Love in more ways than one

I was trying to plan our itinerary for the Hanoi trip when i came across this Hoa Sua School - a F&B establishment set up to train the disadvantaged youths. I thought it's real meaningful and would be a good idea to visit them and learn more from them :) It's like Shatec for the disadvantaged.

Well, we have several examples in the local context too - In the middle of halfway house compound, Social Enterprise Ark in Geylang's Lorong 23, housed 11 businesses set up by Christian halfway house, The Highpoint. These included Goshen restaurant, a furniture shop and a car polish service, that created more than 70 jobs, most of which were filled by the halfway house's 58 residents.

Goshen was helmed by executive chef Benny Se Teo and 17 crew members - 15 of whom were ex-offenders. However despite raved reviews, Goshen Restaurant closed down last May after one year of operation due to lack of financing.

In his stint, Benny was very inspired by Jamie Oliver's Fifteen:-
Jamie Oliver combined two ambitions: to open a top class restaurant and to give disadvantaged youngsters the chance to gain professional training that would set them up for an independent, inspired and productive life. And five years on, Fifteen is still achieving both, improving and expanding all the time.

Same goal; different outcomes.

A bit of background: Jamie is my all-time inspiration in the art of cooking. But with or without him, i already had great passion in food and cooking since childhood. And it has been my dream to venture into F&B in the course of time - and not just that, i would want it to be a non-profit organization, where every penny earned is sown back to helping more people.

The case studies above have reminded me to be wise and prudent - otherwise i'll end up shattering the dreams of those i have helped to build. I must seriously prepare myself if i intend to put my foot into this. Or rather, my heart, my mind, my soul.