Giving Under the Radar
Photo courtesy of Mari Isaac
During COVID-19, Two Boise Restaurateurs Worked Quietly For Good
Story by Lex Nelson
Photo courtesy of Mari Isaac
Two years before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Population Reference Bureau reported 41% of U.S. food preparers were low-income — a figure more than double the nationwide average. When restaurant workers were furloughed during lockdown, it became even harder for them to put food on the table. Many restaurateurs turned a blind eye, but Chad and Kristi Johnson faced the issue head-on — and decided to help.
The Johnsons own five Treasure Valley restaurants: Reef, BrickYard Steakhouse, Legends Sports Pub & Grill, Front Door Tap House, and Brixx Crafthouse. In March 2020, they laid off or furloughed all of their hourly workers. The restaurants were closed for 59 days, but their kitchens never shuttered. The Johnsons continued to offer all of their active and furloughed employees at least one meal a day, available for pickup.
Photo courtesy of Mari Isaac
“We used to feed our staff every day [when they were working], so when we were closed, every day they had one meal,” Chad explained, adding that 50% of workers took advantage of the offer. “... A lot of time we would [also] send one. We have several individuals who are less fortunate, and we’d sent one with them to have at home, too.”
The Johnsons did this quietly, supporting their team through the darkest days of 2020. But it was far from their only effort to prop up the local community.
Along with fellow Boise restaurateurs Dave Krick and Cameron Lumsden, Chad brainstormed the idea for FARE Idaho, a nonprofit food and beverage advocacy group. FARE brought restaurants, family farms, retailers, and producers together to establish best practices and fight for pandemic relief.
“We genuinely care about the industry and want to see the industry — not just our businesses, but like-minded, independent operators — be successful,” Chad said. He’s now FARE’s board treasurer.
Photo courtesy of Mari Isaac
The Johnsons also helped found City of Good (COG), a nonprofit that provides meals to the food insecure. As of November 2021, their executive chef, Drew Ledger, was still making and donating 25-35 Weekend Fuel Kits to COG per week. Each kit contains six meals — enough to get a hungry Boise District Community School student through the weekend.
When Chad wasn’t co-founding nonprofits or bussing tables at his restaurants in 2020, Boiseans could find him volunteering at the Boise Farmers Market drive-thru. He packed food into bags for pickup, discovering new vegetables along the way.
“I’ve been in the industry a long time and I realize how much I don’t know, just by spending a day at the farmer’s market!” he joked.
Despite this record of giving, when we spoke with him Chad insisted he and Kristi aren’t exceptional. They’re just doing their best to get their restaurants through the pandemic and be good people along the way.
“We’re complying and we’re doing what everyone else should and hopefully did do. We’re not outstanding, we just did our part,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Mari Isaac
