It was the year 2020 when an unforeseen pandemic occurred, resulting in governments imposing trade and movement restrictions worldwide. Major cities emptied as people stayed home, leading to animals taking over streets typically populated by humanity. Social media showed photos of mountain goats in Wales, wild turkeys at a playground in California, and a mob of deer in the streets and subways of Tokyo. In the face of this unfamiliar enemy, it appeared that humanity had retreated and curled up.

The streets of New York City were not excluded from the global shutdown. The City that never sleeps closed its borders, sent office workers home, and bodegas and theaters were shuttered. Even though Broadway was still brightly lit by millions of lights on theater marquees and billboards, it felt spookily quiet - as if its occupants had gone to bed but left the lights on to scare away thieves. It was unsettling to think that, like 9/11, another dose of that bitter flavor of defeat would hit the City.

But none of that, of course, compares to the thousands of New Yorkers whose lives ended before their time. We're still reeling from the loss.

There's also the impact on the City's economy. The unemployment rate soared past previous economic catastrophes every week, rising to new heights. Also, businesses were forced to close due to their inability to pay rent. The face of New York City life was altered overnight.

But in the face of all this turmoil, we saw how the City fought its way back to life. Every night at 7, New Yorkers would show support for essential workers by clapping their hands, banging pots and pans, and playing music in the streets. The otherwise chaotic noise sounded like Buddhist monks chanting, keeping the peace. Community pantries giving away free food and supplies to needy New Yorkers popped up all over town. After coming out of retirement, many doctors and nurses re-joined the force to care for those who were sick. A bond united all New Yorkers, and it was palpable, albeit unseeable.

Hence, after some time spent reflecting, we felt the need to take action. Donning our masks, we left our apartment and rode the subway. Despite being a scary experience, sharing this space with strangers was still enjoyable.

We scouted for outdoor jazz gigs at a church courtyard. We visited museums and galleries and ate burritos at our neighborhood taqueria. I even lost my wallet because I was bombed from having downed a cocktail of soju and beer with a group of NYU students braving that pouring night in May. On those nights, we discovered that the City we adore so much was inviting us to come out and be alive again. To experience its diverse mix of food, culture, and people.

So after we weighed our options and saw what else was available to us, we decided to start a project that would involve two things we're both passionate about: food and art.

Yet, we cannot do it alone. This project will be better served if we tag along individuals who are passionate and capable. People with fascinating crafts to exhibit, such as culinary art or digital animation, fashion, or music. Eventually, we found ourselves scrolling through our contacts and IM apps. We sent out emails, organized Zoom meetings, and held karaoke nights to weigh our restaurant concept and test our menus and recipes.

I can't remember how many times we changed our menu and branding after taste testing sessions with friends and family and even with strangers. But we needed to do it because we were not only selling food. We wanted to give you, our customers, an experience worth your time and money - something that would make you feel like you were part of the Kalye community.

The name "Kalye" actually means "street" in Tagalog. It's pretty ironic that the idea for Kalye was birthed while we were strolling through the eerily empty streets of New York City. Amazing and quite romantic, indeed, that we found inspiration in our City and continue to be inspired by its energy today. The mission for Kalye was to help bring vibrant life back into the streets of New York, and we hope to do so with food, culture, and art.