A couple of weeks ago, we hosted an Iranian meal private fundraising event for 18 people to raise funds for Plateful. It was such a pleasure to work alongside this charity and enjoy having people round our table that all shared a desire to help refugees in the UK. It was held in our house in Brockley. The idea originated from a conversation with Iolanda a few months ago following a small party they had catered for at Christmas. We had previously attended a similar event in the café in Hilly Fields Park and then thought why not do the same at home. We thought it was such a great idea and in retrospect we feel that it was a lovely evening and little effort on our part. Not only that, but we raised about £700. Once we’d decided we wanted Iranian vegetarian food for about 16 people, Iolanda and I agreed the menu and then a volunteer designed a lovely poster with the invitation including the details, menu, cost etc. We were offering a 3-course meal at £35 to start at 7pm. We decided to offer drinks; however, it is also possible to ask people to bring drinks. Furthermore, we sent the poster invitation to friends and family, our street What’s App group and other potentially interested people. On the day, we just laid the table (although if you don’t have a big table, a buffet style would work well). We borrowed some crockery and cutlery and some chairs. Of the 18, some were neighbours (some of whom we barely knew), family and friends. We even received a donation from 2 people who could not attend. We asked people to pre-pay via our own bank account and then sent the donations to the Plateful account. Our lovely Iranian refugee arrived at 10am with Iolanda and the ingredients. She cooked and chatted and prepared fantastic food (aubergine and egg dish, samosas and bread to start, bean and herb stew with rice and salad, and fruit, dates and nuts to finish). We were able to offer pans and dishes, although again, this is not essential and can be provided by the charity. The cook left in the early afternoon. At 6.30 another refugee came with Iolanda to heat the food, cook the samosas and serve the food once the guests had arrived. Everyone came on time and was very friendly. We decided to go round and introduce ourselves during the meal, however again this is not essential. Iolanda had left some crafts and non-perishable foods to sell in aid of Plateful. Almost all the goods were taken, and Iolanda trusted people to pay afterwards by bank transfer. After the guests left, our job was to clear up and discuss the success of the evening. We had caught up with old friends and met new ones. We had some very positive feedback and loads of food left over that we shared with our family. Altogether, this was a lovely experience, and we highly recommend you offering to host such an event. Iolanda is very flexible and full of great ideas. She is lovely to work with and wants to make these events both popular as a fundraiser and to publicise the charity.
Dear readers! The summer is slowly giving way to autumn and what an August rich of activities we have had. We started new partnerships with St Magdalen Hall and Pistachio in Fields cafe and as we speak we are busy preparing the different dishes we will offer at Pullens festival this weekend. Looking Forward At St Magdalen Hall we catered for their summer party and at Pistachios in the fields we were given the opportunity to sell our products and display our artwork at their Calais fundraiser. Both events were successful and we met with many new people who have a genuine desire to support our cause. We very much hope for these partnerships to be long-term and fruitful for all. At St Magdalen Hall we are planning to offer unique menus for their birthdays parties and weddings and at Pistachios in the Filed run our first Syrian community dinner in October. We thank Rob, the owner for the opportunity and his great support of our charity. At Pullens we are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase our food offer of traditional dishes from Syria cooked using family recipes and we are honoured to be the only food provider at the festival. September and Beyond We have received a generous donation from Team Lewis marketing Company and I have had the honour to be interviewed and featured in their book” The Silent rebellion, becoming a modern leader” which talks about my journey setting up the Refugee Café and now Plateful café etc. In September the book will be launched and my interview will be available to promote Plateful cafe extensively. Our search for a commercial Kitchen continues but not with much luck as what we have been offered is either domestic, too far, without storage etc. Since leaving Parkside Community Centre we have been fortunate to receive many commissions for large catering events at universities and also corporates and it has been very challenging to cook from a domestic kitchen. We continue to grow without a commercial kitchen to grow in! You might know of a kitchen in your area available at peppercorn rent for our small young charity ? Having a commercial kitchen which we could call our own would make a huge difference and would mean we could train the next cohort of 6 chefs, expand our catering offers branching out to bigger and bigger events and making a huge difference to a bigger group of aspiring chefs in the area. Our beneficiaries greatest aspiration is to work, making a contribution to the local economy and society rebuilding their lives after years of trauma and upheaval. They do not want to continue to rely on benefits to survive. Being unemployed is demeaning and shameful as all come from professional backgrounds with a great aspiration to continue with their previous job,providing for their families! With your continuing support we will, one day achieve our dream and offer pathways to employment to many more refugees!
