'Together we can help get our hospitality workers back on their feet, one portion at a time'
'I wanted to try and support a charity, and this one really struck home'
'You've got a blank canvas going back. We can change what we do'
Friends of Fifteen Cornwall fundraiser to support staff who lost jobs following closure
'The c-word', as many will come to know Covid by, felt as good a reason as any for Tom Aikens to hold a guest chef series at Muse.
The award-winning chef's latest venture received beaming reviews all round in the short period after it opened in early 2020, but as every other restaurant up and down the country, was forced to close shortly thereafter.
And so, as a special treat for his team and guests and to acknowledge the hardships many have endured this year, the series of guest chef appearances included Robin Gill, who kicked it off, with Alex Dilling and more to follow.
All of the proceeds for the events are going to Only a Pavement Away (OAPA), a charity which helps homeless people including veterans and ex-offenders to find work in hospitality,
Founded by Greg and Gill Mangham, who packed in their day jobs to dedicate themselves to the cause, OAPA has predictably seen a high rise in demand for its services since the onset of the pandemic.
Tom began supporting the charity during lockdown, with enough time on his hands to put them to good use.
"I wanted to try and support a charity, and this one really struck home." he said
"It's helping homeless people and others who - through Covid - have lost their jobs or can't support themselves anymore."
"What they're doing sounded amazing to me so I got in touch with them and asked what I could do to help."
His social media accounts were soon flooded with five minute Charity Cookery Challenge videos, whereby he asked fellow chefs to cook a meal in five minutes, donate £5 to the Hospitality Against Homelessness campaign and nominate five friends to pass on the challenge.
"It was quite hilarious - what was pulled off and what wasn't pulled off," he laughed.
"Covid has been a learning experience for all of us - in terms of business, but also to have time to reflect, to see family, and have a bit of normality - if there can be such a word in the crazy time that we're in."
The OAPA has support from charities Crisis, St Mungos for the Homeless, Centrepoint and The Big Issue Foundation, and hospitality providers Byron, De Vere Hotels, Fuller’s, Greene King, Gaucho, MacDonald Hotels & Resorts, Topgolf and Youngs.
It has since partnered with software company Polaris Elements to create a jobs board and employment portal to connect applicants and employers.
Furthermore, a cookbook featuring almost 200 recipes created during the Charity Cookery Challenge will be available from November 2020, with all proceeds going towards supporting both Only A Pavement Away members and non-members get back into work.
For more information about OAPA and how you can lend your support, visit https://onlyapavementaway.co.uk/
In these challenging times…
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
Support Us
CONTRIBUTE
'I wanted to try and support a charity, and this one really struck home'
'Together we can help get our hospitality workers back on their feet, one portion at a time'
'You've got a blank canvas going back. We can change what we do'
Friends of Fifteen Cornwall fundraiser to support staff who lost jobs following closure
