PIZZA REWARD IS MUCH-KNEADED FOR OUR HEROES
Eaterie serves up free food
A big- hearted restaurateur has been cooking up a lunchtime treat for Paisley heroes during the coronavirus crisis.
Popular eaterie Trattoria Genova has been serving hundreds of free lunch meals to police, firefighters and NHS workers who are protecting and serving the community during the lockdown.
The family business, based in Glasgow Road, is rewarding the work of the emergency services and frontline health workers, in gratitude for their courage and professionalism throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Owner Besnik Ndoj, 38, told how the gesture has been going down a storm with emergency service workers, NHS staff and the public too.
He said: “Our restaurant has been cooking free lunches for police officers, firefighters and NHS workers as we want to give something back to the community and to say thank you to these workers.
“It has been a difficult time for everyone and people working in these jobs are taking risks in helping to keep us all safe and well.
“It has proved a big success. We provided 60 free lunches on Tuesday, around 50 more on Wednesday and the same again for Thursday. y.
“The reaction we have had on social media a has been fantastic, with so many people commenting and saying such nice things - but, to be honest, we just wanted to help.”
Staff at the restaurant have been preparing a range of tasty pizzas, fries and delicious pasta dishes for the workers at lunchtime.
The restaurant, which is closed to the public due to social distancing rules, still offers collections and deliveries, so has s been able to perform the free service.
Although Besnik added his kindness has attracted some criticism that the free lunches should have been extended to cover other people’s jobs who are working through the coronavirus crisis.
He added: “They say you can’t please everyone all of the time.
“And they are right. We have had some comments from people saying, ‘Why aren’t you doing this for supermarket workers or transport workers who are also continuing to go into work’.
“But we can’t extend it to everyone.
“We wanted to thank firefighters, police and NHS staff and have been totally amazed at how popular this has proved, not just with people working in those jobs, but the public too.”
Trattoria Genova was crowned winner of the Scottish Italian Awards in the best newcomer category in 2016.