Our Table is a social enterprise which aims at creating a connected and inclusive community through food. We develop people’s existing culinary skills in a professional setting, in order to give them the confidence, support, and practical experience necessary to start their own food businesses or gain employment in other organisations.
ABOUT US
Our Table aims to create nurturing and empathic spaces where people can gain skills, are paid a wage and can gain knowledge of the Irish food industry. It is a non-profit, non-demoninational organisation that aims to build an awareness of food in multicultural Ireland and to highlight that the current system of Direct Provision is deeply flawed.
We at Our Table find the system abhorrent and want to help to end it. We aim to build an greater awareness of direct provision within the wider Irish public and to induce a sense of anger within them. We create spaces where information is shared and obtained, and want to open conversations with political leaders.
In early-mid 2016, we ran a series of pop-up activities aimed at generating awareness about conditions within the Direct Provision system.
→PHASE 2: CREATE EMPLOYMENT THROUGH FOOD
Opening in October 2016, our pop-up café in Project Arts Centre will operate as a non-profit organisation which provides training and work experience, creating employment opportunities for people, leaving the confidence-stripping, disempowering asylum system, as well the wider migrant community.
In 2017, we hope to find an affordable permanent venue for an Our Table café.
The aim is both to shine a light on the unacceptable direct provision system and to help ex residents to gain some work experience and refresh their skills. In addition to this, Our Table is building up a network of food businesses who are willing to support the project in many different ways
→PHASE 3: THE FUTURE
In the long term, we hope to create a kitchen that is a training space where food from various communities is celebrated and enjoyed. We also plan to set up a garden that supplies the café and provides training.
Finally, we will build a template for further projects.