The story of diversity in foodservice is incalculably important—to the industry’s ability to be strong, vital, relevant and fair but also to every person who seeks career opportunity, advancement and acceptance within its broad parameters. Untouched by bias or subjectivity, statistics about foodservice’s diversity reveal important aspects of the story:

• Workers of Hispanic backgrounds make up almost 20% of all foodservice and food-preparation employees; African Americans account for more than 13%.
• More than three of every 20 first-line supervisors of food-preparation workers and service workers in restaurants are of Hispanic background; an equal number are African American.
• Eating and drinking places employ more minority managers than does any other industry.

From the numbers, it is clear that the industry is hugely dependent on multicultural workers yet many diversity-related issues are more nuanced, fluid and complex than mere data suggest. While attending the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance’s (MFHA) Talent Summit in Chicago last month, an essential and important truth emerged: precisely why the 10-year-old organization devoted to diversity needs to exist—indeed, must exist—to coach, mentor, advocate, advance and champion diversity-based initiatives within companies and throughout the industry.

It is not, however, a story everyone can tell, at least not with the knowledge or richness that personal perspective adds. I surely can’t; I’m at best a witness, a sideline observer to many facets specific to race. Others can bring firsthand points of view to the telling. These voices, the whole rousing chorus of them, should be listened to—with honesty, an open mind and iron-clad commitment to embed diversity initiatives into each level and every corner of the industry.

Patricia Harris, chief diversity officer for McDonald’s Corp. and a founding member of MFHA, is one such voice, her views shaped by 30-plus years in the restaurant industry and graced with thoughtful eloquence.

“I saw a vision of what people of color can do for an industry and thought, 'How do we add value with the people of color already in the industry?’” she says. “And how does the MFHA help people of color understand what a great industry this is? I started at McDonald’s in college and said that I’d work there until I got a real job. This is a real job, in a great company and in a great industry. Kids chuckle when I tell them that story. They think of crew people. I say, 'Let me tell you about the McDonald’s you don’t know.’ That’s our job, to tell that story.”

The industry will be vastly better in terms of talent, staffing and growth with MFHA members telling tales of great opportunities. In return, it owes the MFHA its full and ongoing support.

pdailey@reedbusiness.com