Furloughed chefs from Drumnadrochit put skills to use helping food project in Hilton, Inverness during coronavirus crisis
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Two furloughed chefs are using their culinary skills to provide three-course meals for delivery as part of an Inverness food project.
Every Friday, Joe Evans and Hannah Slater produce at least 80 meals for the venture set up in conjunction with Hilton Church of Scotland.
They are then delivered by volunteers to people in the neighbourhood ranging from residents in sheltered housing to families.
The pair, who are furloughed from work with the Cobbs group, are using the Anchor Café in the church’s Lighthouse building in Tomatin Road.
“It is a commercial kitchen and a great set-up,” said Mr Evans (42).
“We thought it was a great way to help the community.”
He and Ms Slater (30), who are engaged, live at East Lewiston, Drumnadrochit.
They have worked together in various kitchens for the past five years.
The Hilton project has been made possible with the help of funding and donations from the church congregation, the Scotmid store in Hilton and its customers plus Highland Council.
A typical meal starts with soup followed by a main course with vegetarian options – last week’s offering, for example, was a macaroni dish with or without bacon and served with garlic doughballs. It also includes a dessert.
Mr Evans said catering for such numbers was not a problem for the pair of them.
“We are used to it,” he said.
“We both come from a hotel background and we are used to doing event catering.”
He hoped the project would continue after the coronavirus lockdown.
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