Restaurant owner feeds Perth’s needy at pop-up street stall

Chef marks World Food Day with generous gesture

A big-hearted restaurant owner took to the streets of Perth to feed the homeless and raise money for the city’s hardpressed foodbank.

Award-winning chef Praveen Kumar set up stall outside the city hall to offer sustenance to passers-by to mark World Food Day.

Members of Perth’s homeless population were among his first customers but other residents and visitors were soon warming themselves with one of his curries after making a donation.

Praveen, who owns the Tabla Restaurant and the Indian Cook School, was joined by his family for the initiative.

He is considering making the pop-up eatery a regular occurrence and hopes other city restaurateurs will follow his lead.

His efforts have been backed by SNP politicians Pete Wishart and John Swinney, who said the gesture raised important questions about how the country provides for the needy.

Praveen said: “We all have a lot to think about on World Food Day. Every day much of the world goes hungry.

“We don’t have to look that far to see it though as many people in this country do not have enough to eat.

“Many people on our local streets are hungry and homeless. Perth has its own problems.

“I’d love more restaurants to join in and make a similar gesture. It’s important that we support the less fortunate in our society and this is just a small thing to do.

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet secretary for education and skills John Swinney MSP said: “This is a wonderful gesture of Praveen and I commend his selfless action to help people in Perth who are going hungry.

“World Food Day is an important event designed to raise awareness of the United Nations’ goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. Too many people go hungry every single day.

“The Independent Working Group on Food Poverty last year identified a number of recommendations to help end hunger in Scotland and the Scottish Government is considering the measurement of food insecurity in Scotland.”

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (of the United Nations) celebrates World Food Day each year to commemorate the founding of the organisation in 1945.

Events are organised in more than 150 countries across the world.

It’s important that we support the less fortunate in our society and this is just a small thing to do. RESTAURANT OWNER PRAVEEN KUMAR

Picture: Dougie Nicolson. Praveen Kumar, owner of the Tabla Indian Restaurant, dishing out curry to Emily Hunter-Bell, Tanvi Kumar and Josh Ferris, for a donation, as part of World Food Day in Perth city centre yesterday.