Let’s talk about how we build a better model.
A historic symbol of hospitality, the pineapple’s evolution also embodies a dark past. Much like the restaurant industry itself. Both are troubled by their association with long-standing systemic issues that need to be addressed. The pineapple is a symbol rooted in a problematic history. We aim to recontextualize it as we search for a better and more sustainable approach to hospitality. Healthy constructive dialogue can actually bring awareness to difficult issues. The problem was never the pineapple, the problem was how the pineapple came to be what we see it for now. Through understanding history, we can become proactive leaders for a better future.
The Pineapple was “discovered” by Christopher Columbus in Guadeloupe in 1493 and brought back to Spain where it quickly gained popularity as an exotic symbol of power and luxury. It was eventually brought to the Hawaiian islands, where it would go on to become the staple crop. In 1893, the "Committee of Safety", led by a group of American businessmen staged a coup to overthrow the Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani, who was attempting to create a new constitution to give power back to the Hawaiian people. The coup led to the dissolving of the Kingdom of Hawaii and its annexation as a U.S. territory. In 1901 James D. Dole aka “the Pineapple King”, founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company - which had much political influence in the government of the island. This story of colonization is not unique in the history of much of our industrialized food supply.
We have had a challenging few years in the restaurant and hospitality industries. We have been tested and forced to examine the fragile nature of our industry. Even though we find joy in providing hospitality, much of the framework of our business is built on a broken model. Thin margins, intensive labour, neglect of mental health, supply chain issues and food production based on a history of oppression and colonization - are among the many concerns. These are issues we can only resolve by facing them together. It’s going to require difficult, honest conversations that will put so much of what we’re used to under the microscope.
We love the hospitality industry and the people in it. We’re known for our resilience, innovation, and creativity, and together we can create a better model than the one that no longer serves us. It will take a new approach and critical thinking. It will require leaders who are strong enough to hold themselves accountable and to make decisions for the benefit of everyone.
The brightness and joy of the pineapple is tainted by its history. The hospitality industry is no different. But we do not have to be hogtied by our history, we can grow from it. The pineapple represents the challenges within our industry and serves as a symbolic reminder that we have a responsibility to build a future model for restaurants that we can be proud of.
