This spring is filled with religious celebrations

This spring is filled with religious celebrations and in Calais we do our best to support their observance however possible. Recently we’ve prepared celebratory chicken dishes for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and are currently helping the Christian community observe lent by ensuring vegan dishes are always available. We’re preparing for Ramadan with take-away meals, dates and treats as well as planning for Eid feasts in May.

The communities in Calais are hugely varied, including Sudanese, South Sudanese, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Afghan, Pakistani, Kurdish, Iranian, Yemeni, Kuwaiti, Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi and Chadian people attending our distributions on a daily basis, along with other nationalities too. Marking as many festivities and celebrations as we can is our way of showing respect and recognition for the cultures and beliefs of the people we serve - serving food with dignity, the RCK way.

Happy International Woman's Day 2021

A day to reflect on how far we have come in the struggle to be released from unnecessary oppression and to remember the daily challenges still faced by all women worldwide.

Every act of defiance against the unjust stands below us, everyone of us woman, man & child.

Today, RCK stand with all the women fighting for justice, equity, education, safety, economic freedom and equality.

Until we are all free, None of us are free!

Looking for a last-minute Valentine present that doesn't mean leaving the house

Looking for a last-minute Valentine present that doesn't mean leaving the house?

You can order one of our beautiful love-themed gift certificates until 12pm today and it'll arrive personalised in time for breakfast in bed tomorrow!

You can choose the name and amount and we'll do the rest - including turning your donations into hot, nutritious meals in Calais and the UK!

Calais Update from the Founders: We Need Help!

Co-founders Paula, Sam, Janie and Steve made it over to our Calais kitchen this month where we're still making 1,500 meals every day. The numbers in Calais are growing and with recent events they're only going to get higher.

We are low on volunteers and low on funds, so we need your help! Whether you can join the kitchen crew for anything from a few days to a few months or can donate to help us buy much-needed supplies, every bit of support will be key in helping us continue to serve fresh, nutritious and tasty meals to those on the move.

Thank you

Sam Jones' Punjabi Lobia in the Observer's 20 best curries

Great to see co-founder Sam's delicious recipe for Punjabi Lobia included in Observer Food Monthly's 20 Best Curries! It's a pleasure to see a Refugee Community Kitchen staple alongside recipes by chefs like Andi Oliver, Meera Sodha and Madhur Jaffrey.

"At Refugee Community Kitchen we make many variations of this curry, which is incredibly popular with all the communities we serve, as well as providing much-needed protein and energy" - Sam

You can find the full recipe here

We need Volunteers!

We are still serving in Calais but we are in desperate need of volunteers! We have a wonderful team who are working incredibly hard, but they need support as Winter sets in. We would love to see some familiar faces return to the stoves but newcomers are more welcome than ever! You don't need kitchen experience, just a willingness to work hard and get stuck in. We can teach you everything you need to know, from prep to cooking to serving.

If you're interested and can stay for 2 weeks or more, please get in touch here: volunteering@refugeecommunitykitchen.org

HUMANS OF RCK: Izzy

"I learned so much in my time with RCK and was constantly surrounded by a wonderful supportive team! In what is a dire situation, there is so much love, solidarity and humanity to be found." - Izzy

A huge thank you Izzy for her calming, steady, funny, bright and lovely energy in Calais over the last year. We wish you all the best on your new adventures and a well-earned rest along the way! A big thanks for bringing all your friends and family we love them too

HUMANS OF RCK: Quentin

Quentin works tirelessly in the bowels of RCK sorting out the most intricate of our marketing and social media problems. He is endlessly generous with his time, money and positivity, even finding time to drop off beer and chocolate at the gates of the warehouse when he passes by. He manages all of this alongside being an amazing dad, husband & beautiful human. We have so much gratitude - Love from all the RCK fam!