To help restaurants recover from the harsh economic realities of the pandemic and provide a family-fun outing for residents, Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Town Board announce that Foodie Week – a unique opportunity for dining establishments to showcase their world-class culinary hotspots – will take place from December 5th to December 12th. This week-long extravaganza will highlight the finest culinary creations local chefs, bakers, and artisans have to offer. The announcement was made at Butera’s Restaurant of Woodbury, who will participate in Foodie Week and serve as this year’s Restaurant Sponsor.
Supervisor Saladino stated, “This unique opportunity offers local dining establishments a chance to showcase their world-class culinary hotspots, and highlights the finest culinary creations local chefs, bakers and artisans have to offer. We hope the return of Foodie Week will continue to positively impact your business while providing diners with fabulously unique dishes that truly stand alone on their own merits and don’t need to be purchased in a discounted, multi-course meal-deal. Restaurants are vital to our downtowns and crucial to our local economy. Let’s do our part by supporting them at a time when they need it the most.”
Consistent with well-known New York City standards for similar restaurant promotions, a Long Island Food Critic panel will curate all participating restaurants and will evaluate them based on the same set of criteria to help ensure that restaurants are of a similar caliber. While there is no charge for dining establishments located in the Town of Oyster Bay to participate, restaurateurs must apply online at www.FoodieWeek.com or call (631) 982-1600. A full list of participating venues and events will also be listed on the website.
Supervisor Saladino also announced that the Town of Oyster Bay will continue its efforts in helping the restaurant industry get back on its feet by expanding outdoor dining through 2022. This expanded outdoor dining initiative will greatly assist the food service industry at a time in which they need it the most. Earlier this year, the National Restaurant Association indicated that nearly 100,000 restaurants nationwide have closed as a result of the pandemic, even despite government-funded financial assistance.
“We have worked tirelessly since this pandemic began to help location businesses come back safely and efficiently,” Supervisor Saladino said. “We cut the red tape, permitted for new outdoor options for restaurant patrons and helped restaurant owners reopen safely and successfully. We are pleased to continue with that effort, and will invite restaurants to extend their outdoor dining services through 2022. This way, restaurant owners will be able to use all of the investments they made this year on outside tents, heaters and covers into and throughout next year.”
Visit www.FoodieWeek.com for more information.