Media coverage closely monitors local food ecosystem

A vibrant economy includes the food and beverage industry.

In New York, every dollar spent at a restaurant contributes $1.90 to the state’s economy, according to the National Restaurant Association. In the local economy, the food industry helps support small businesses, can support local agriculture and attract tourism dollars.

The economic implications alone are enough to devote media coverage to the food and beverage industry in the Buffalo Niagara region, but there are other important reasons. A community’s food ecosystem includes, for example, the link between food access and community health.

Food can also be an expression of culture, a way of getting to know one another. It can serve as an ideal connector.

Finally, not only is food a necessity, but many people schedule their precious free time to explore new culinary experiences and enjoy a new beverage. It’s their entertainment.

The recipe for engaging and informative local food and drink coverage includes all of these ingredients. Reporter Francesca Bond recently joined the Buffalo News team to uncover and share stories about the local food and beverage industry and to take a critical look at access to local food.

“Many people in our community make their living working in the food system, whether it’s restaurants, growing food crops, or all sorts of roles in between,” Bond says. “They spend most of their lives nurturing and serving others. I think it’s important to share their stories.

A recently published article by The News tells the story of Atsuko Nishida-Mitchell, a certified tea instructor who performs traditional Japanese tea ceremonies at the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival each year. Bond and News photographer Joshua Bessex visited Nishida-Mitchell’s home, where she performed the ceremony and allowed our staff to see the wooden box of tea utensils she brought back from Japan when she moved to Buffalo decades ago.

For Bond, this assignment is an example of the type of reporting and storytelling that fuels his passion for food reporting.

“I like stories that focus on people,” Bond says. “From servers, bartenders, restaurateurs, chefs, farmers, distributors, I believe everyone in the food and beverage community plays an important role and their stories are worth telling. So I plan to work on a series of profiles and social networks. media videos in which we get to know some of the people who make up our local food and drink community.

As with any industry, economic challenges exist in the food sector. The News has long kept an eye on these issues, including five challenges Western New York food businesses face in the post-pandemic world. We will continue to report on the business side of the food industry.

We will also maintain our attention on the issue of food insecurity and the search for solutions, which has become a priority for several public, non-profit and corporate organizations.

We want to hear your thoughts on the food-related topics you’d like to know more about. What are some of the stories you hope we investigate? Send your ideas to Francesca Bond at [email protected] or me at [email protected].

We look forward to hearing from you. And as always, thank you for supporting local journalism.

Sheila Rayam is executive editor of The Buffalo News.