Good day everyone. I hope you are enjoying your summer 2024. At Plateful Café we are as busy as ever despite not having a permanent place yet. We are exploring different opportunities to secure at least a commercial kitchen to continue to cook for events and make our products. Summer 2024 Events We are in consultation with Magdalen Hall in SE1 to cook for their events and the same with Stanstead Lodge in SE6.The first event at St Magdalen is on the 10th of August when we will be providing all the food for their Summer Fayre. We have also started a new collaboration with Pistachio in the Fields Cafe and are thrilled to sell our merchandise at their Care for Calais fundraiser on August the 15th. They have also graciously agreed to display and sell our paintings in the café for one month. We are also looking for new premises to share with GRACE Refugee Aid and are exploring the use of kitchens in local schools after school hours. We were thrilled to be at the Rising Sun collective street party on the 13th of July and forge new collaboration. The street party was a huge success with our food selling out in 4 hours. We cant wait to go back and take part in a Latin Fiesta this summer which we are planning together for August. July & August We continue to cater for the events and this month we are delighted to cater for University of Central London on the 25th of July. We are also starting to cater for wakes. The first wake is on the 10th of August to celebrate the life of Anne Hignett our long-term supporter and volunteer who passed away in July. Anne was an incredible lady who helped for years with cooking, driving, assisting the café and befriending. Anne recruited also other helpers and supporters and to this day they are still supporting our charity by mainly attending our dinners. She truly cared for our beneficiaries and showed a great commitment to their long-term future. She strongly believed they should have the same opportunities as everyone else, rebuild their lives and play a full part in the local society and economy. She was so incredibly happy when we opened the Café last September and visited regularly to have lunch or dinner, bringing family and friends. She was always there and every week she gave at least 2 hours of her time helping with whatever needed doing. We are all missing her incredibly! She was very generous to the very end by also donating her car to Plateful to be driven by one of the refugees when we start a take away service. We are so sad she is gone and may she rest in peace. We will ensure her legacy continues when we open a take away service. We will persevere and continue in our efforts to find a permanent venue with your support and care.
Bistro Nights By Sam. Very few festivals can say they have a history which stretches back over three millennia, but Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is one of them. The celebration happens every year on the spring equinox and symbolises the emergence of new life and the triumph of light over darkness. Hadis, one of the many talented Chefs who cook at Plateful Café, explained how the charity was helping her preserve this ancient tradition with her family despite leaving Iran two years ago. “Plateful has allowed me to make a better lifestyle for myself in the UK and it’s been great to show off my culture and my style of cooking to customers.” Refugee Run Bistro Nights Located on Lewisham Road, Plateful Café is open to everyone in Southeast London looking to experience unique cultural traditions. Their mission is to empower refugees like Hadis by providing job opportunities and by highlighting their talents and value within the local community. For Hadis, who had worked as a Physiotherapist in Iran, Plateful also allowed her to acquire new skills and gain professional experience working in hospitality. “It’s been great because I’ve been able to get experience working in a professional kitchen and serving customers, and I’ve also learnt how to make coffee like a Barista.” The café’s new bistro nights showcase the food, culture and music of members of staff like Hadis. But more than that, they are an opportunity for you to come and support one of London’s new community spaces while listening to live music and eating great food. At last week’s Nowruz event diners could gather around a traditional Haft-Sin table and try traditional dishes like Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi – a herby rice dish served with fried fish. Traditional Iranian music played on the Tar, a long-necked lute, greeted people as they walked in, and