By Bejay Browne.
A new not-for-profit kitchen in Paphos is offering a way for supporters to enjoy authentic Italian dishes and help those in need at the same time.
Robin’s Kitchen is the idea of Italian, Robin Palma. Originally from Bologna, he moved to Paphos just a few weeks ago to start a new life.
“I am hoping people will understand the concept of what I am trying to achieve. Robin’s kitchen is a non-profit kitchen with a unique selling proposition, for every meal you buy, we donate one to people in need.”
Palma has big ideas for his venture and is hoping to inspire other people to do the same.
“Imagine every commercial kitchen in your town or city donating a meal for every sale they make, no one would ever go hungry.”
”You might think I am dreamer but a well-run kitchen can produce an extra meal for every sale and still manage to cover all the associated costs, as long as the owners don’t keep the profit for themselves,” he said.
“I could ask the customers to pay for an extra meal to donate and double my profit, but that is not charitable in my view. If you run a catering business and want to help others, you should renounce your profit and really put people first by donating at cost price,” he said.
Palma decided that he had reached a point in his life where he should do something different and more meaningful, and his 22-year-old son decided to accompany him on the adventure at the last minute and is also volunteering.
The philanthropist previously worked in catering and as a successful restaurant manager in the UK. Fed up with the British climate, he was looking for somewhere in Europe to start his new idea. Although he had never been to Cyprus before, he decided that Paphos would be the perfect spot to start it off.
“Paphos has so many British people living here, and I am very familiar with them and the language after living in London and as I don’t speak Greek yet, this was ideal place. Cyprus also has a need for such an initiative as it is in the front line for refugees,” he said.
Currently, the kitchen is only cooking traditional Lasagna Bolognese, which Robin’s mother taught him how to make, and Tiramisu and more options will be added in the future. Free delivery covering nearby areas will be added soon too. Only take away is available during the current lockdown, and they have already started serving their first customers.
“It’s five euros for a lasagne and three euros for a tiramisu. Every meal that I sell, I donate one to people in need.”
He is already working alongside organised bodies that work in Paphos for those in need and disadvantaged of all races and faiths.
None of the volunteers at Robin’s Kitchen take a salary and Palma believes the current set up could see them easily turn out 50 meals per day. The kitchen operates out of a five-bedroom house that he’s rented and two chefs are already in situ.
“They don’t get paid, but I provide a bed and food. There is a queue of chefs that want to come from the UK already. They want to come here, as it’s an opportunity to discover Cyprus and also to help others at the same time,” he said.
Every volunteer works part time, so that they have time to do other jobs to support themselves. Robin, also a talented artist, is living off his small amount of savings and selling his art work.
“There are a lot of things I can do to bring money in and so not to take a salary from this initiative, and I never will. It will always be not for profit,” he said.
They have already received some generous donations from supporters.
He aims to open other Robin’s Kitchens around Cyprus and eventually in other countries.
“I believe that this concept can really catch on. You can order one and someone in need will get to eat that too, what a great feeling that is.”
Robin’s Kitchen: Paphos 26001700 or
www.facebook.com/robinkitchenpaphos
