EACH TICKET WILL PAY FOR A
LITTLE BIT OF THE WATER BILL, A
LITTLE BIT OF THE GAS BILL, A
LITTLE BIT OF THE ELECTRICITY
BILL.
>> WE ALL COLLECTIVELY NEED
SOMETHING THIS YEAR, IS TO COME
TOGETHER.
WE AS CHEFS TOGETHER WITH GUY’S
TEAM CAN SHOW AS A COUNTRY LET’S
COME TOGETHER.
IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING REPUBLICAN,
IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING A DEMOCRAT.
STOP.
WE’RE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS.
WE HAVE TO HEAL AND WE NEED EACH
OTHER.
>> WE HAVE A VACCINE NOW, BUT
FOR RESTAURANTS THERE IS STILL A
VERY LONG ROAD AHEAD, ISN’T
THERE?
>> IT’S GOING TO BE HOW DO WE
REBUILD.
AND WE DON’T KNOW WHAT A
RESTAURANT 2021, ’22 IS GOING TO
LOOK LIKE.
MANY HABITS OF THE CUSTOMERS
HAVE ALREADY CHANGED.
THE MODEL OF THE RESTAURANT HAS
TO ALSO CHANGE.
>> Reporter: GUY FIERI HELPED
RAISE $2 MILLION2 MILLION FOR WO
THE RESTAURANT HELPING TO HELP
UNTIL THEIR RESTAURANTS CAN ALL
REACH FULL CAPACITY AGAIN.
>> WE WILL BEAT THESE SITUATIONS
AND PREVAIL THROUGH THEM
UNIFIED.
DIVIDED THE EFFICIENCY GOES DOWN
NOT BY 50%, IT GOES DOWN
EXPONENTIALLY.
UNIFICATION, SUPPORTING ONE
ANOTHER, TACKLING ISSUES HEAD
ON, RESOLVING THEM, THAT’S WHAT
WE NEED TO BE DOING.
>> Reporter: FOR "TODAY," JOE
FRYER, NBC NEWS.
>> REALLY BRINGS THIS ISSUE INTO
FOCUS.
MORE THAN 2 MILLION RESTAURANT
INDUSTRY JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST N
SOME CASES THESE MOM-AND-POP
RESTAURANTS JUST AREN’T GOING TO
COME BACK.
>> $130 BILLION IN REVENUE GONE.
YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE A POINT.
THESE ARE SPOTS THAT WE LOVE BUT
YOU FORGET SOMETIMES HOW MANY LIVELIHOODS ARE TIED TO THESE
LIVELIHOODS ARE TIED TO THESE
RESTAURANTS DIRECTLY AND
INDIRECTLY.
SO "RESTAURANT HUSTLE 2020 ALL
ON THE LINE" PREMIERES THIS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27th, OVER ON
THE FOOD NETWORK.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE FILM