With each new year, we look ahead at the things we hope to accomplish professionally and personally. 2020 is already two weeks old, making it time to shift focus to new trends. Last year, low- and no-ABV cocktails and more plant-based options were on the upswing. This year looks like it will be the year of better mental health and sustainability. Here are what some local chefs plan to turn their attention to this year. —Kristen Wile

Blake Hartwick, Bonterra Dining & Wine Room
Hartwick hopes to implement tapas with a new Southern spin at Bonterra’s bar, known for its deep wine selection, in 2020. He also plans to take advantage of the restaurant’s large dining room to do good. “I really want to personally get back to work on doing more fundraisers for Taste of the NFL and Second Harvest Food Bank this year,” he says.

Bruce Moffett, Moffett Restaurant Group
“Unfortunately, I feel like it’s going to be more of the same,” Moffett says of the new year. “With all the new restaurants opening in the city, the struggle to find and retain employees will continue. Restaurants will be forced to hire people that they wouldn’t otherwise and candidates will continue to schedule interviews and not show up.” The restaurateur says he is considering going to four 10-hour shift work weeks to help up his hourly pay but minimize overtime costs.

Laney Jahkel-Parrish, 300 East
“From a food perspective, I am going to work on experimenting with even more local/seasonal ingredients and look at incorporating more savory elements (roasted bone marrow ice cream is on my docket),” Jahkel-Parrish says. “I also have a few interactive plates that I am fleshing out (chocolate salami and charcuterie plate with a pastry spin). I’m not sure if those line up with trends, but they are ideas that have been rattling around in my brain for some time that I want to see to fruition.” 300 East’s pastry chef also plans to work on saying no to events and custom orders more often and focus instead on her health.

Paul Manley, Damian Dining
The owner of The Waterman, Sea Level NC, and Ace No. 3 says he’ll be prioritizing even better seafood sourcing at his restaurants. “Domestically, we are losing the fight over fish to other countries that are far less regulated,” he says. “I find myself getting more and more involved in advocating for our ability to procure great domestic product here in Charlotte.” On the menu, you’ll notice more dressed raw oysters on the menu that help highlight the different characteristics of various oysters. Manley is also focusing on talent retention. “We have a super strong core of staff in each restaurant but we turn over way too many new people,” he says. “It’s costly and not fair to the current team. This low unemployment and tight workforce will continue to force us to be better employers than our competitors.”

Chris Coleman, The Goodyear House
A healthy staff is something Coleman sees as a priority this year. “Operators are finally starting to realize that investing in our workforce brings about the best possible results,” he says. “Taken-care-of workers make happy/secure workers; happy/secure workers make more productive workers; production equals bigger returns.” That goes beyond the increase in pay; Coleman says he’s noticing more operators eyeing perks like paid vacation, health shares, and gym memberships. The increased cost of operating restaurants, he notes, from food and labor costs to rent, leaves this question in 2020: “Will operators dumb down menus to save on labor, or will diners see a significant hike in menu pricing so that the people producing their dinner can have a better work experience?”

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