Black Restaurant Week kicks off Aug. 5 in Atlanta

August is National Black Business month, so it’s the perfect time for Black Restaurant Week in Atlanta.

Before we dive into the details, let’s talk about exactly what Black Restaurant Week (BRW) is. The week, created by Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell and Derek Robinson in 2016, was designed to celebrate “the flavors of African American, African and Caribbean cuisine nationwide. Through a series of events and promotional campaigns, Black Restaurant Week’s culinary initiatives help introduce culinary businesses and culinary professionals to the community.”

And as their slogan says, it’s “more than just a week.” Black Restaurant Week also has a foundation. “We realized that the restaurants needed more support,” said Ferrell. “So the foundation really steps up where Black Restaurant Week ends. We provide grants. We’ve provided $500,000 in grants in the past two years to different businesses across the nation. We’ve also provided $20,000 in emergency support, from break-ins to flooding to anything you can think of. We also have an internship program.… but it’s really here to let the restaurants know that they’re not in it alone.”