As rentals and other costs remain high and footfalls remain low, Tamil Nadu’s restaurateurs have much on their plate to deal with post-lockdown. Delivery is just one aspect of the business; the appeal of a good dining haunt has always been its ambience – be it bustling lounges packed with revellers, or quiet restaurants offering a calm escape from everyday rush. Even as diners eagerly await a return to the good old days, and the industry misses the elan of hospitality, there are a lot of variables to be weighed. How can floor-plan be optimised for distancing and ventilation? Should provenance play a role in deciding ingredients and menus? Will the 50 per cent seating limit need a buttress in the long-term?

As restaurants move well into Unlock, well-known industry leaders discuss how best to lead their diners through the pandemic.

Jegan S Damodarasamy, Executive Director at Sree Annapoorna & Sree Gowrishankar Group, Coimbatore; Japtej Ahluwalia, Co-founder and Executive Director at Pricol Gourmet, Chennai; and Chindi Varadarajulu, Creative Chef, Pumpkin Tales Restaurant, Chennai, discuss “Leading diners through the pandemic” with Meghna Majumdar, Sub-editor and Features Writer, The Hindu MetroPlus .

The discussion at 11 am today is the fifth episode of Conversations — a series of webinars being organised as a part of The Hindu Group’s ongoing campaign ‘Tamil Nadu Smiling’.

The campaign is aimed at bringing together the people of the State, its traders and retail organisations and government authorities to find ways to emerge from the effects of the pandemic.

To register for free, scan the QR code or WhatsApp ‘Conversations’ to 8939 283 283.