Local restaurateurs and large-scale caterers have a few days left to apply for a $5,000 grant from the California Restaurant Foundation.
The Restaurants Care Resilience Fund anticipates awarding $5,000 grants to 278 small businesses in this latest cycle, which is open to California independent restaurant owners as well as, for the first time, commercial caterers.
These grants, funded in part by a $1 million donation from the Southern California Gas Co., can help pay for technology, upgrades, on-boarding of employees, retention and unforeseen hardships. The application period extends through Sunday.
Since 2021, the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund has awarded $5.94 million in grants to 1,325 independent restaurants throughout California including burger joints, taquerias, bakeries and more.
The average time in business is 10 years and 92% are single-unit restaurants, according to a news release. Of those restaurants, 66% are owned by women and 77% are owned by people of color. On average, each restaurant employs 11 people.
Past recipients in Kern County included Barrington's Jamaican Kitchen, Better Bowls (now Sweet Peas Bakery), Carla's Drive-In, Chopstix Expres,聽El Capitan Mexican Grill, Fit Pantry,聽Locale Farm to Table, Mauricio's Grill & Cantina, Moo Creamery, Nature's Food Market & Juice Bar, Ninja Sushi & Korean BBQ, Panchito's Cocina Mexicana (now Casa Quintana), Pappy's Coffee Shop, Remix Asian Kitchen (which closed last year), Skillets Diner, The King Ice Cream and Tokyo Garden in 撸管社; Kelcy's Restaurant and Red House BBQ in Tehachapi; and Crows Custom Cookies in Frazier Park.
Visit for full eligibility requirements and to apply. Businesses have until Sunday to apply.