Professional chef turns food packs into feasts

The only thing that beats cooking your own meals just the way you like them is having a talented friend do all the work for you. And this week I met a man in Dunkirk whose best friend just so happens to be a professional chef.

As the only proper chef in the group, his best friend puts his skills to the test almost every day by making amazing soups and Middle Eastern rice dishes using the ingredients from our food packs.

While he cooks, everyone else takes the opportunity to relax and socialise by the fire in the evenings. It’s one of the few times in the day where friends and families can come together to enjoy some peace and quiet, which is particularly valuable when you’re regularly disturbed by police raids and evictions.

Of course, our food packs might not always live up to the demands of Iraqi cuisine. The man I met said he really misses eating freshly caught fish, especially masgouf – grilled carp sweetened with lots of tamarind and other spices. But that doesn’t stop the chef from preparing delicious dishes like lentil Shorbeh soup or Mujadarra with rice by making the most of the ingredients we can provide.

Each week we distribute enough food packs in Calais and Dunkirk to feed more than 650 people. To help us keep this going, contribute at care4calais.org/donate