Help the Hungry: Zero-waste chef Max La Manna helps prepare meals for vulnerable people

Chef backs our campaign using ingredients spared from scrap heap by Felix Project

Zero-waste chef Max La Manna gave our campaign a culinary boost as he joined The Independent to prepare and deliver meals to vulnerable people.

La Manna, known for his pioneering waste-free recipes, joined our charity partner With Compassion at their kitchen in Westminster to help prepare the meals to be delivered later that day.

The charity has been supported by our Help the Hungry campaign throughout the pandemic to tackle food poverty in a year that has seen rates of hunger soar across the UK.

“It aligns with everything that I’m doing,” the chef said. “Covid-19 has impacted everyone around the world and it breaks my heart that we have so much food going to waste.”

La Manna and the team spent the morning chopping spring onions and sweet potato for a curry dish.

With Compassion uses fresh ingredients rescued by The Felix Project to produce over 1,000 hot meals a day, which our Help the Hungry campaign will deliver to those in need throughout the Christmas season.

Tori, who volunteers at London Scottish House, supported La Manna’s anti-waste sentiment. “Food waste is such a massive issue, far bigger than a lot of people realise,” she said. “You get food that’s otherwise going to waste and give it to people who really need it—that’s a really amazing thing.”

La Manna then accompanied the campaign to Living Way Ministries in Edgware, where he helped to serve the freshly cooked meals to the surrounding community.

Veronica, another volunteer at the charity, was pleased with the day’s work. “The turnout has been so massive,’ she said. “You can see the appreciation on everyone’s faces.”

La Manna remains hopeful for a future in which everybody has the proper access to food. “No one should have to rely on this,’ he said. “This should already be in place… Everyone deserves a warm, hearty meal every single day.”

This November and December we will be delivering food directly to 1,000 people a day through our partner With Compassion. Please donate here to help us do all we can to ensure no one goes hungry this Christmas.