Chef Sid Sahrawat with his wife Chand worked relentlessly finding ways to operate at different alert levels. Photo / Dean Purcell.
Chef Sid Sahrawat with his wife Chand worked relentlessly finding ways to operate at different alert levels. Photo / Dean Purcell.
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the first thought for Auckland restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat was saving the jobs of their 65 employees.
During lockdown, the couple created recipes and videos for people to cook at home, developed takeaway options and recently launched a new operation selling bottled sauces andspices as a way to ensure business viability.
The couple who own Cassia, Sidart and Sid at the French Cafe, have been named winners of the Outstanding Community Spirit at the Restaurant Association's first Resilience Awards, or RaRa.
Sid Sahrawat said keeping his staff in employment was first and foremost in his mind during the pandemic. Photo / Dean Purcell.
The hospitality industry has been hard hit by the pandemic, and the awards were launched to recognise those who have gone above and beyond to keep their businesses going and staff employed.
The association estimates up to 540 restaurants may have closed and more than 9300 staff have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.
Association chief executive Marisa Bidois described the Sahrawats as a "formidable couple" who were "always looking for ways to drive the industry forward".
"As a face of the industry, Sid's willingness to step outside of the restaurant, to create recipes and video content to help people cook at home was a selfless act at a time when the stress of managing their own businesses was mounting daily," Bidois said.
Nick Honeyman and his team Paris Butter takes the RaRa outstanding innovation award. File photo / Doug Sherring.
Public relations consultant Jane Torrance who nominated the couple said she spoke daily with them on the days preceding, during and after the lockdowns.
"They worked relentlessly on the business to mitigate the financial impact of Covid and to ensure they found a way to retain their 60 plus team, keep the teams mentally active and positive...and find ways to operate in a level 3 environment."
Sid told the Herald keeping his staff in employment was always "first and foremost" in all his plans.
Krishna Botica, co-founder of Cafe Hanoi, Xuxu Dumplings and Saan was named Hospo Hero by the Restaurant Association. Photo / Dean Purcell.
"It has been a really tough year, but we know that without our staff we won't be able to run our business.
"Also, if they lose their jobs, there will be 60-plus people and families who may be impacted so I knew we had to do everything we can to keep them employed."
Chand had to acquire new skills and learned to shoot and edit Sid's cooking videos, and also worked in an advisory capacity with the association.
"What we did was just to help ensure we, and everyone else survived. But it is truly an honour to be recognised," she said.
Chef Nick Honeyman and his team at Paris Butter won the Outstanding Innovation award for their at-home French meal kits during lockdown, taking 950 orders in the first week.
Bidois said Paris Butter was one of the first to "bravely go where they hadn't before".
"Putting together a website to take orders and creating meal kits is a sizeable move away from serving diners in a restaurant environment, but Nick went for it anyway and the results were staggering."
Krishna Botica, co-founder of Cafe Hanoi, Xuxu Dumpling Bar and Saan, was named Hospo Hero and described as a "shining example of hospitality resilience".
"Not only did she move out of her home to ensure her staff would be paid, she has also been instrumental in developing and implementing best in class processes for Covid management in her businesses, putting in place mandatory mask-wearing at all alert levels and helping others develop their own protocols," Bidois said.
Bidois said the awards aimed to shine a light on the many in the industry who "showed steely determination" during the pandemic.
"Over the year we've been overwhelmed by some of the stories we've heard - of people and businesses around the country with amazing community spirit; those who have innovated and changed; and those who have found silver linings in the most challenging of times."
