Restaurant owner Ruth Gunter is putting Rochester on the map this month, after her business, Evergreen Eatery, was chosen to be featured by America's Best Restaurants Roadshow May 11.
The national media and marketing company focuses on independently-owned restaurants in small towns throughout the US, and will be filming that Thursday on location at 530 Main St in Rochester from 9am to 12pm.
Gunter encourages anyone who wants to check out the event and show support while being filmed by camera crew to come that morning. Staff will be serving some of their famous breakfast items, as well as other notorious dishes that make their restaurant stick out in the community. Fresh fish, prime steak, and several other Mother's Day specials will also be featured.
Despite the popularity of the Evergreen Eatery, being in the restaurant industry post pandemic has been anything but easy. Thanks to social distancing, research conducted by the National Restaurant Association found that in 2020 nearly 90% of customers ate off-premise, causing the industry to take a huge hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study showed around this time the industry was down by $240 billion.
Trying to still pick up the pieces from the pandemic in 2023, Gunter, like many other small businesses owners recovering from the time period, are still struggling to bring people in to sit down and dine again.
The ABR Roadshow feature is something Gunter is hoping will be the first of many features for her unique, casual, fine dining establishment, where she believes is a place where conversation and community begin.
Hoping the coverage will bring in those from outside of the community as well, Gunter is not only looking for customers, she's looking for staff.
Gunter says the employee crisis and finding good staff has also been hard to find after the pandemic. Between running the Evergreen Eatery, and sister business Ruthless Bar & Patio, 604 Main St in Rochester, Gunter is currently making up for the lack of staff by having to roll up her sleeves and do the work herself in the kitchen on some days.
Gunter hopes to fill that gap with staff members who soon find that working at her establishments mean more just making money, it also comes with support that feels like family.Giving her employees freedom to help run the show, Gunter hopes others with a passion for the restaurant industry will take notice of the freedom and creative opportunites she gives her kitchen employees, who are able to feature their own unique menu items at the Evergreen Eatery. To Gunter, giving loyalty means getting loyalty.
WROI GIANT fm news reporter Shelby Lopez caught up with the busy business owner at Ruthless Bar & Patio recently.
"If you take care of us, we will take care of you," Gunter explained about the personal relationship she creates with her staff.
