Beyond rising food costs, chefs and restaurants are increasingly having to grapple with the realities of a world that wants them to do more with less. Working conditions, and the way that chefs behave toward their staffs, are inextricably connected to how much guests pay for experiences in restaurants. The most expensive restaurants can afford to keep margins high, but what about the mid-tier, everyday restaurants that can’t get above the $30-$40 entree price point? Is a restaurant’s community and clientele prepared to pay more and understand why?

Until we look deeply at these questions of the valuation and monetization of our product, we cannot fully understand the future of the restaurant’s financial resilience and workplace culture. From new ways to manage tables and reservations, to issues around paying employees good wages and benefits, chefs need a better support system to collaborate and share advice on these important issues.

Join KCRW’s Evan Kleiman and others as they discuss the evolving ecosystem behind restaurant models and how chefs are working to resolve these issues.