Looking ahead to 2021

I normally love this time of year at work. We’re flat out roasting turkeys, boiling sprouts and steaming christmas puddings. There’s a buzz in Blend Kitchen, we’ve got work parties booked throughout the day meaning we’re unlikely to get finished before 11pm most days of the week. The team pull together going above and beyond to make sure all our guests leave happy and they get great tips from our customers. Obviously we’ve not been able to do that this year, meaning we’ve had more time on our hands than normal. I’m incredibly proud of a number of things that Blend Kitchen has achieved this year, not least expanding the Blend Kitchen family. Knowing that more and more people back my vision of bringing about significant lasting change for some of the most marginalised groups in our society and want to be associated with us, means a lot.

Looking ahead to 2021, me and the team can’t wait to get back to cooking, the early starts, the late nights, the seemingly endless sacks of sprouts at Christmas and the camaraderie of life in a professional kitchen. This might sound odd, but for me the late Anthony Bourdain captures what I mean well in his influential ‘Kitchen Confidential’ book. Creating this sense of belonging and place where you are always welcomed is fundamentally what Blend Kitchen is about.

This week has seen the kitchen being fitted (thanks to John and his team). Whitehead’s have done an incredible job laying the new flooring and installing the ceiling. We’ve also made some new friends with Steve from Urban Wilderness, Anne from The Soil Association’s ‘Food For Life’ programme and Tim from Willis & Jones Landscapes who are going to help us transform our outside spaces into beautiful kitchen gardens.

We’d also like to congratulate our patron, Richard Hawley and his team on winning the Sky Arts award for the incredible ‘Standing At The Sky’s Edge’.

It’s so so tough for anyone involved in the hospitality world to get anything going during this crazy time we are living in. I’m so glad to see folks stepping in to help in a meaningful way.

My eldest son worked at a well known bar for two years and was bar manager there by the time he had to stop because of the virus, he loves the life and it’s been devastating for him to go from being busy and working towards a constructive positive life to having it all taken away in a flash. I understand completely what it must be like for young people of all abilities to deal with this devastating disease whilst trying to make something of themselves. Sending you and your team the very best of wishes.

Have a splendid crimbo I hope to see you all sometime in the new year.

Richard

We’ve not had chance to send out Christmas cards this year but wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you and we hope that you and your loved one’s (whether together or apart) have a great festive period.

Kind regards,
Chris and the Blend Kitchen team x