A new photography fundraiser called Behind the Plexi aims to support workers in Vancouver’s restaurant industry during the pandemic with the help of some great local photographers and dozens of restaurants. Here’s the full press release, plus details on how you can purchase prints…

BC-based restaurant and foodservice industry support hub Breaking Bread has launched a photography fundraiser ‘Behind the Plexi’ to provide a helping hand to Vancouver’s restaurant industry workers in the time of COVID-19.

The raw photo-essay series features a behind-the-scenes glimpse into 33 beloved local restaurants during the pandemic such as Ask For Luigi, Dynasty Seafood Restaurant, Kula Kitchen, St. Lawrence, and more by offering a series of limited edition prints available for purchase for a limited time until Monday, May 31 at breakingbreadnow.com/behind-the-plexi.

All proceeds from the sale of each print will be dedicated to the creation of two new scholarships for restaurant workers who have experienced employment set-backs due to COVID-19 — one via the BC Hospitality Foundation and the other to the Chinese Restaurant Awards scholarship at Vancouver Community College. The Chinese Restaurant Awards will also contribute $10 for every print sold from the collection of photos taken at Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants.

Behind the Plexi comes about as the result of a collaboration between Breaking Bread — Canada’s first COVID-19 response initiative launched on March 13, 2020 in support of independent food and beverage businesses — and Vancouver restaurateur Brad Roark of Nook and Oddfish. Roark envisioned the idea for the project after being inspired by a similar photo-essay fundraiser called Lockdown 2.0 that was launched in support of Toronto-area foodservice businesses earlier this year and spearheaded by Jody Shapiro, Chef/Co-Owner of Antler Kitchen & Bar.

Four acclaimed Vancouver-based photographers graciously donated their artistic eyes and time for the Behind the Plexi project, including: Wade Comer (@wadecomerphoto), Miranda Hudson (@hudsonny), William Luk (@mayowill) and Luis Valdizon (@whentheyfindus).

Participating restaurants that opened their doors for the project include: Argo Cafe, Ask For Luigi, Beetbox, Buckstop, Café Medina, Chancho Tortilleria, Chinatown BBQ, Como Taperia, Douce Diner, Dynasty Seafood Restaurant, España, Farina a Legna, Flourist, Gain Wah, Gon’s Izakaya, Hook Seabar, Kula Kitchen, La Quercia, Livia, Main Street Brewing, Mister, New Town Bakery, Nook Denman, Nook Kitsilano, Oddfish, Papi’s Oyster Bar, Quan Ju De, St. Lawrence, Strange Fellows Brewing, Tavola, Torafuku, Yu Shang Hot Pot, and Yuji’s From Japan.

“We’ve been inspired by the support and advocacy that Breaking Bread has shown independent restaurants during this pandemic and I knew they could apply the leadership to bring this project to light,” says Roark. “Behind the Plexi aims to capture the very essence of this period of time — a time of determination and resolve in which we need to stick together, support one another and keep going until we can come out on the other side.”

HOW TO PURCHASE PRINTS | Behind the Plexi prints are available in collectors’ editions until Monday, May 31 at www.breakingbreadnow/behind-the-plexi, with all proceeds to benefit Vancouver’s restaurant industry workers in the time of COVID-19.

For more information or to stay up to date on all the latest news, visit breakingbreadnow.com, become a fan of /breakingbreadnow on Facebook and follow @breakingbreadnow on Instagram.