There are approximately 20,000 restaurants in London and while many of them are giving back to the local communities they are based in, four London restaurants are fighting global poverty and hunger.

HAWKSMOOR

Founded in 2006, Hawksmoor is an award-winning steakhouse with eight branches across London. The restaurant has made significant contributions to charity through various ongoing schemes and events, raising money for those living in hunger and poverty worldwide. Hawksmoor has partnered with the global charity Action Against Hunger. This charity operates in 51 countries and aims to fight severe acute hunger and malnutrition, especially among children under the age of five. Their goal is to address the root causes of hunger, support communities in their efforts to combat hunger and provide treatment to those who are suffering.

In September and October 2022, as part of Action Against Hungers’ “Love Food Give Food” campaign, Hawksmoor added an optional £1 to every bill, raising a total of £50,000 for the charity. Further, for every chocolate-based dessert purchased, 50p is directly donated to Action Against Hunger, as well as 100% of the profits made when purchasing the Hawksmoor cookbook. 

In addition to providing a continuous donation to Action Against Hunger, for the past 11 years, Hawksmoor has held an annual charity dinner for the organization. The event tends to feature dinner cooked by Michelin Star chefs, such as Angela Hartnett OBE and with all proceeds going directly to Action Against Hunger, almost £1 million has been raised since the event first took place. In total, Hawksmoor has raised more than £1.5 million for the charity and is said to be an “incredibly valued supporter” by Action Against Hunger themselves.

DISHOOM

Founded in 2010 by cousins Kavi and Shamil Thakrar, Dishoom serves authentic Bombay comfort food at 10 different locations across the U.K., seven of which are in London. The original Irani cafes in India were said to “break down barriers” of class, religion, race and culture, welcoming everyone to their cafes no matter their background.

Dishoom maintains these principles and intends to break down the barriers faced by people living in poverty across the globe. Hunger can inhibit a child’s ability to have a formal education, particularly for women and children in developing countries such as India, where nearly 19% of all children live in hunger.

Since 2015, Dishoom has partnered with two charities that fight food insecurity: Magic Breakfast U.K. and The Akshaya Patra Foundation in India. These charities provide free meals to children living in poverty. For every meal purchased in Dishoom, another is donated to a child in poverty. Dishoom has donated a total of 15 million meals so far. With donations like those from Dishoom, the Akshaya Patra Foundation is able to provide meals to four million children across India every year.  

215 HACKNEY

In 2015, friends Ali and Cemal opened 215 Hackney, an independent, local cafe/restaurant in North London. The restaurant serves Middle Eastern-style breakfast and lunch dishes, combining traditional flavors from places such as Israel and Iraq with British comfort food. Influenced by their heritage, with both co-owners originally being from the Kurdistan region in the Middle East, 215 Hackney is partnered with WarChild U.K., an organization supporting children living in poverty caused by war and conflict in areas across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. About 20% of all profits generated at the restaurant are directly donated to WarChild U.K. 215 Hackney also sells a £5 cookbook of Middle Eastern recipes and 100% of all proceeds are donated to the charity organization.

JKS Restaurants 

The JKS Restaurant group was established in 2008 and currently owns 15 different restaurants across London, all of which donate to one of the 25 charities JKS supports each year. In 2022 alone, the JKS group raised more than £185,000 for various charities fighting poverty worldwide. Firstly, 25% of all JKS restaurants are in partnership with Belu Water, a beverage company that donates 100% of its net profits to WaterAid, a global charity that provides clean water and sanitation to those living in poverty. 

However, one restaurant in particular, Hoppers, makes considerable charitable efforts every year. Nodding toward its Sri Lankan and South Indian-inspired menu, Hoppers, who have three restaurants in Central London, managed to raise almost £83,000 in 2023 alone as part of their “Feeding the Future” initiative which provides support to impoverished communities in Sri Lanka. The donated funds have supported more than 1,000 children in rural Sri Lanka, predominantly through the provision of food packages. 

In November 2023, Hoppers opened their first preschool in rural Sri Lanka for local children who otherwise would likely lack access to education. Once a month, Hoppers create a new dish whose proceeds also go toward the initiative, as well as donating all profits sold from their make-it-at-home meal kits. Similarly to Hawksmoor, three of the JKS restaurants took part in Action Against Hunger’s “Love Food Give Food” campaign, adding £1 to every food bill, raising more than £9000, which was directly donated to the charity, adding to the assistance given from London restaurants fighting global poverty.

– Lucy Jacks
Photo: Flickr