Charity
Ben works closely with Leiths, Westminster and West London Colleges on food education, nurturing students and educating them on the restaurant industry, as well as judging cooking competitions for their courses.
Ben is an active member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. His activities include the Adopt A School project, where Ben educates primary school students on the potential of becoming involved in the restaurant industry and the benefits of healthy eating.
Ben developed an apprenticeship program at Salt Yard Group with The Royal Academy, which gives people from all walks of life a chance in the industry. At the group, Ben also worked with the charity Switch Back to give work opportunities to ex-offenders, and set up a charitable partnership with the Phoenix High School in Shepherds Bush, to help under-privileged kids understand how to grow and cook nutritional fruit and vegetables. Ben created a partnership for the school to supply the Salt Yard Group with produce for the restaurants, which continues and grows along with the group.
Ben assists Stepney City Farm - a volunteer-run organisation to help children understand rural agriculture - with charity food events, PR and sponsorship, to help the farm to flourish as a social and education hub in the East End. The farm is close to Ben’s home.
Ben as Supported and partnered with Food Cycle for many years. This important charity has a simple philosophy- no one should be with out food. they work tirelessly up ands down the UK via food banks, volunteers and events to support this cause.