Downtown Dish Debuts, Weekly Zoom Event Promotes Food and Drink

By Kevin Collison

What started as a way to promote the City Market during construction is expanding via Zoom to boost restaurants and bars throughout greater downtown struggling with Covid restrictions in what’s being billed as Downtown Dish.

The 45-minute, weekly virtual conversation beginning today at noon is the creation of the KC Streetcar Authority, Downtown Council, Downtown Neighborhood Association and Lynchpin Ideas.

“I’m excited about where we’ll go with the show and I’m glad it’s starting today,” said host Katy Schamberger, a local food writer.

Katy Schamberger

“We’re just in the early stages of the reopening process in Kansas City. It hasn’t been easy, but I know so many businesses have overcome so many challenges over the past few weeks.

“This show will shine the spotlight on the creative, innovative mindset in downtown Kansas City.

“Individual businesses are doing what they can to stay afloat, it’s another chapter in downtown history.”

Each week we will highlight different neighborhoods/districts and the establishments in the Crossroads, Power & Light District, Central Business District, River Market and Union Station.

Registration to the Zoom conversation free and open on Eventbrite.

Each Downtown Dish episode will be recorded and posted on the Downtown Council website after it airs, alongside a blog post with additional helpful Downtown information, according to a release from the Downtown Council.

Donna Mandelbaum, spokesperson for the Streetcar Authority, said Downtown Dish is spinoff of the Lunch Bunch gatherings launched earlier this year to encourage people to patronize City Market establishments during the Walnut Street reconnection project.

Lifted Spirits at 1734 Cherry will be featured on the debut of Downtown Dish.

“On Fridays, we’d put out a call on social media to meet at a certain place,” she said. “That’s now morphed into Downtown Dish.

“While we can’t dine together, we can have a conversation in a relaxed environement to help downtown retailers who’ve been hurting so much.”

Schamberger said the format of the new show starts with a quick opening and is followed by three, roughly 10-minutes segments interspersed with announcements about activities and partnerships.

Businesses scheduled to be on the first show today are Tannin Wine Bar and Kitchen, and Lifted Spirits.

“We want to make it conversational, like we’re at lunch,” Schamberger said. “My goal is to get people excited about what’s happening, tell stories and get people out.”

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