55: On the future of bars & restaurants with Josh Fontaine

At the end of 2019, the pension reform strikes dealt a nasty blow to businesses in Paris. I reported a story for Fortune magazine about the economic impact for a handful of food and wine establishments, including those run by Josh Fontaine. He is the co-owner of Quixotic Projects, the group that created Candelaria, among the world's top cocktail bars, Le Mary Celeste wine bar, Hero, and Les Grands Verres. He expressed just how devastating the strikes were to business at a time of year that usually represents a sizable source of annual revenue. I felt for him then and I feel for him even more so now. He joins me on the show to talk about how he's doing, what he's drinking at home, and what he believes awaits the business when confinement lifts.  Mentioned in this episode: Fortune article: https://fortune.com/2020/01/10/paris-pension-reform-strikes-france/ Quixotic Projects: https://www.quixotic-projects.com/ Josh's venues: https://www.quixotic-projects.com/venues-en Shop Merch: https://quixotic-projects.myshopify.com/ Les Grands Verres at Palais de Tokyo: https://www.instagram.com/lesgrandsverres/ Hero: https://www.instagram.com/hero_paris/ Le Mary Celeste IG: https://www.instagram.com/lemaryceleste/ Candelaria IG: https://www.instagram.com/candelariaparis/ Bar Marilou in New Orleans: https://www.instagram.com/barmarilou/