TULSA, Okla. — According to a recent survey from the National Restaurant Association, almost 90% of restaurant operators in the U.S. either had to lay off or furlough employees since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in March.
With the industry hugely impacted, 2 Works for You continues to highlight local eateries and businesses that are struggling to stay afloat.
Today we take you inside the kitchen at Nola's Creole and Cocktails, a Louisiana-style restaurant, located in Tulsa's hip Cherry Street.
Like many other locally-owned restaurants, Nola's is operating with fewer staff.
"We've done our best to keep as many people as we can, but you know 75% of our staff was gone in a day," says Trevor Tack, the executive chef at Nola's.
The business had to switch their model overnight after COVID-19 restrictions in the city and is only doing curbside pick-up for their Cajun and Creole dishes.
Its dining room sits empty from the colorful French Quarter to the stately Napoleon Room.
Nola's also runs Kilkenny's Irish Pub down the street, which has stopped doing to-go orders this week, while it remodels its kitchen. However, Tack says customers can still order their menu items at Nola's.
"We're gonna have some of the favorites. We're going to pull those down here, some corned beef, reuben rolls," says Tack.
In addition to food, the restaurant is offering its popular Hurricane mix to make the alcoholic drink at home. Tack says all you have to do is add the alcohol.
He hopes that every employee will be rehired in the near future, but in the meantime, it is relying on the community's support to keep moving forward.
"Please keep supporting your small businesses. If not us, somebody else please. You don't know whose life you're saving that day," says the executive chef.
While restaurant dine-in restrictions will be lifted this Thursday, Nola's plans to continue operating curbside for the safety of their staff and customers. It will re-evaluate the situation weekly before it reopens.
You can find Nola's Creole and Cocktails on Facebook for their full menu. It is located on 1334 E. 15th St., Tulsa.
It is open seven days a week: Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday through Sunday, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Nola's is one of several local small businesses we are featuring in our "We're Open Green Country" series.
Visit our website, for a full list of businesses. You may also fill out a submission form for a small business that is still operating and offering essential services.
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