Shared food and enjoyment
7C Kitchen is a social enterprise based in Taichung. It was born of its founder Hedy Yang’s belief that “just like with human beings, there is no such thing as vegetables and fruits that are ‘surplus to requirements.’”
Hedy Yang had started out by making free meals for homeless people. One of her volunteers introduced her to an organic produce vendor at a traditional market to whom she explained her concept, and he happily agreed to supply her with his unsold blemished fruit and vegetables. Then she and her team went on to speak with other stallholders, who also responded positively—she hadn’t imagined that the food donated by a single market could feed so many people! So Yang put out the word for those in need to gather in Taichung’s Huamei Street to enjoy delicious dishes made with unsightly or over-ripe fruits and vegetables. Afterwards, diners were invited to place a payment—the amount determined by themselves—in a collection box, or to offer their labor in exchange for the meal. This marked the debut of the first 7C Kitchen.
Located on Huamei Street, 7C Kitchen positions itself as a “community kitchen.” During the day, staff collect unsold vegetables and meat from the nearby market and return to the Huamei Street cookery. The items are washed and cut by staff and volunteers, who transform them into a bevy of delicious dishes.
In the early evening, families, students and the economically strapped are all welcome to partake. “Dinner is served on schedule at 6:30 p.m.,” explains Liao Jialun, the restaurant manager. “At times the food is almost gone before 7:00, so we send staff out to neighboring households to ask if they have any extra food.” Neighbors passing by may come in for a chat, and some take the opportunity to see if there are any ingredients they need.
Huamei Community Kitchen also offers free refrigeration of extra foodstuffs. Each day, after donations have been collected but before cooking begins, staff select those that will be used and place excess vegetables, fruits, tofu and so forth in the kitchen’s refrigerator, or on a counter at the entrance, where people in need are free to take them. If people have leftovers, they are welcome to bring them to the kitchen and share them.
In April 2017, Yang and her team opened the second 7C Kitchen, located on Yude Road in Taichung. They dubbed it “Dish of Tomorrow.”
By combining the power of people, food and Nature, Pick Food Up brings greater potential to the art of surplus food processing.