ChowNow

ChowNow, in their continued effort to help local restaurants thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic, refreshed their photography to focus on the diverse people behind the best dishes. As part of this campaign, they commissioned Dustin Aksland to photograph real chefs and restaurant employees in Charlotte, NC, while the restaurants were open and serving.

“This campaign was a very personal one for me, as I watched friends open and close restaurants during the pandemic," says Dustin. "It was a hard couple of years for all small businesses, but the restaurant industry had it extremely tough. They had to adapt to new guidelines on the daily and attempt to keep their staff employed, kitchens running and the community fed. The goal of this campaign was to give a face to all of the employees who put in the endless hours in the background to help keep the lights on and food on our plates.”