How Charleston's Restaurant Industry Would Change the World Through Food

To mark the relaunch of Eater today, the Features team compiled a collection of seventy-two of the best ideas for how people around the world are or how they plan to or how they want to change the world through food. A lot of the ideas are incredibly earnest. Some are ambitious beyond reason. But what they all have in common is a belief that, with hard work and good food, the world is headed in the right direction.

As a local component to this feature, we asked the Charleston community to chime in. So check out the national responses over here and scroll below to see what local thinkers and doers would like to do to change the world through food. Have a suggestion? Add it to the comments.

Leon's Oyster Shop. [Photo: Remy Thurston]

Brooks Reitz, restaurateur, Leon's Oyster Shop: Yes— education initiatives to teach people about healthy eating, growing and cooking your own vegetables, and living more sustainably through farming/gardening.

John Haire, Jim n' Nicks: Food is forever changing. New, hip trends come and go but people can always be brought together through food. I am constantly reminded through our work with Feed the Need, Tri-county Family Ministries and other outreach organizations that on my worst day, I still have it so good. I work hard and am able to buy good, healthy food for my family. In the BBQ world, we smoke that perfect hog to bring families, friends and complete strangers together in the name of BBQ. People are reminded of the importance of life— joy, family, friendships— when they eat together. If I could make a change through food in our community, it would be to identify neighborhoods that are deficient in choice and selection— "food deserts"— and help find ways to let them have access to locally grown food that can help feed their families— erhaps even something that they had a part in planting, watering or weeding. Those families and friends will be able to provide a healthy meal for all and enjoy time together.  I’m excited to be on the front end of a new project that will help do just that! I've seen it with my own 11 year old son, who has a summer garden . . . when he can harvest okra or peppers that he's helped to grow, it's memorable and meaningful.