As a hospitality business, we place great importance on partnering with social enterprises that are creating meaningful impact within their communities. We are passionate about using our platform, network, and expertise to help raise awareness of their missions and support their long-term growth in any way we can.

Our partnership with Cook for Good is longstanding on one of our key initiatives was when we introduced a range of their seasonal soups across our sites, with a portion of every sale donated back to support their work tackling food inequality and creating opportunities through food.

Today, we are proud to support their Cook for Change programme, a seven-month programme designed to help food-based community leaders and aspiring social entrepreneurs build sustainable social enterprises. Through mentorship, industry insight, and practical support from our team and wider network, it has been a privilege to help participants develop their ideas into impactful ventures.

Brian Cummings story

Brian Cummings runs a community food pantry from a church crypt three days a week, supporting around 80 people a day with access to subsidised food. With the pantry now well established, Brian’s next goal is to create a community café and cooking classes to help tackle social isolation and improve wellbeing. With support from Culinary Director Adam Thomason, the kitchen is now on track to open this summer.

Read his full story here.

“Supporting Brian on the Cook for Change project to redesign the kitchen into a more practical, multifunctional space was a real honour. Brian does amazing work for the community every day, and it was a pleasure to connect him with our network of kitchen designers, front of house specialists, health and safety experts, and chefs to help bring the vision to life. One of my proudest moments was standing alongside Brian and Geoff, an outstanding kitchen designer, mapping out how the space could work. Together, we designed a space that could support barista training, teaching and skills development, community cooking using surplus food, and even events. We created a kitchen that can truly do it all, and I can’t wait to see it come to life.” Adam Thomason, Culinary Director 

Kemi Madumere’s story

Kemi Madumere leads Brighter Futures, a London-based organisation supporting adults with learning disabilities through practical learning opportunities. Through Cook for Change, Kemi was connected with Alex Borley, our Operations Director at Restaurant Associates, to support plans for a new restaurant at Bentham House, a residential care site.

We have since provided ongoing support including kitchen design advice, chef recruitment guidance, menu development, supplier recommendations, and donated equipment. Helping Kemi and her team grow their hospitality training offer and create more opportunities for young adults to gain independence and meaningful employment.

Read her full story here.

“Working with Kemi and the Brighter Futures Group team has been a genuinely rewarding experience. From the start, we could see the passion and purpose behind the Bentham House project and the incredible opportunities it will create for adults with learning disabilities. It’s been great to support Kemi with practical advice, kitchen planning, equipment and mentoring, but most importantly to help build something that will give people real hospitality experience and confidence for the future. We’re excited to see the restaurant open and proud to continue supporting Kemi and her team as they grow.” Alex Borley, Operations Director, Restaurant Associates

“It was a real privilege to meet Kemi and the team and gain a deeper understanding of the incredible work they do to support young adults with disabilities into meaningful employment. The experience highlighted the vital role local organisations play in championing inclusivity, building confidence, and creating opportunities for individuals to develop valuable skills and thrive in the workplace.” Harry Hyman, Operations Support Manager, Restaurant Associates