HOUSTON, TEXAS – Black Restaurant Week LLC, the organization responsible for celebrating the flavors of African American, African and Caribbean cuisine with a series of regional cultural events, celebrates five years of service. The mission: feed and fuel the cultural famine – especially with an emphasis on reviving and saving the black restaurant industry during the COVID-19 pandemic – and educate consumers on the abundance of cultural cuisines and dispel ethnic untruths.

Founded in 2016 by three visionaries: founder Warren Luckett, co-founders Falayn Ferrell and Derek Robinson, Black Restaurant Week began with a one-city food experience in Houston, Texas. To date, the culinary experience has expanded to eight cities with involvement from 270 minority businesses and professionals nationwide.

With an inclusive mission to support the culinary industry, including restaurateurs, chefs, caterers, food trucks, bartenders and farmers, Black Restaurant Week welcomes  new markets for their 2020 tour including Birmingham, AL; New York, NY; the Midwest Region including a return to Indianapolis;  and the Central Florida region including Orlando/Tampa, FL.

This year, a time of financial uncertainty and with the unfortunate escalation of racial injustice events, BRW founders are placing an emphasis on serving the black community by waiving the financial participation fee for all restaurants. Additionally, their website, www.blackrestaurantweeks.com, will serve as the national database and registry for black-owned culinary businesses.

Black Restaurant Week will host a variety of culinary activations and virtual events during the national 2020 campaign:

• First Taste Media Preview: media preview of BRW participants to the community
• Restaurant Week: features affordable prix-fixe menu options from participating restaurants starting at $10
• The Black Plate Awards: engages the community to vote on their favorite restaurants participating in BRW
• BRW Bingo Game: encourages the community to visit multiple restaurants during BRW and keep track of their receipt to win a prize
• Power of Palate Competition: national virtual cocktail competition to discover which city has the best bartender in the United States

Black Restaurant Week’s national campaign impact highlights include, but are not limited to:

• National economic impact of $1.5 million in support of a variety of culinary and small businesses
• Participating restaurants average a 20% increase in sales
• Supported Family Agriculture Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S.);  a non-profit organization, efforts to assist rural African-American farmers. To date, BRW has donated $5,000.00 to the association and the partnership has provided legal aid assistance to farmers to reclaim their land and purchase over 7,500 lbs. of produce, which were donated to communities in need.

“Black Restaurant Week started with a dream to champion and support the black culinary community,” founder Warren Luckett said. “In 2016, our objective included making that dream a reality and the response we’ve received over the years in each city is incredible. To bring that level of patronage and resources to a community so often overlooked is a privilege.”

Black Restaurant Week partners with local, black-owned restaurants in each city to offer prix fixe menus showcasing each business’ distinctive fare. In addition to menu features, Black Restaurant Week hosts a selection of culinary experiences, including business panel discussions, culinary and cocktail competitions, and food truck festivals designed to expand awareness and increase support for black culinary professionals.

This year, Black Restaurant Week will host experiences in the following cities:

“Supporting the entire culinary industry, from farm to table, is necessary for providing more opportunities for the whole community to thrive,” Luckett said. “From the increased exposure for black-owned restaurants on our new national website to the professional business guidance gained from the educational events, Black Restaurant Week helps businesses expand its customer base and receive resources for ongoing success.”

For more information about Black Restaurant Week, its events and participating restaurants, please visit: blackrestaurantweeks.com

About Black Restaurant Week 

Black Restaurant Week LLC is an annual, multi-city culinary movement celebrating the flavors of African, African-American and Caribbean cuisine nationwide. Black Restaurant Week partners with black-owned restaurants, chefs, caterers and food trucks to host a selection of culinary experiences aimed to expand awareness and increase support for black culinary professionals. The organization was founded in 2016 by entrepreneurs Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell and Derek Robinson. Connect with Black Restaurant Week on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.