Deliveroo to host refugee chefs for Refugee Week

Deliveroo will host refugee chefs to bring the world’s dishes to Londoners for the 20th anniversary of Refugee Week from 18 to 24 June.

The chefs, who have fled conflict and political upheaval from Syria, Yemen, Libya, Eritrea and Ivory Coast, are part of the community project and charity Welcome Kitchen, which usually caters for community events and one-off private functions.

Deliveroo will help the chefs by allowing them to use Deliveroo’s delivery-only Editions kitchen in Crouch End. It will also help refugees with menu selection, safety training, marketing, supplier choice and ingredients.

Londoners can order a variety of meals inspired by the chefs’ home countries including dishes such as Cheb Jen from Ivory Coast and Tamiya from Yemen.

Hosting and ordering costs from Welcome Kitchen will be covered by the intiative meaning customers will not pay a delivery fee for meals – every penny from each order raised will go to the charity.

Each delivery will also come with a Refugee Week Simple Acts postcard, which includes a list of everyday things one can do to express its stance on refugees and make new connections.

Deliveroo’s CEO Will Shu said: “We are really privileged to be supporting Welcome Kitchen and the amazing chefs that make it what it is. Refugee Week is the perfect opportunity for Deliveroo to help the chefs involved take the next step in their dream of a permanent restaurant with its own bricks and mortar site.

“We want more Londoners to try these amazing meals so we will be supporting the project’s setup costs and covering all the delivery fees so every penny goes back to Welcome.”

Josie Naughton, Help Refugees’ CEO, added: “It has been an honour to support the important work of Welcome Kitchen over the past two years as they have created a community, using delicious food to help people build new lives in the UK.  

“We are delighted about the collaboration between Deliveroo and Welcome Kitchen. It is really exciting that tasty dishes, prepared by a team of talented female refugee chefs, will be available for the people of London throughout Refugee Week.”