From dishwasher to restaurateur Homeless people cook gourmet meals in London restaurant

In the heart of London's Primrose Hill district, the Home Kitchen restaurant offers homeless people a chance to change their lives - with a star chef at their side.

The Home Kitchen restaurant in Primrose Hill, a charming north London neighborhood, has been open for three weeks. Mimi Mohamed, one of the new employees, is almost certain that she knows the recipe for the lemon tart by heart. Nevertheless, a small notebook with the ingredients leans against the steel counter: 18 lemons, 420 grams of butter, 900 grams of sugar, 24 eggs. This recipe comes from Adam Simmonds, a Michelin-starred chef who leads the team of inexperienced chefs - almost all of whom were previously homeless, as The New York Times writes.

"People in the kitchen make a lot of mistakes, but that's okay," says Simmonds with a laugh. "We accept that and learn from it." The concept of the restaurant, which was initiated by Alex Brown, the manager of the London Soup Kitchen, is unique: it offers homeless people a career opportunity in high-end gastronomy.

The idea was born during the pandemic, when many of those queuing for food at the soup kitchen asked: "Do you know of any jobs?"

In cities around the world, including the UK, homelessness and unemployment are closely linked. Employers rarely hire people without a fixed abode, and so it remains impossible for many homeless people to break out of this cycle.

Home Kitchen aims to remedy this situation: Staff completed an intensive three-week cookery course before opening and then spent two weeks working in the kitchen at Megaro, a five-star hotel where Simmonds was recently appointed head chef.

The new chefs work full-time and earn 13.15 pounds (14.90 francs) per hour, the London Living Wage. They also receive travel allowances and free meals during their shift. If the employees pass the 90-day probationary period, they are entitled to a one-year certification course at Westminster Kingsway College, which is paid for in full.

Who pays for the project?

The founders of Home Kitchen were able to raise 350,000 pounds (396,000 Swiss francs) via crowdfunding. A further 210,000 pounds (237,000 Swiss francs) came from a philanthropic fund for social projects. The aim of the restaurant is to be self-sustaining and not to make a profit.

Unlike in TV series such as The Bear or Boiling Point, where kitchens work under extreme pressure, Simmonds values a relaxed working environment in which employees have time to learn. "We need to boost their self-confidence," he says.

Simmonds has adapted the menu several times to ensure that the dishes can also be prepared by inexperienced chefs. Complex recipes such as goat's cheese mousse with figs have been removed, and instead there is a fixed-price menu for 35 pounds (39.60 francs) with simpler but high-quality dishes. A tasting menu for 65 pounds (73.60 francs) is also on offer.

For many of the new staff, the kitchen is a whole new world. Paul Brown, who vacuum-packed fish and chicken, had never heard of ingredients such as celeriac or brill. Mimi Mohamed had to learn how to get the lemon tart mixture to the right consistency. Illia Kovalenko, a 20-year-old Ukrainian refugee, needed lessons in cocktail mixing.

Sommonds knows what he's talking about

Simmonds himself currently works 17 hours a day, as he also runs a second restaurant in Megaro in addition to Home Kitchen. He admits: "I can't carry on like this." But there are also bigger challenges: Last week, two employees lost their emergency accommodation and spent a few nights on the street. The team helped them to find accommodation in a hostel.

Simmonds knows from personal experience how quickly you can slip into homelessness. The celebrity chef is a recovering cocaine addict and remembers a time when he couldn't pay his rent. His family took him in. "We give these people a second chance," he says.

He himself has also been given a second chance several times. "I've been clean for over 30 days," says Simmonds, leaning back with a glass of mineral water - just as long as Home Kitchen has been open.