Congressman Dean Phillips: Can the Government Do More to Help Restaurants?

Congressman Dean Phillips is the Third District Representative for the State of Minnesota. A longtime advocate for restaurants, Rep. Phillips reached out to us on Twitter with a clear desire to hold a public discussion about what is actually happening in Washington to help struggling restaurants in the wake of the pandemic.

One of Tims' restaurants, Trattoria Mucci, closed down recently and we can't help but ask the question: Would things have been different if he received government aid in time?

We want to state two things:

1.) This is not to imply that restaurants are dependent on the government, rather, we want to explore how the government can better assist with aid in times of crisis.

2.) We want to clarify that we are not breaking any new ground here by finding a solution to a complex problem. Instead, this episode is meant to act as a bridge between the restaurant world and the political world so that we may find common ground and a better path forward.

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Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram.

Follow Rep. Phillips on Twitter and Instagram.

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Be sure to support Mucci's and Saint Dinette. How about making a reservation soon?

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Welcome to Niver Niver Land: A podcast that addresses massive change in the restaurant industry (sometimes).

The show is hosted by award-winning restaurateur Tim Niver – a local legend of Minnesotas' Twin Cities – known for his involvement with fabled spots like Aquavit, Town Talk Diner, and Strip Club Meat & Fish. These days, he runs Saint Dinette and Mucci's Italian in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Anyways, back to the whole "massive change in the hospitality industry" thing.

We see a major problem here: no one is having realistic conversations about what's going on. Many of those who work in the industry are still trying to wrap their heads around what’s happening – and so is Tim.

Today, he’s ready to talk about these things – through his trademark wit and foolishness – so that we can better appreciate and preserve the cultural importance of restaurants.