No one should be made to flee their home for who they love, how they identify or how they choose to express themselves. Unfortunately, many of the people we serve have had to do just this, as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people face persecution, discrimination and even violence in their home countries. RCK supports LGBTQI+ rights and looks forward to the day when no one will need to escape their home for simply being themselves. We strive to make our kitchens welcoming to everyone, with safer spaces policy and mandatory sessions for everyone joining. We love, with pride
Abdul's Bolanis
May is here and in the RCK Calendar that means Abdul's Bolani Recipe (not to mention our Orthodox Easter Doro Wat recipe which you'll find in there too!). Abdul gave a mini Bolani masterclass in our Calais kitchen recently to show us how to perfect the Afghani stuffed flatbreads. If you'd like to try them make sure you grab one of our last 2021 calendars, now only £10!
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