DC restaurants are anticipating the incoming Trump administration

Immigrant food is in a sweet spot, both literally and figuratively.

Just a stone’s throw from the White House, which will soon be occupied by a new president with hot ideas on immigration, the restaurant showcases the influence of global cuisine, showing how immigrants shaped the American palate.

Tea Ivanovic, chief operating officer and co-founder, sees the situation as an opportunity.

“We’ve had people with MAGA hats, and workers from both governments here and it’s been great,” he said. “We talked to them and I asked, ‘What do you think about going to a restaurant called Immigrant Food?’ The answer is always the same: “They say, ‘Well, we don’t hate immigrants, we just hate illegals.’

However, he insisted that immigrant food is “not a political platform,” but a business that uses “gastro-advocacy” to support people who come to this country seeking a better life, “that’s the American story,” he said. . . He plans to continue this approach without fear when the new administration comes to power.

One thing that will undoubtedly change? The barley and coconut chicken will be called Lova Lova, inspired by the culture of Kamala Harris.

“It will no longer be correct to call her the vice president of Madame Bowl, so we have to change the name,” said Mrs. Ivanovic.

Changing the name of the dish, however, is a small thing compared to the bigger changes that may occur in the district’s food scene as Trump’s second term begins. Area restaurant owners are watching the transition carefully, considering the impact of the proposed move on local businesses and communities. Although most of the restaurant owners interviewed for this article had experienced the Trump administration before, they said this time felt different.

Laying off large numbers of federal workers in the region and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants are both on the table in the coming months. Reports have circulated that the new administration is considering an immigration crackdown on local businesses.

Even discussing the proposed changes can be dangerous for business owners, and many local restaurants have been reluctant to share their feelings for fear of retaliation from eaters on both sides of the political spectrum. President-elect Trump himself promised “retribution” to his supporters who were “injustice and betrayal”.

“It’s very charged,” said Rainbow Gordon, co-owner of Florida Ave. Grill, a soul food restaurant that opened in 1944. “We support everybody, as long as it’s good for everybody.”

As the political climate of the city changes, some of the most successful restaurants in the country open up shop here. This week, chef Marcus Samuelsson announced that he will be running a restaurant at Hotel Morrow later this year. And famed California chef Nancy Silverton opened an outlet of her beloved Osteria Mozza in Georgetown in November.

New York restaurateur Keith McNally opened a location of Greenwich Village restaurant Minetta Tavern in Union Market in December. “DC seems like a mature city to me,” Mr. McNally said. “I thought I should open my own serious restaurant here.”

In November, Mr. McNally will buy a bottle of Champagne per table at SoHo restaurant Balthazar if Kamala Harris wins on November 5. He hasn’t been taking too many sides lately. “Minetta is a public restaurant, so of course I will serve Donald Trump. Or any of the Trumps for that matter,” he said in an email Thursday. “If opposites cannot be combined with food, what hope is there for mankind?”

(But he added, “The MAGA cap is a bridge too far. I can’t stand baseball caps, no matter what’s written on them.”)

For many of the county’s older restaurants, such as Clyde’s or Old Ebbitt Grill, climate change is nothing new. Nick Selimos, 74, a manager at Monocle since 1974, has seen nine transitions during his tenure among politicians and Hill staff. According to Mr. Selimos, the key to running a restaurant in Washington is to “have no political affiliation” and “treat people equally.”

“We’ve been through so many changes, and people still come back every year,” he said.

However, such a live-and-eat mentality may be out of date in today’s political climate. In recent years, officials have faced the wrath of the public when they dine in the district. Justice Brett Kavanaugh was mocked at a restaurant in 2022 after voting to overturn Roe v. Wade., and in December, Beuchert’s Saloon fired a manager on Capitol Hill after he told Washingtonian magazine he would refuse service to Trump administration officials.

Fritz Brogan, founder and owner of the Mission Group, a local restaurant company launched in 2014, is looking forward to the return of the city’s Republican leadership. The new government always brings new energy to the city, he said.

Mr. Brogan, who was a deputy to former Gov. Rick Scott of Florida, said he was happy to see a new administration that promised to be tough on crime. “Every administration is a little different, but I’m excited because I see a lot of people moving to DC from Florida,” he said.

He thinks that President Trump’s policies will be good for businesses in the region. “I think we’re starting to see a little bit of a change,” Mr Brogan said. “This is the most powerful political city in the world, so I think DC should be a shining example for the United States”

Regardless of political affiliation, many restaurants avoid mixing politics and food.

“We work in hospitality, and even though I may disagree with someone, they still come to our restaurant and support us,” said Kevin Tien, chef and owner. Moon Rabbit, a modern Vietnamese restaurant in the Penn Quarter neighborhood. Although he added, “It’s no secret that I chose Kamala.”

Like many in the restaurant industry, Mr. Tien is just worried about changing the vibe. He closely monitors immigration policy. “We have weekly management meetings where we discuss the news,” he said.

He also spoke with an immigration attorney who keeps the team abreast of developments in immigration law and helps Moon Rabbit employees navigate the citizenship process.

Immigration is also a hot topic for Immigrant Food’s Ms. Ivanovic, who sees mass layoffs as bad news for restaurants and the food business in general.

“If you’re going to lay off millions of workers and restaurant workers, you don’t need a Ph.D. to see that workers will go down and prices will go up,” he said.

For inauguration day, Moon Rabbit will be closed. Mr. Tien did not expect the restaurant to be busy, and parking on site is tight even on a normal day. “Our restaurant is for the locals, and most of them are from out of town,” he said. “So we will take that day as well.

But beyond the opening ceremony, there are concerns about local consumers. Mr. Trump said he plans to “cut excessive regulations, cut spending and streamline federal agencies” within his planned Department of Government Efficiency, the federal workforce of which would make up 15 percent. -percentage of workers in metropolitan areas, and a significant reduction in their ranks. can have a wide economic impact.

“DC restaurants are truly number one,” said Shawn Townsend, president and chief executive officer of the Metro Washington Restaurant Association. “Whatever happens in the region, in the government, the restaurants here feel it first.”

Rising costs, the loss of foot traffic from downtown workers during the pandemic and the end of the minimum wage, have already made restaurant management a challenge. in the district, he said. “Happy hour, lunch and night culture are never going back to the way they used to be.”

A report released by the association this month, on the impact of Covid on restaurants in the district, found a 20 percent drop in foot traffic and a 6 percent drop in sales. percent from last year, a sign that local restaurants are still having an impact on keeping remote jobs. an out-of-town diner. A major federal employee layoff could exacerbate the problem.

Erik Bruner-Yang, chef and owner of Maketto, hopes to bring federal workers back downtown, another stated goal of the planned success department led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

“I think this city could use that foot traffic boost,” Mr. Bruner-Yang said.

Mr Townsend hopes the next administration will prioritize bringing workers back to the city centre, and reconsider some of the minimum wage requirements to support restaurants that are still struggling after the pandemic. – move. According to the restaurant association, last year, 70 percent of the area’s restaurants cut hours, laid off employees or stopped hiring to cut costs.

“The loss of full-service restaurant jobs should concern anyone who cares about economic opportunity,” Mr. Townsend wrote in the report. “We’re not just losing jobs, we’re losing opportunities.”

Regardless of the challenges posed by changes in power and politics, restaurants are used to navigating change, Mr. Bruner-Yang said.