Founder Iolanda’s Thoughts

Iolanda’s Thoughts Dear Readers At the start of a gloomy and rainy first week of October here we are reflecting on our achievements and looking forward to the celebrations to mark the end of the year of the year and the festive season. As we speak we are busy packaging our Christmas products ready to be photographed and launched by second week of October. We aim to sell them online by preorder and also at markets and events we will attend from now to December. As a sneak preview there will be our best-selling hamper with a selection of our jams, truffles, biscuits and cheese as well as our tea towel, artwork etc. They will be available to preorder from middle of October. We are very pleased to announce that our Syrian dinner at Pistachio in the Park sold out in two weeks and by popular demand we are now offering another Syrian Feast at Stansted Lodge in November and also a Syrian themed Christmas lunch at Star of Greenwich. We can offer the same at your place of work or for your family festive season celebrations. Please book your Syrian festive meal through our website. I am honoured to be nominated for the Mayor of Lewisham’s Community Award in the Community or faith group/organisation category. The Community Awards scheme was launched in 2017 to champion all those who are going above and beyond for their communities. This could be through helping a neighbour in need, coaching a sports team, running a community choir, giving up their free time to volunteer, performing incredible acts of selflessness, donating food, and more. The council will film me and feature the film on their website promoting our charity. I am also very pleased about the official launch of the book in the UK and America “Silent rebellion,becoming a modern leader” and the good reviews on Amazon. We are hopeful that you will explore this impactful resource. Please share it with those who want to learn more about leadership and more about my struggles and motivation to set Plateful up and keep it going despite all odds. Our partnership with Team Lewis is also continuing with our artwork being exhibited in their new Headquarters on Millbank. We are discussing the details as we speak and will reveal more in the next issue. Our search for a commercial kitchen of our own continues and perhaps you have leads in southeast London we could explore? Our external catering for events and special occasions continues to be popular with the local public and organisations and we are planning to be the caterer in residence at Magdalen Hall in SE1.The hall is well used by the local community for weddings, birthdays, etc without an in-house caterer. Lets hope their kitchen will be fit-for-purpose once refurbished. We will try it out in October. We are working on new menus from Sudan, Chad and Iran to feature in our community dinners and catering in the new year showcasing world flavours by refugee chefs. As usual the best way to be kept up-to-date is through our social media and signing up to our newsletter to be the first to know about our news! A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteer teams who work tirelessly to keep our charity going and keep growing. Truly and honestly you are the lifeblood of Plateful! !A rough calculation estimates the total number of volunteer hours to 150 per week!!
Looking Forward to September!

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!
Get a Taste of Syrian Cuisine

Syrian cuisine is known for its diverse and flavourful taste reflecting the history and culture of the country. Examples of Syrian cuisine include: Hummus: A creamy dip made from blended chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Kofta Kabab: consisting of grilled meat, the lamb is mixed with garlic and parsley, grilled and served Falafel: made of cilantro, yellow onion, garlic gloves, cumin and coriander. These dishes are not only delicious, they are also rich in flavour and traditional spices. Kibbeh is considered to be the national dish of Syria, this dish is made from onion, ground beef or lamb, burgul, onion puree and spices, the dough is processed, whilst all ingredients are added to the burgul. The product is then baked, fried, cooked or grilled. At Plateful Café, every meal is a celebration of flavours, community, and creativity. All Syrian cuisine dishes have a story. It could be a cherished family recipe or a new chef or individual discovery, the food of Syria claims a rich cultural heritage and spirit. This means cooking which celebrates Syrian culture and community, but also cooking which brings together all communities and cultures here at Plateful Cafe. Please join us as we continue to explore this food adventure. Please stay connected for more recipes, stories, and culinary adventures. Also don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on Instagram for our latest updates!
Moving to the Star of Greenwich

