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Sommeliers in self-isolation

Belinda Chang's brunch imamges collage

No good news from Alder this month. See our own modest offer for out-of-work hospitality professionals.

Estimates vary, but according to some sources, restaurants employed 13.5 million Americans last year. That means that at least 8% of America’s workforce lost their jobs some time in the last few weeks. If there are sommeliers out there still drawing a salary, they should consider themselves supremely lucky.

It’s hard to downplay the severity of this situation, especially in a country with very little social safety net. I know America isn’t the only place suffering from an all-but-complete shutdown of their restaurant industry...