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The rising cost of living in the UK has only made the fear of homelessness more real for many families across the country, with a 10 per cent rise in people contacting their local authorities for help amid fears of losing their home in the last year alone.
But now, in a first-of-its-kind business venture, a new fine-dining restaurant has opened in London, and is staffed entirely by people who currently identify as homeless - whether couch-surfing, staying in hostels, or other forms of having no fixed address.
Home Kitchen, a not-for-profit nestled on the leafy streets of Primrose Hill (nearest tube station Chalk Farm), is headed up by Michelin-starred chef, Adam Simmonds, who is at the heart of training the restaurant’s 15 staff to become the next generation of hospitality.
Home Kitchen
Not only do employees get a chance at a fresh start, but they’ll also receive above London living wage, a travel card to get to and from work, and following their 90-day probation period, will go on to train for a catering qualification.
We were among the first to swing by the bistro-style eatery, and it’s instantly recognisable what this opportunity means to those working there.
From first appearances, a lot of the staffers are relatively shy and have admittedly never worked in a restaurant setting before.
While this may raise eyebrows among the usual fine-dining clientele, it arguably makes the experience better. There’s no pretentious attitude, and you’re secretly rooting for the person juggling multiple plates in a packed room, having never done it before three weeks prior.
In conversation with the staff, one thing is clear - they all have big dreams in hospitality beyond this opportunity.
The Independent
For some, it’s been a lifelong ambition to open bakeries, while others mention working at Home Kitchen has helped them realise they want to open restaurants of their own in the future. They likely won’t have to wait long either, with extensions of Home Kitchen already in the works in Brighton and San Francisco, where it’s hoped existing employees will eventually go on to take leadership roles.
But, despite its heartwarming backstory, diners at Home Kitchen can still expect everything you otherwise would from a quintessential upmarket restaurant, in one of the most affluent areas of the Capital.
Home Kitchen
For £65 you can try their tasting menu, consisting of six courses of some of their big hitters. But make no mistake, despite being ‘tasting’ portions, you will leave utterly stuffed.
To start, we were presented with a crab, turnip, and dill mousse. This ‘snack’ course was, as it suggests, a one-bite-and-done addition to the lineup, but the fishy flavours of the crab with the crunch of the turnip worked really well, and set a good tone for what was to come.
We then moved our way through a beetroot and goats cheese dish, which was refreshing and light, and has definitely earned its place on our summer dinner party menu next year, before another tasting portion, of mackerel with apple and cucumber.
I fear the days of popping to Greggs for a quick bite may officially be missing the mark now.
While all were delicious in their own right, the crab mousse was definitely the standout of the ‘starter’ dishes for me.
Sophie Thompson
Breaking up the courses, we were given a basket of sourdough bread complete with whipped butter - which admittedly - I wished was socially acceptable to eat on its own. So creamy. So delicious.
Now onto the stars of the show, and the part where our bellies became very full, very quickly.
Our first main plate was brill with mussels, kohlrabi, and smoked butter, and could’ve served as an entire meal by itself. While such a fish-dominated menu wouldn’t be a lot of people’s first choice (including my own), this dish really stole the show for me.
It combined so many things I wouldn’t typically eat, especially not together, and gave me a new-found appreciation for comfort food outside of Deliveroo in front of the TV.
Home Kitchen
Once that was polished off, it was onto a juicy chicken breast and thigh combination, with white onion and thyme - skin-on, of course - and its own jug of gravy, sufficient enough for my inner-Northerner. Fine, I’ll admit it, I wasn’t expecting something seemingly so basic to blow me away, but admittedly, this was some of the most succulent chicken I’ve ever eaten.
By this point I was struggling to keep my eyes open, but alas, five courses later and dessert was in sight. It was a lemon tart (tarte au citron if you’re fancy), and was the perfect palate cleanser to finish off.
Picture this: It was one of those meals where you finish up by staring at the wall in silence because you’re not quite sure how you’re going to roll yourself out of the restaurant. Chefs kiss.
Sophie Thompson
We’re not alone either - despite being weeks into its opening, Home Kitchen is now boasting over 40 five-star reviews online, with punters describing it as “truly wonderful” and “on point” to name but a few.
But, at the heart of all of these glowing reviews is a common theme - there’s an appetite for businesses doing good and putting underrepresented communities at the heart of their operations - and here’s to hoping it inspires a new generation of inclusivity.
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