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International law firm comes to our support

Posted by: Chris

Date: 01.03.21

Life continues to be relentless at present. Me and Caz have just found out we’re having our second child this summer, Prime Minister Johnson is seemingly letting us open for eating outdoors from April and every week at Blend Kitchen goes slightly quicker than the last. This week has been a combination of co-ordinating training, 2 radio interviews with BBC Radio Sheffield and Sheffield Live and sorting through equipment, crockery and glassware kindly donated by global law firm CMS.

The story of how we came to benefit from the generosity of CMS goes back to last summer and is an example of the good fortune that seems to come our way. A friend who works for the incredible charity, Roundabout forward an email to me about a law firm (CMS) who were wanting to find a new home for some kitchen equipment. The equipment was going due to CMS moving into new premises where they didn’t require a commercial kitchen.  At the time we were still in the midst of raising the money to complete the fit out of Blend Kitchen, so I phoned up the contact at CMS, (their lovely catering manager, Zoe) and arranged to go down and look at what they were giving away. I meet Zoe and upon seeing what they are giving away, I’m completely blown away! A large Rational combi oven that normally cost in excess of £20k new, a commercial dish washer worth £15k new, vac pack machines, a dehydrator, Wedgewood crockery and Sheffield made cutlery all available for free. On the spot I agree to take everything they’re getting rid of, thanking them for their incredible generosity. I speak to John Hale from Phoenix Kitchen’s who fitted our new kitchen for us and we make arrangements to clear the equipment early the week after. The equipment then goes in to storage, ready to be installed later in the year. Fast forward to now and we have the best kitchen I’ve ever been able to work in to deliver our training from. Here are a few pictures from friend of Blend Kitchen and local photographer Paul Handley.

I can’t quite put my finger on how a working class kid from High Green can end up benefiting from an international law firm to open a prime location Ecclesall Road restaurant but some how I have. Caz say’s the moral of the story is to be nice to everyone and good things come your way. She’s normally right and think she is on this one too.

Chris