Our social mission
Hey! Food is Ready is more than just an event catering service. For us, it is a movement to bring new voices to the table. Our aim is to promote diversity through food, showcase food cultures from minority ethnic groups, and support local cooks.
We help refugees, immigrants, stay-at-home parents, retirees, or anyone who loves cooking to use our platform to share their native cuisine, culture, and stories with the wider community and generate a meaningful income.
We believe that food and culture are connected, they are essential for building the foundations of communities and encouraging cultural assimilation.
Our social impact so far
85% of our cooks are women
We encourage people of all genders to be independent in their profession and reach their full potential as food entrepreneurs.
Over 40 countries and cultures represented
From Sri Lanka to Jamaica, our aim is to build intercultural understanding across the community by showcasing a greater selection of cuisine from all around the world.
Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
We provide weekly sessions for immigrant and refugee home cooks at local community centres in Newcastle. Alongside this, we set up a commercial kitchen for those who do not have access to facilities.
Role Modelling
As we founded the company while studying, we are passionate about inspiring other students. We have delivered talks on entrepreneurship at universities across the UK and regularly take on interns.
Our weekly session with female refugees and immigrants at our local Newcastle community centre.
Guest speaking at Hull University business school about how we started Hey! Food is Ready.
Highlight of our refugee cooks
Our environmental impact
We work closely with our chefs to implement practices that benefit both the environment and our communities.
🧑🍳Sustainable practices by our chefs:
1️⃣ We encourage our chefs to utilise sustainable practices that minimise food waste. This includes using reusable or compostable packaging, creatively utilising leftovers and partnering with platforms like Too Good To Go to avoid food waste.
2️⃣ We advocate for responsible sourcing practices by encouraging chefs to focus on local and seasonal ingredients, minimising transport emissions and supporting local farms.
3️⃣ We promote the use of energy-saving practices in the kitchen among chefs, such as employing air fryers as a substitute for frying, to reduce dependence on palm oil.
💼 Sustainable practices by our clients:
1️⃣ We encourage the use of their own plates and cutlery during events, further minimising waste generation.
By working together, we can create a more sustainable food system that benefits both the environment and the communities we serve.