Florida – May 18, 2020 – Bolay awards local blogger Cristyle Wood Egitto as a Community Hero to the restaurant industry during the Coronavirus Crisis.
In the midst of the economic crisis due to Covid-19, there’s a brave subset of local entrepreneurs who recognize the importance restaurants hold in the community and find ways to collaborate with them.
Cristyle Wood Egitto, author and blogger for @eatpalmbeach, shares, originally, traveling made her more interested in eating local. “When you go to other places you want authentic experiences and to see the way locals live. Then you come home and go to the same old places and chains,” Egitto explains. “I decided to dive into our food scene and get to know the chefs and restaurant owners. We have a lot of local talent and chef-driven concepts in Palm Beach County. Supporting the same local businesses that have been staples in our community is essential as now they are in real peril due to the economic situation.”
Egitto quickly realized local Facebook groups were the way to help build community hope during a time when our cultural closeness was shattered. Egitto launched the Northern Palm Beach County “Socially Distanced Supper Club,” and immediately began rotating weekly menus and specials with locally owned restaurants and raising awareness for the plight of the small business owner. “I saw the SDSC take off in Delray Beach and I loved the concept so I launched the North PBC chapter to bring the idea to Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter to help support the restaurants in my backyard,” Egitto shares. The group has risen to over 8,000 members in just over a month with members flash mobbing restaurants daily with dozens of orders as weekly specials menus are posted. The Socially Distanced Supper Club has made a drastic difference in connecting enthusiastic guests to local businesses.
Chris Gannon, Bolay’s Founder and CEO, presented Egitto with the first Community Partner Award for 2020. “Through chaos, lies opportunities,” said Gannon. “We wanted to recognize Cristyle as a community hero because of the tireless work she’s done over the past months to build a community that supports local restaurants like ours.” While Bolay is able to distinguish itself from many fast-casual restaurants as a result of the organization’s chef-driven menu options and immaculate cleanliness standards, the team, like others in the hospitality industry, has not been able to escape the impact of the ever-changing environment we face as a result of COVID-19. “Small businesses can only survive when the community deems them as essential,” says Gannon. “Our world has been turned upside down due to Covid-19, and though the new phases of reopening has helped, we need our community’s support more than ever.” Bolay is open for takeout, curbside pickup and open for dine-in at 25% capacity according to Palm Beach County guidelines.
About Bolay
Bolay is a build-your-own Bol concept that takes a fast-casual approach to fresh, bold and flavorful food. Created by Chris Gannon and his father, Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, the restaurant invites diners to build bowls for lunch and dinner, packed with fresh oven roasted vegetables and savory proteins. With ingredients that uniquely customize bold, innovative flavors, including GFFS certified gluten-free selections, Bolay innovates the build your own bowl experience, and pairs it with infused teas, and local craft beer and wine. To learn more about Bolay, please visit www.bolay.com, ‘Like’ Bolay on Facebook, or follow @Bolay on Instagram and Twitter. For press/marketing questions and additional statements please contact 561.762.2533 or email marketing@bolay.com