In honor of the Michelin Guide including Pittsburgh in the new Great Lakes Edition, Ongoing Box is looking back to Pittsburgh’s dining scene, circa 2015.
At the time, restaurants were opening every month, adventurous chefs were finding adventurous diners, gentrification was near peak levels, and the predications for the future were cautiously optimistic.
Ten years on, Pittsburgh’s dining landscape has shifted dramatically. There’s an increase in fast casual chains and local options; a downturn in expensive fine dining; a decentralization of food media; and a decrease in local food coverage due to the purposeful elimination of local press by the current wave of Republican oligarchs.
“This film charts the history of Pittsburgh restaurants from the late 1970s to today, from the introduction of French cuisine to the integration of world flavors and local food sources. Along the way, universal topics like the steps to open and run a restaurant, restaurant life, how class impacts restaurant choice, gentrification, sexism in the industry, and labor trends are discussed. Pittsburgh’s food scene has expanded exponentially in the past five years, but the changes relate to changes in food across the country. This film shows the passion, energy, and innovation that contribute to a growing food culture.”
Directed by David Bernabo (2015)