The Big Big Table
“Everybody eats. Everybody gives. Everybody matters.” That’s the mantra of Big Big Table, the first “pay-as-you-can” restaurant in Western New York. It’s founded by Mandy Bailey, a fierce and funky chef who has put together a strong board of directors, secured a location, and is getting ready to open the doors at 272 Hudson Street in Buffalo.
According to the Big Big Table website, “The number one goal is to feed everyone who walks through the door. Community Cafés are a dignified response to hunger, increasing access to healthy food and improving food security for anybody and everybody, especially the most vulnerable in our community.” This business model has seen success around the U.S. and abroad. Big Big Table is already part of One World Everybody Eats, a network of more than 60 pay-as-you-can restaurants dedicated to sharing resources and strategic plans. Like Big Big Table, One World Everybody Eats is a nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding people and increasing food security by creating constant access to nutritious, affordable food for all.
Even amidst the major setback of the pandemic, Big Big Table was able to raise more than $13,000 from the Western New York community, a sign that many people believe in the mission. Board member Allison Hyman explains, “Big Big Table is engaged in the community, is part of the community and will be community-driven. We hope to have a neighborhood advisory night where local residents can get involved and raise concerns. We want to make sure there’s a seat on our board for a neighbor.”
Hyman continues, “COVID-19 is slowing us down because we are a community café. The word ‘community’ is just as important as ‘café’. If the community can’t be together right now, it is challenging to begin.” Their vision includes four paid positions including a chef and front-of-house manager. The other two positions are vital to the community: a workforce development manager who will hire and train individuals looking for work and a community outreach/volunteer coordinator who will welcome, schedule and work with volunteers to keep the operation plugged into the City of Good Neighbors.
On the other side of the counter, patrons can expect a healthy, locally sourced meal at a suggested price. If a customer is unable to pay, they can discreetly sign up to donate time as a volunteer where they may serve tables, clean or prep. Meanwhile, those who are able to give more can donate above the menu price, literally paying it forward so that others can have a meal.
“When I close my eyes and envision Big Big Table operating in the future, I see a restaurant filled with people dining who look different from each other, and none of them know how the other paid. There are people benefiting from being there because their stomachs are getting filled, or because it’s a place to connect and their hearts are getting filled, or a place to gain experience and their job skills are being cultivated. Big Big Table is a place where we can all acknowledge that everyone has something to gain from being at the table,” says Hyman.
The organization also has plans to embolden the food system by supporting local farms and reducing food waste. They will practice “food rescue” by accepting donations of quality, edible food from restaurants, chefs, grocers and farmers. The products may not be the perfect size, shape or color, but they will be perfectly safe and nutritious. Collected items will go directly to the Big Big Table kitchen instead of to the land fill, thus reducing the “big, big” problem of food waste in America.
Big Big Table’s fare will feature dishes that are seasonal and dynamic. Chef Mandy describes the menu as “Homestyle cookin’,” not only because it is made with love and family recipes but because it will be based on what’s available from local farms and ingredients on hand in the pantry. The cuisine will be casual comfort food with vegan and vegetarian options. Patrons can expect salads, soups, quiches, quesadillas, sandwiches, pasta and Chef Mandy’s signature dish, “Comboolya,” a beloved rice and chicken creation.
If you’d like to contribute to Big Big Table’s success as both a nonprofit and a restaurant, visit them online and stop by once they’re open. You’re likely to be greeted by a charming community volunteer, and you’ll surely feel welcomed by the restaurant itself, furnished with good tunes; Chef Mandy, its light-hearted leader; and a big pineapple sign that reads, “May the forks be with you ... and you! ... and you!” This is the beginning of a new type of restaurant culture in Buffalo, where “Everybody eats, everybody gives, everybody matters.”
