Laura Zolman

The Plum Cleveland, Ohio Brett Sawyer has been in the restaurant business since he was 19. After working in Chicago, he moved back to Cleveland to bring the small, shareable plates type of service to his hometown. Sawyer works closely with farmers to change the menu at The Plum all the time. And he is quick to pivot, too, with a new, more casual concept called Good Company set to open in early 2019.

Lazy Dog looks to attract all generations by combining comfort with innovation. Aiming to run the next generation of casual dining with scratch cooking and a brand that takes responsibility for not only its guests but also the products it serves and the people it employs, Chris Simms opened the first Lazy Dog in Huntington Beach, California, in 2003. “Every time I come home, my dog is the most excited individual in the house,” Simms says of the name choice.

Restaurants can also play a role in bridging the gap between customers and minority-produced wines. The world of wine is storied and vast but also very much steeped in an old-guard mentality that has led to systematic issues, with organizations like the Court of Master Sommeliers currently under scrutiny for charges of sexual misconduct and lack of diversity.