Interview: Max Porta, Raise Your Fork

Everyone is touched by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Large and small businesses across the globe have had to close as governments seek to stem the spread of the disease by imposing strict lockdowns. As we contemplate reopening the economy, some businesses will be able to reopen while others remain closed indefinitely. So much is still unknown, but what is clear is that this global health crisis has changed dramatically the way we do business. 

Each sector will have to grapple with the specific challenges COVID-19 has presented. Among the most affected are those that make their living in the food and beverage industry. To develop sustainable business models moving forward, foodservice professionals desperately need guidance to address the unique challenges that have arisen in their sector. Can they find a way to maintain the city’s diverse, small-scale gastronomic culture without compromising on quality?

To help Barcelona’s struggling independent restaurateurs, café and bar owners a new collective has appeared: Raise Your Fork (RYF). Barcelona Metropolitan spoke with one of its leaders, Max Porta, to learn more about how the organization got started and what its plans are to support Barcelona’s foodservice industry. 

What is Raise Your Fork?

The name defines us quite well; we’re an independent collective of bars and restaurants in Barcelona. Given the situation caused by COVID-19, in which all restaurants have been forced to close for weeks, certain restaurateurs who have a similar profile in the Barcelona gastronomic scene have agreed that it is time to unite to help one another. In short, what we have done has been to meet, share our concerns and offer ideas to identify the best solutions to ensure the survival of our businesses. We don’t want to simply survive this health crisis; we also want to look to the future with optimism and work on additional partnerships and collaborations for the long term.

What kind of collaborations are you thinking of?

Well, for example, ​​we are establishing a link among all the restaurateurs that helps us to develop more business together. Acting as a group could allow us to create a unified purchasing center with stronger negotiating power. Also, we plan to carry out cross-promotions to disseminate our gastronomic proposals.

What was the exact moment when you thought “Now is the essential moment to create Raise Your Fork”?

All this started with a WhatsApp group consisting of the restaurants El Mosquito, Friend and Chips, El Chivuos, Machete and Vam Vam. We originally got together because we were involved in a joint project and, at some point, someone jumped in and commented “Hey, it's time to create a space where restaurants that have things in common with us can come together, listen to each other and see what happens from this point forward." 

How was the group assembled?

Well, each of the members began to tell the owners of neighboring restaurants about our plan. Little by little we invited more people and the group grew. Now the WhatsApp group is shared by over 130 establishments.

You have already debuted in society, what comes next?

At the present time, we are very focused on creating our own website. We are developing an online directory in which the consumer can find a very specific restaurant profile in our group. This, plus our Instagram profile, will be the two channels to maintain direct contact with the public. 

How do you operate?

We have divided ourselves into five work groups that are: reactivation of the sector, commercial initiatives, consulting, training and social projects. I have to stress that we are just starting and everything needs time to mature. For now, what we have done has been to write a press release and raise our hands to let people know that we are here.

Our group is made up of very talented people with skills that are not only culinary. For example, we don't need anyone in the field of communication since we have experts in web, graphic design, online marketing, creating videos—we have everything. We just need to execute!

We say goodbye to Max knowing that it won't be the last time we talk to him about Raise Your Fork. Throughout our conversation Max underscored the prevailing sense of uncertainty that dominates the group’s discussions—a theme that has woven its way into nearly every conversation about business these days regardless of the sector. But in spite of all the uncertainty they are feeling, he and his colleagues remain passionate about what they do and optimistic about working together to continue to create unique experiences in Barcelona’s vibrant culinary scene.