Food writer Corby Kummer spoke to Boston Public Radio on Thursday about the current worker shortage in the restaurant industry.

Many workers simply left Boston during the pandemic, Kummer said.

“People who had options found other sources of work and moved to places that were cheaper to live than Boston,” he said. “They decided they’re going to be where their money will go farther and where they can be with their families.”

Kummer says that there’s been an exodus of people who find it cheaper and easier to live elsewhere. But businesses and restaurants can incentivize workers to come back and stay, he added.

“Your duty is to protect your staff,” he said. “For restaurants reopening, the first thing a manager or owner has to do is work hard to get their staff fully vaccinated.”

Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.