Durham restaurant owner reimagines business to survive pandemic
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A well-known downtown Durham restaurant owner is reimagining his business to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gray Brooks, the chef and owner of Jack Tar & The Colonel's Daughter, Pizzeria Toro and Littler is opening a pop-up patio and curbside pick-up restaurant called Otoño -- autumn in Spanish.
Pizzeria Toro Chef de Cuisine Marla Thurman, who won Food Networks' "Chopped" last March, created the menu featuring regional Mexican dishes, including vegan items, and some of Jack Tar's signature favorites
"What's important to us is to provide some comfort to our community," Brooks said in a statement. "We think we can do that best by opening for outdoor dining, honoring our team and their backgrounds by sharing their food, and taking care of our own -- our teams, guests, farmers and the greater community."
Brooks is donating 100 percent of the profits from Otoño to Urban Ministries to help fight food insecurity in Durham.
"We feel confident that our outdoor patio will provide a lot of space for guests to be comfortably spaced six feet apart from others and be a beautiful backdrop for communing safely in our city together," Brooks said.
Otoño will be open for dinner and cocktails from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at 202 Corcoran St.
