With this year going the way it is, the idea of restaurant superlatives is having a bit of a difficult time. One might actually have a moment. Which restaurant has the cleanest air? While many restaurant-goers are rightfully concerned about indoor dining during the pandemic, many operators have taken extensive steps to ease the minds of their guests.
Jo’s American Bistro in Newport, as far as its executive chef Brian Ruffner is concerned, already was a contender for the clean-air distinction. He gives full credit for that to proprietor Joann Carlson. The restaurant had just installed three new heating, ventilation and air conditioning units when a representative of Newport contractor UG Nasons Inc. informed Ruffner about a technology that cleans indoor air through a process known as ionization, which is used in so-called “clean room” environments. When Carlson was told about its availability, she gave the go-ahead to install it. The technology does not impart other substances into the air and no ozone or other by-product is created. It changes the molecular makeup of the air going through the ventilation system. The longer the system is running, the cleaner the air being ventilated.
Bob Burke has a simple straightforward goal. He simply wants to make his Pot au Feu Bistro in Providence “the safest restaurant in America.” Burke enlisted nationally known expert Erin S. Bromage, an associate professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He invested nearly $10,000 to follow Bromage’s recommendations, which included ionization technology, filtering machines that feature activated-carbon and high-efficiency particulate air filters, and increased airflow. In addition, he embedded ultraviolet-C germicidal lights inside air ducts as well as treating dining and kitchen spaces with UVC lights nightly. Burke also installed ceiling to floor dividers to separate all guest tables from each other, distributed KN95 masks to staff members and made available P100 masks with microphone and speaker as an option. Burke also implemented some old school techniques that made perfect sense then and still do now, such as white-glove service and plate and glass covers.
Newport Restaurant Group also went the HVAC ionization route, which the company said “will provide continuous disinfection within each restaurant space by deactivating and removing allergens and viruses including COVID-19.” HVAC systems at the group’s restaurants were updated with systems similar to what was installed at Jo’s. The manufacturer states are 99.9% effective in deactivating and removing the COVID-19 virus.
“At Newport Restaurant Group, we have always placed a high priority on providing exceptional customer experiences, which extends to safety, especially during this pandemic,” said Casey Riley, chief operating officer. “While we were able to return to a bit of normalcy during the summer and early fall, this is New England, and as temperatures continue to get colder, guests will be dining indoors. As we navigate this new normal, we are continuously looking for new ways to ensure that our guests and employee-owners feel safe, comfortable and well taken care of in each of our restaurants.”
Consider the story of these business owners in the context of those who had in the past a similar vision of advances in technology. The first restaurateurs to install air conditioning more than likely had some of the same beneficial thoughts in mind for their guests, not to mention their staffs and even their food, supplies and equipment that would no longer be subject to the punishment of summer heat. Yes, 2020 is a different time, a trying time as never before. But our restaurants have followed the rules and have exceeded standards set for them by public health officials thus far in this pandemic with virtually no widespread virus outbreaks attributed to restaurant practices. Hopefully, these advanced measures will be able to benefit guests who will not be kept from being able to patronize these establishments. n
Bruce Newbury’s radio show and podcast, “Dining Out with Bruce Newbury,” now in its 25th year, is broadcast on WADK 1540 AM and several radio stations throughout New England. Email him at Bruce@BruceNewbury.com.
