FROM FEDELE
IMAGINE
“When business becomes challenging, it is tempting to take shortcuts. But that’s not the Bon Appétit way.”
I
t’s been almost half a year since the pandemic started. Those months feel both like a blink, and like a marathon. Our world has been turned upside down as we confront public health, economic, and social-unrest crises all at once. I keep thinking about the world we live in and how we can help create a tiny ripple of hope as we move forward to reinvent and reconnect Bon Appétit. I am determined that we continue to strive to reach outside ourselves and help others. It brings me back to our vision of when we started 33 years ago, and how we defined our sustainability initiatives for future generations. I don’t want our values to change as we restart the company. They are what make Bon Appétit unique in the industry. They are our strength, why people join us. The last line in our Dream says, “We do this in a socially responsible manner for the wellbeing of our guests, communities, and the environment.” Our purpose is the very fabric that holds us together.
This issue of Bravo is about how we are reinventing Bon Appétit for this new era — while preserving those values: Cooking healthy meals, from scratch. Supporting local farmers and our communities. Maintaining our industry-leading sustainability standards as much as possible. They don’t stop us from innovating as we embrace new service models and heightened safety standards; indeed, I think they drive us to be even more innovative. When business becomes challenging, it is tempting to take shortcuts. But that’s not the Bon Appétit way. I am energized by how everyone has stepped up during these last few months. You have all done great work getting us ready for the next chapter. I have complete faith that with your passion and commitment, we will come out of this crisis stronger and even more resilient. Stay well, and take good care of yourselves,
01 | BRAVO
