Reflecting on Restaurants

While recently on vacation, I treated myself to lunch out alone. I especially enjoy doing this in a foreign city, where I can pay special attention to the sounds, the smell, and the ambiance without a dining companion to distract me. On this specific day, there were lots of  important things to pay attention to.   

I’d selected this restaurant out of thousands in Paris because I wanted to witness for myself what I’d read about in the reviews: a full-service establishment restaurant employing adults with Down syndrome.  It was delicious. It was delightful. Even the music (Bob Marley, Prince) enhanced my good mood.  Top notch service, inventive dishes, good value.  And it got me thinking.

When I talk about inclusive dining, I don’t just mean creating a menu that works for everyone or making sure your restaurant has a ramp. I mean creating spaces—front of house and back—where everyone has a shot at meaningful work. Because for me, a truly inclusive restaurant isn’t just about who’s eating. It’s about who’s earning a paycheck there.

When I see restaurants like Reflet, where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are trained and employed in every part of the business, I feel both inspired and challenged. Inspired by this model of inclusion, and challenged to ask: why don’t we see more of it?

Sure, we’ve got coffee shops galore, but Reflet goes well beyond just caffeine.  Farm-to-table lunch and dinner service, a full-serve bar and  easy-ordering-interface take this concept to a whole new level. 

It's clear Reflet has developed a business concept that highlights the talents of people with disabilities—not as a side project, but as the heart of their business. You walk in for a meal, but you leave with much more: a better idea of what belonging looks like. It reminds you that restaurants can be more than just places to eat. They can be classrooms. They can be equalizers. They can be community builders.

And since this requires intention -- rethinking how we hire, how we train, how we support each other at work – I implore you to rethink how we create, support, and run all restaurants How can the kitchens, dining rooms, catering, and management reflect more of the community around us?

Inclusive dining doesn’t start at the table. It starts with who’s on the schedule. And as I learned as a teenage waitress in Cincinnati, a first job can open a lot of doors. Shouldn't they be opened for everyone?

     TRANSLATION:  "They didn't know it was impossible, so they did it." -- Mark Twain