Chefs with Compassion rescue produce to feed the needy

More than 40,000 meals are being distributed weekly to vulnerable communities by non-profit organisation Nosh Food Rescue, in partnership with the SA Chefs Association.

The partnership resulted in the Chefs with Compassion Initiative, which collects food waste from farmers and retailers, and transports it to a warehouse where a team of volunteers sort through it and separate what is fit for human consumption. The remainder is collected by farm owners to feed to pigs and make compost.

Nosh has received large donations from Pioneer Foods and other organisations of cornflakes cereal, bread, rice, beans, butternut, lentils and chillies.

The Chefs Association’s Yetna Maharaj volunteers at HTA School of Culinary Art to sort food for distribution at Randburg in Johannesburg, 2 June 2020. Food is distributed to food hubs which feed underprivileged communities and put a smile on their faces. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

“The concept behind Chefs with Compassion is a simple one – to rescue produce, provide it to compassionate chefs and kitchens, and connect them with beneficiary organisations,” Nosh director Hanneke van Linge said.

“The supply of rescued produce is, by nature, unpredictable and subject to demand of buyers and the discretion of the agents who provide us with the surplus.

“We have received close to 1,700 tons of lettuce. You’d be surprised what creative chefs can concoct out of lettuces.”

Van Linge said the initiative had provided 11,749 meals from nine kitchens in the first week of May.

Project manager Coovashan Pillay said the growth of the project had been phenomenal. Sponsorship was still needed for four-ton trucks to transport the produce from markets to the warehouses and to collect donations of staple ingredients, he added.

“The cost for a vehicle to do the market run five days a week is about R5,000. Our funding will quickly run out without the vehicles to make the chain work.

“We’re calling on logistics companies, truck rental companies, and suppliers who have vehicles currently not being used to assist us in ensuring the sustainability of this initiative.

HTA School of Culinary Art’s chef volunteers help to sort food for distribution at Randburg in Johannesburg, 2 June 2020. Food is distributed to food hubs which feed the underprivieged communities and put a smile on their faces. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

“We also need to reimburse the drivers for the fuel and their time,” Pillay said. “We’ve seen the demand growing in many different regions. Our cause is to feed people. We don’t want to hear that there are people starving, so the produce has to move as quickly as possible.

“Although we receive large food donations we still need sponsorships for other food items such as all staple foods.”

Chefs with Compassion planned to extend the service to Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban and Bloemfontein. This would be followed shortly by Vereeniging, Makopane, Potchefstroom and Port Elizabeth.

Chef Carlson Mdala said he enjoyed volunteering for the project because he knew his contribution would put a smile on people’s faces when they received meals.

“I’m based at the warehouse where we receive and distribute stock to food hubs which feed underprivileged communities. I urge people to come and volunteer with us and see how much of an impact it has on communities.”

– sonrin@citizen.co.za

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