Pandemic Adjustments at Mi Zã Plaz
Since 2015, Mi Zã Plaz Culinary & Lifestyle has been working with Black culinary artists to push the boundaries of the fine-dining experience. As the world has taken a more firmly antiracist stance in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others, this work has the potential to be even more impactful than it was before. Supporting Black creatives is an integral part of practicing antiracism, and Leon Jardín’s Brooklyn-based company allowed diners to do exactly that.
Since the onset of coronavirus, Mi Zã Plaz’ style of private catering and pop-up exhibitions has had to change. Now, Jardín is using his platform to give Black chefs an established platform to work from while gaining greater exposure. The company offers two-week long slots to Black chefs who might otherwise be unemployed during this pandemic, and they work with diners to create a dining experience the client can enjoy from the safety of their own home. This arrangement gives the chefs valuable connections to Mi Zã Plaz’s existing clientele, and helps ensure that these Black creatives will continue to enjoy success during and after the pandemic.
Jardín is helping to ensure his own continued success, too, by using fashion to advertise during this non-traditional time. Each chef carries their culinary tools in a beautiful leather bag with specially designed pockets and Mi Zã Plaz embroidered across the front. Clearly, his flair for the creative extends far beyond the plate.
Images via Instagram and Chef Jardín.