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Fooditude Reopens Kitchen To Serve Those Most In Need During COVID-19

Fooditude Reopens Kitchen To Serve Those Most In Need During COVID-19
07 April 2020
 

London-based contract caterer Fooditude has reopened its kitchen to help feed the most vulnerable people in their local community.

They are serving vulnerable and self-isolating people in Southwark, where the kitchen is located and where incidentally, London has seen some of the highest rates of sickness. On 3 April they delivered their first 400 meals, and they intend to more than double their output next week.

Their kitchen has the capacity to cook 2,000 meals each day.

 

“I knew I had to do something quickly to change that mindset and pouring our efforts into charity work seemed like the best way to do it.”

–Dean Kennett

Managing Director, Fooditude

 

Fooditude COVID-19 Emergency Response Kitchen

 

With the rapidly developing situation around COVID-19, the beginning of March saw a considerable shift in lifestyles for all workers across London. The tech industry quickly adapted to a work from home routine that soon spread across to other sectors, even before it became a government directive.

As a caterer to tech-media firms, Fooditude had to quickly respond to this situation by ensuring the dwindling numbers and rapidly closing client offices were effectively supported and any surplus food was made available to the vulnerable. The central production kitchen at Fooditude was closed on 23 March as the management concluded it was no longer safe or viable to remain open.

However, having access to a fully equipped production kitchen with ability to mass-produce meals meant the team at Fooditude wanted to do something to contribute in this time of crisis.

On 2 April the Fooditude kitchen reopened with a small group of volunteers to set up the Fooditude COVID-19 Emergency Response Kitchen. 

 

“Shutting our doors was heartbreaking”

 

Managing Director Dean Kennett commented: “Shutting our doors was heartbreaking let alone eerie. It felt like all the hard work everyone has put in to get our business where it is today was being thrown away. I knew I had to do something quickly to change that mindset and pouring our efforts into charity work seemed like the best way to do it.”

Fooditude is working with Sam Vacciana from Bermondsey Employment Skills and Training (BEST) to distribute the food. The two organisations have worked together for some time, with Fooditude offering traineeships for BEST’s employment skills students. 

Fooditude_kitchen

Cristina Covello, Head of Strategic Growth at Fooditude, commented on their relationship: “We could not have gotten our emergency kitchen off the ground without Sam’s help. She has been integral in linking us with the community and finding an outlet for our meals. What’s great is that she shares our view of trying to find those in the community that most need our help.”

Speaking of the collaboration with Fooditude, Sam Vacciana said “We at BEST were delighted when Fooditude contacted us about helping connect them to community partners to donate some freshly cooked meals. We were able to distribute about 300 packed meals last Friday lunchtime to Sheltered Housing Units and charities in Southwark.

"The feedback has been heart-warming and really helped with not just their residents’ morale, but the volunteers’ too!  We hope that we will be able to continue to provide this bit of love and care by getting more meals out to those who most need them during these unsettling and often lonely times.”

Fooditude, who are Planet Mark members, would like to continue to grow this emergency response and are currently fundraising to help keep the scheme running. 

If you would like to donate to the Fooditude COVID-19 Emergency Kitchen please visit their Go Fund Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fooditude-covid19-emergency-response

Picture: London-based contract caterer Fooditude has reopened its kitchen to help feed the most vulnerable people in their local community.

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 07 April 2020

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