Refettorio Felix at St Cuthbert's Centre is a community kitchen and drop-in centre serving a population of homeless and other vulnerable people. It was set up by Food for Soul - an international charity founded by superstar chef Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore. Their aim is to combat the problems of food waste and food poverty whilst also driving social inclusion.

The focal point is a three course restaurant-style meal cooked by head chef Iulia (and every other week or so sous-sous-chef Reza!) using surplus ingredients that would otherwise have gone to landfill. This meal is an opportunity not only for nourishment but also for the dignity that comes with being served a good meal and being able to enjoy it sat with others at a table in a beautiful space.

While our guests come for the lunch, the centre provides a number of other support services to the community ranging from therapy sessions to dietitian advice, from specialist housing and benefit assistance to drug and alcohol outreach work. Even for those not accessing these services, the centre provides a safe and warm place where our guests, staff, and volunteers can be together, share their experiences, or simply have a chat!

I (Reza) have been volunteering in the kitchen at Refettorio Felix since 2021 and have had the pleasure of working with Iulia and other chefs and volunteers in cooking countless meals using a bewildering away of ingredients. From panettones from Harrod's and giant wheels of Parmesan to crates of cabbages and slightly sad looking carrots, every day is a new challenge (think getting a veg box on steroids!). As most of you know, food is something I am passionate about and so the chance to get creative in a professional kitchen under Iulia's tutelage, surrounded by a cast of lovely staff and volunteers always brightens up my week, not to mention the feeling you get when a guest pops into the kitchen to say that they liked the starter or (as happened in one case last year) a family cries with happiness because the ice cream we made reminded them of their home country. Although sometimes food is just sustenance, at Refettorio it is a vehicle for combating loneliness, for fostering community, and for helping people to live better. It is a charity close to my heart and we would be most grateful for your donations.

For more information about Refettorio Felix and the St Cuthbert's Centre please see here:

https://www.refettoriofelix.com/

And if you'd like to see some of the food we make then you can follow us on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/refettoriofelixlondon/

And if you'd like to know more about Food for Soul or the Felix Project (who supply the vast majority of our ingredients) please see:

https://www.foodforsoul.it/

https://thefelixproject.org/