the seven symbols of Nowruz were laid out on each table. These symbols all begin with the letter S in Farsi and represent various virtues. For instance, Sabzeh (wheatgrass or lentil sprouts grown in a dish) represents rebirth, Seer (Garlic) represents health, and Serkeh (Vinegar) represents patience. The night ended with smooth Jazz and a Persian Love cake, which is a fragrant dessert drenched in a sweet citrus glaze. Hadis was kind enough to share the recipe for her Sabzi Polo so you can try and make it at home. But if you want to try the real thing then head down to Plateful café for lunch on Thursdays (9:30 am-3 pm), Fridays (9:30 am -3 pm), and Saturdays (12 pm-5 pm). Or for a full evening of culture head along to the next Plateful Lates bistro night which will be held on the evening of the 18th of April. Alternatively, follow Plateful on Instagram @platefulcafe, on Facebook, or find out more about how to volunteer on their website platefulcafe.co.uk. Plateful’s Sabzi polo Ba Mahi recipe: For the rice: 400 grams basmati rice 80 grams of chopped parsley 80 grams of chopped coriander 80 grams of chopped dill Minced Garlic (four cloves) ¼ cup of brewed Saffron Sunflower oil Butter For the fish: White fish fillets (traditionally Caspian Kutum) Lemon juice Method: First, we soak the rice for one to two hours with a little salt. Next strain out the water the rice has soaked in before cooking the rice in boiling water until it becomes slightly soft (al dente). Depending on your rice this takes between three and eight minutes. Drain any remaining water and let the rice stand for at least two minutes. We then pour rice along with the chopped herbs and a little oil into a new pot. Add a little oil and butter before closing the lid and leaving to simmer on low heat for five minutes. We now set a little of this rice aside for the garnish. Dribble the brewed saffron over the rice that is being used for garnish. Leave the remaining rice to steam in the pot with no heat under it for half an hour or until fragrant. The fish is simply fried in a pan for two to three minutes on each side depending on the size of the fillet. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Happy Birthday I recently turned 50, and marked it this weekend with a really special happy birthday dinner in the company of some of my closest friends. The Setup We turned our living room and garden into an intimate dining space for 23 guests. I spent a good part of the preceding week trying to figure out exactly how I’d seat everyone without it turning into a game of Snake on the night —I realise that my gaming reference is really showing my age — and tried everything, including a U-shaped, T-shaped, even S-shaped table arrangement starting inside and ending outside. I learned that as soon as you introduce corners, you lose valuable seating space, so finally settled on three big tables with one on the terrace. Thank God the weather was divine. A Unique Dining Experience A huge thank you to the Plateful Cafe, who sent two refugee cooks to prepare a delicious three-course dinner, topped off with a stunning birthday cake. Faten and Sana are from Syria and the Plateful Cafe now gives them a London Living Wage. They spent the whole afternoon in our kitchen and enthusiastically showed me the cooking techniques they’re so proud of. The food was all delicious and our guests loved it all, as well as the entire experience itself. The cake was made by an Iranian refugee and tasted of orange, lavender and poppy seeds, and looked magnificent. We got to thank Faten and Sana before they left us to enjoy the rest of the evening. Cook for Syria Shout out to the beautiful Cook for Syria recipe book — a gift from Sarah and Jo — that inspired my search for refugee cooks. We Also Raised Money for Refugees In lieu of gifts, we also raised almost £800 (so far) to support the work of the International Rescue Committee who help and rescue refugees fleeing conflict and natural disaster, all around the world. It’s an impressive and effective organisation, which I’m also proud to serve on the UK board. Thank you so much to my friends who donated so generously. In case anyone else felt like making a contribution to a worthwhile cause, here’s the link to my Just Giving page. Thank You We’ve now retrieved all our furniture from the neighbour’s back yard and have a living room again. The night was a great success and my only regret is that we couldn’t have extended invitations further, but were limited by tables and chairs! Thank you to everyone who joined us. I loved it…and love you all.
