FOOD
Simon Boyle , Chef and Owner of ‘ Brigade ’ restaurant in London , tells ‘ FireStyle ’ how London ’ s Oldest Fire Station was transformed into a restaurant whilst helping the local community . Simon also gives some culinary tips for you to try !.....
On Boxing day 2004 , I watched the TV and the destruction of the worst Tsunami in living history unfold . As everyone on that day , I wanted to help , in fact , I was desperate to help . But because I had travelled extensively in many of the areas hit , I decided rather than just provide a financial donation , I would rather give my skills to a relief team in Sri Lanka . It was doing this that I realised that I was capable of helping people in my day-to-day work . This started a lifelong passion and commitment to help and support vulnerable people and the Beyond Food Foundation was born .
The first few years were spent in Soho London , a former homeless hostel The House of St Barnabas , I turned it into a bespoke hospitality venue . Homelessness was something we understood in part and in others it was frustrating that so many homeless stay homeless for so long . This frustration soon turned into a burning ambition to conquer .
Then we moved into the city , next to a church on Byward street . We started to polish our vision of what we wanted to offer the homeless and public sectors . We created two concepts ‘ Freshlife ’ a primary engagement programme that focuses on the homeless well-being , purpose and commitment to move forward and become employable . And the ‘ United Kitchen Apprenticeship ’ a 13-month professional chef apprenticeship programme , fully accredited . We campaigned in hostels and jobcentres to recruit vulnerable people onto our programmes . Over time we started to build a name for the result we were getting .
In 2010 , we started to understand our impact and set to work on a new growth vision . We needed to find a more suitable building in which to bring the vision into a reality .
Right about the same time , PwC were building their new head office at More London near London Bridge . An amazing organisation that needed a brand new building to house five thousand people for its UK head office . In front of PwC on Tooley street sat a small and unused Fire Station . It was the last site to be redeveloped by More London Estates .
Together the PwC Executive Board and I started to hatch out a plan to bring a fresh approach to the oldest Fire Station in the city of London .
14