Could a fine dining restaurant be a place to feel at home, to eat for free? Telly Justice, head chef and co-owner of HAGS, says absolutely. Centering queerness in every corner of the restaurant and subsidizing a weekly pay-what-you-can brunch via a vibrant tasting menu the rest of the week, Telly and the rest of the HAGS team have created something remarkable in Lower Manhattan. Tune in for a chat about the freedom of pop-ups, burnout in restaurant kitchens, building a completely different kind of fine dining space, how the HAGS team collaborates on the menu, and so much more.
Links:
2025 F&W Best New Chefs - Telly Justice
Bon Appetit - Two New Books Explore Why Food Is Gayer Than You Think
”What is Queer Food?: How We Served A Revolution” by John Birdsall
Wikipedia - Fallow
“Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto” by Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry
“How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell
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