'Serving Up Change' series

How Toronto restaurants and communities are getting back to business

Image | cafeTO sponsorship series

Caption: (CBC)

The pandemic has hit small businesses hard, leaving the restaurant industry badly bruised. But as patios open up and things begin to feel cautiously optimistic, what happens next?
CBC Toronto's Serving Up Change series is about the power of community. How residents are supporting local businesses and how in some cases, those businesses are repaying the debt and helping those in need.
In community partnership with the City of Toronto and its CaféTO program, this Communications-led series will tell stories from five regions of Toronto. See how restaurant owners, real people, are getting back to business and what change could look like.

Image | Jane Jhung

Caption: Jane Jhung manages her family business, LeeNamJang, which first opened its doors in 1986. It moved to its current North York address in 2010. (Jennifer Williams/CBC)

Image | letters of support

Caption: Flame Food+Design restaurant features a wall of handwritten notes. The messages convey the heartfelt love and support from patrons. Like many neighbourhoods in Toronto, the Bloor West Village community has rallied behind its restaurants throughout Covid. (Jennifer Williams/ CBC)

Image | Irem and Serhat Sacildi

Caption: İrem Sacakli and Serhat Sacildi, co-owners of Flame Food+Design in Bloor West Village. (Jennifer Williams/ CBC)