Opening a restaurant can be a daunting and harrowing experience at the best of times. Opening one around a global pandemic that has the economy partially shut down can be an act of revolution. A few local restaurants have taken on the challenge and opened, or are set to open, against the odds.

The province has opened up travel to BC residents and lakefront cottages and ferries are filling up quickly. Even the tiny town of Tofino is back open for business, as well as surrounding Indigenous destinations. Find out where you can visit--and which places you should avoid.

As the province gradually reopens, the ongoing demand for all things local and artisanal is ramping up, and local restaurants, co-operatives and other small businesses are answering the call. Those products, and the businesses behind them, are winning awards, receiving support from celebrities and locals, and looking to change the way we shop and eat for the better.

The issue of racism, on both an individual and systemic level, has been top of mind for many people and industries lately, including the food, wine and hospitality sectors. But what are the issues for the Black community and other people of colour working in these fields today? And, how can we all make things better?

With schools closed, hot lunch programs and other programs that feed kids and their families have needed to adapt. Meanwhile, local breweries are adjusting to the new normal and restaurants are approaching the new dine-in reality in unique ways. And patio approvals are getting expedited to help small businesses--sometimes.

Liquor store sales have rocketed during the last two months, as we all turn to liquid therapy. Restaurants have stepped up with everything from cocktail kits to discounted wine sales, and wineries, distillers and brewers are gearing up for a busy and challenging season.

Grocery stores are running out of yeast and flour; people are abandoning the gluten-free lifestyle in droves, and cooking is starting to feel impossible. Restaurants have stepped into the fray, offering pantry staples, meal kits, and more, as we all eat our feelings and return to the starchy days of our youth.

With many people laid off or on reduced hours, food insecurity is affecting a wider swath of society. The closure of many restaurants and reduced capacity of others means that local food producers are feeling the pinch as well. Here's how some restaurants and not-for-profit organizations are taking on the challenge of feeding people and keeping distribution channels alive.

In this edition of The Nosh, host Anya Levykh discusses restaurants pivoting to meal kits and take out with Shelley McArthur Everett from Breaking Bread, Ernesto Gomez from Nuba and Chancho, and Justin Tisdall from Juke Fried Chicken and Beet Box.

In the debut episode of The Nosh, host Anya Levykh is joined by Dana Lee Harris from the BC Hospitality Foundation, Sean Reeve, chef/owner and founder of the Staff Meal program, Miki Ellis, owner, Dachi, and Betty Hung from Beaucoup Bakery,