Moving On Southeast London’s favourite community café has had to leave its home in the Parkside Community Centre on Lewisham Road. Luckily though, our tireless volunteers have been able to team up with The Star of Greenwich, a community-owned pub with stacks of character and an international reputation. The Star was recently featured in an LA Times article about the survival of British pubs in a post-pandemic economy, so many of us are optimistic that the forced change of location could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Moving to The Star of Greenwich Our mission continues to be about helping refugees get on their feet. By hiring chefs from all over the world the café provides a safe and welcoming space where migrants can develop skills that will help them find employment. More than that though, the Plateful will continue to give chefs the chance to celebrate and share the dishes that are important to them. For customers, this also means you will be exposed to a wider range of culinary delights than ever before. Nahed, a chef from Syria who has worked with Plateful for several years, spoke about how she feels about the move. Rather than being worried, Nahed expressed optimism about the possibilities that changing location might bring. “I’m not worried, I think maybe it’s a blessing actually. It can be very quiet here and not many people walk past. So, there’s a good chance there will be more business when we move which might mean there is more work for me too! At the moment I only work here one day every fortnight so I’m hoping that I might be able to get more hours in Greenwich.” The Star of Greenwich is located just off Trafalgar Road in East Greenwich, so it is hoped that a busier setting will encourage more people to try our fantastic food. A Chef’s Story Nahed went on to explain how Plateful had helped her personally and expressed hope that the change of location would allow others to benefit from a similar experience. “Working this job has helped me in many ways. My English is fine now but a few years ago, frankly, I didn’t know how to say my own name. I’ve also met so many new people and learnt how to use new equipment in the kitchen like the coffee machine. Now I have a good CV and a food hygiene certificate which meant I could get a job working at a nursery too.” For the newer refugee chefs who are still developing their English and getting qualified, there is certainly hope that moving to The Star of Greenwich will provide opportunities for others to follow in Nahed’s footsteps. Unfortunately, there are still a couple of obstacles to overcome before we can establish ourselves as a permanent fixture at the Star. While regular events are planned for the rest of the year, we are waiting on funding which would allow The Star to install a new Kitchen on the 1st floor of the pub. This would mean Plateful’s talented chefs would be able to cook on-site rather than bringing in our food from outside. To help make this dream come true we encourage you to come down to the three-course Peruvian dinner which will take place at the Star of Greenwich on the 14th of June.
Our Refugee Run 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.
Why Plateful Cafe and why now?

Firstly, let’s establish what is Plateful Café? Plateful Café is a social enterprise that connects refugees and local people through a shared love of good food. Our primary objective at Plateful is to establish a physical café where we can serve food lovingly created by our Refugee Chefs. There were a couple of motivations at hand when we decided to set up Plateful Café. First let’s start with the obvious – fantastic food, food is as close as we really get to a universal shared language. In the absence of a common language, food is such an interesting insight into another culture: from the extraordinary precision of sushi to the shared eating experience of Injera, a food popular in Ethiopia. We wanted Plateful to be an insight into the lives and stories of the Refugee chefs who lovingly create the dishes. Whilst much of life is sadly left behind when you are forced to flee your home, knowledge and recipes remain. In this way, food for many of us is so much more than just what’s on your plate. Secondly, the unfortunate reality is that in many charities that involve refugees creating and selling their products, the refugees themselves are detached, or at worst removed, from important decisions and directions the charity takes. At Plateful we are committed to ensuring that every decision we make not only puts the interests of Refugees first but, crucially, is made with Refugees. Finally, we wanted the café and our events leading up to its formation to be a springboard for greater social and cultural cohesion. Today, more than ever, we seem to live in echo chambers. We socialise with the same people, see the same views on LinkedIn, go to the same restaurants. Plateful Café aims to be an antidote to that by creating a space where people from different backgrounds can come together, regardless of social status or background, to share a love of good food. The pay-what-you-can pricing system and the location of the café in a community-owned pub are designed to encourage this kind of interaction. Our Valentine’s Day Dinner on the 15th of February officially marks the start of our journey and it is exciting. We know the journey will most certainly not be a smooth one, but we’ve got a fantastic (growing!) team and we’re all united by a common goal: spreading world flavours by refugee chefs. If you are free, we’d love for you to join us for our dinner later this month: not only to try delicious food but to meet a community of like minded people, all committed to making our society just that bit of a nicer place to be. We hope to see you there.