In recent years, the announcement of the finalists for the James Beard Foundation awards have been a reminder of what Maine has. This year, it’s a reminder of what we’re missing – and that it won’t be back to the way it was before for a while, if ever.

Our small state dominated its category, with five Maine chefs among seven in New England up for Best Chef: Northeast, in what is known as the Oscars of the restaurant industry.

In addition to the finalists, seven other Mainers were semifinalists. Last year, nine Mainers made the semifinals. The year before that, it was 11.

There’s no doubt Maine punches above its weight when it comes to dining. Two years ago, Portland was named the restaurant city of the year by Bon Appetit magazine. Great food and stunning atmosphere can be found both up the coast and inland, in places large and small, fancy and unpretentious.

And that’s not to mention the satisfaction that comes from sitting down at one’s favorite diner or pizza joint.

That’s all gone right now, and it’s unclear when it’s going to come back. Restaurants around the state are closed to in-house dining until at least June 1 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and then may only open at partial capacity.

Restaurant owners say those restrictions will kill their business. They want to open earlier, with fewer capacity limitations, and perhaps some consideration for geography.

Gov. Janet Mills is considering their request alongside those of other industries that want to reopen sooner than her plan dictates. The governor has indicated that all restaurants may be allowed to open by Memorial Day weekend. On Friday, Mills announced that restaurants in 12 counties will be able to open to in-house dining on May 18. The new testing capacity announced Thursday will certainly help do that more safely.

Whenever they open, restaurants will remain in a state of flux. The industry, and its millions of workers throughout the supply chain, are facing a number of serious issues.

First, of course, is that the outbreak has robbed restaurants of their main source of income – in-house dining – and forced many to close altogether. The Paycheck Protection Program that has kept many small businesses afloat has been little help to restaurants.

But reopening is no guarantee that revenue will snap back to normal, or anything close to it. Even if capacity restrictions are relaxed, many people still will not feel comfortable eating out. Workers may not feel safe waiting on them. Who knows if there will be enough tourists to help the businesses built to serve them.

Maine restaurants say they can take measures to keep people safe and make them feel comfortable, such as distances between tables, frequent sanitation, and the use of disposable menus.

They also ask that communities work with restaurants to establish more outdoor seating. That’s a smart move, as outdoor dining appears to be much safer than indoors.

But in nearly any realistic scenario, 2020 is shaping up to be a bad year for restaurants. In order to support them – and the entire supply chain, from farm to table – Congress should consider a separate stabilization fund for dining establishments, with plenty set aside for independent restaurants.

Public funds, along with private donations, could also be used to pay restaurants to make meals for low-income residents, which some are already doing.

In the meantime, Maine restaurants are adapting. Many have switched to takeout and delivery services. They are reconfiguring their spaces and menus. They are serving ready-to-make meals and offering groceries to go.

Through their ingenuity and commitment, and with the help of good policy, there’s hope that Maine’s great restaurant scene will return as good as before – only different.

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