Phoenix chef closes beloved restaurant, plans to feed nurses and homeless amid COVID-19 spread

In a tearful video posted on Facebook Friday, a local chef announced she's closing her restaurant in Phoenix.

PHOENIX - In a tearful video posted on Facebook Friday, a local chef announced she's closing her restaurant in Phoenix.

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza announced she's shutting down "Barrio Cafe Gran Reserva" along Grand Avenue after four years at that location.

She'll now be focusing on her flagship restaurant along 16th Street.

Salcido Esparza says it's no secret that there's a pandemic happening, and now there's no money to keep both of the businesses afloat.

"Between what business is going to survive and not, I have an 18-year-old restaurant and a 4-year-old restaurant," Salcido Esparza said. "It's obvious that the fine dining restaurant is going to go away, I don't have the money. There's no money. No resources. No loans ..."

She says although the restaurant is shut down, she's not throwing out the food. She said she is selling the food and also giving it to the homeless community.

Starting Monday she will also feed 100 nurses a day, and the next week, 200. The week after that, 300 nurses, because thats when the height of the pandemic is expected to hit Arizona.