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Support from Appetite

We know that this has been an incredibly tough time, both individually and for the hospitality sector. Appetite’s aim is to give you support, share ideas to help you enjoy the highs and manage the lows.

We are encouraging insight into what we and others are doing which might be helpful, sharing inspirational ideas and things to make you smile. To show you that we will get through this together and we will always be here for you.

Mental Health & Support

~ Its OK to not be OK ~

We are in the weirdest and most unprecedented times and no one knows quite how you’re meant to ‘feel’.  In truth we (and probably most people) have experienced every possibly emotion and feeling through all of this.  One thing we’ve come to realise is that it’s really difficult for everyone in their own ways.  Hospitality is a naturally very sociable place to be. We spend much of our time in very close proximity to everyone – our colleagues, our guests, our friends – and to suddenly have to maintain ‘social distance’ is just plain unnatural!  Even the strongest characters will have bad days.

Some need lots of ideas to fill the void and time they find themselves with; whilst others really don’t want to hear about ‘how productive’ you could be making yourself!   A few thoughts from us for you…

  • During a Zoom chat this week (how awesome are all these video conferencing apps right now?) we got chatting about how music can influence a mood and take you back to a memory.  We shared some of our music fancies – our first album ever, favourite song ever etc and popped it together on a Spotify playlist. What is your favourite song or album? We’d love to make this playlist, like the amazing people who work in hospitality (that’s you!), the most eclectic and diverse.  Here’s the link to Appetite4Music – have a listen!
  • We’ve come to realise the value and importance of routine through this time and how sticking to some sort of structure which helps you feel like you are achieving something and to differentiate between days of the week!   We encourage a Zoom call most days with our team with a topic or challenge, or just a chat.   It’s at the same sort of time which gives us a reason to be up and dressed and ready to face the day!  It’s completely optional and its also completely ok to not get involved if you don’t fancy it!
  • Exercise is a funny one!  Some love it, some hate it and I guess a lot of it depends on what your ‘exercise of choice’ is!   Where we’ve landed on with this one is that if you can – take advantage of getting out for that hour of ‘exercise’ – even if its just a walk round the block.  The fresh air at the very least will probably make you feel a whole lot better.  Lots of classes seem to have taken themselves online too which is amazing!  But its also ok to veg out on the sofa and binge a Netflix series!
  • Keep talking… one thing that we’ve felt really strongly about is making sure you talk.  To each other, to friends, to family.  Again, those pesky voices in your head get mighty loud and sometimes chatting it through with another actual human being brings everything back into perspective!  But remember that it’s also ok to just not talk today if you just don’t fancy it. And please, get in touch with support options if you need to; there are many organisations out there who can help.

Some of Appetite’s #StayingConnected challenges include:

  • Appetite Get Fit – Do a workout class and share a pic/video
  • Great Appetite Bake Off
  • Appetite Virtual Book Club – recommend a book
  • Appetite Arrrrtistttt – an artistic challenge (no skill necessary!)
  • #TakeAwayORFakeAway – your best rendition of your favourite takeaway
  • Build a Fort
  • Whackiest dressed for Monday Zoom
  • Music – first album; favourite album (see our spotify playlist)

Keep an eye on our social channels for some of our antics – we’ll keep it clean!

Honest Burgers are doing an absolutely amazing job of keeping their teams engaged through virtual fitness classes, virtual pub drinks and everything in between! We’d love to know what you’ve been doing to keep connected and busy.

Is there anything you think we should do??

But How Awesome is Our Industry?

~  From Adversity Comes Opportunity ~

It wasn’t long  after lockdown first began that the wonderful guys and girls over at Leon Restaurants spearheaded the #FeedNHS along with Helen McCrory, Matt Lucas and  Damian Lewis and before you knew it, there was numerous London businesses joining forces, all competition put aside to support all  of our  utterly  amazing front  line NHS staff.  Tortilla, Dishoom,  Wasabi, Rosa’s Thai, HOP, Peach Pubs, Tossed, Hache,  Abokado, Pizza Pilgrims… the  list goes on!  So if you work for one of those amazing business… Thank You!!

This was like a tidal wave and every day, Linkedin was flooded with hundreds of posts of so many companies rallying together.   We would love to know how many meals have been donated so far..do you know?  Please let us know!

And it hasn’t stopped there.  It’s been amazing how so many businesses have innovated and some entirely changed their business models to react to the situation.  Again,  shout out to Leon who transformed into mini supermarkets to ease the pressure on the main supermarkets,  the number of businesses who became entirely takeaway almost overnight, and to those who have sold gift vouchers, often with a ‘double the value’ offer to brighter times post ‘THIS’.

A ‘new’ trend being embraced by some of London’s best loved operations is the launch  of DIY FOOD KITS which we think is just brilliant!  Honest Burgers, Pizza Pilgrims, The Good Egg and Le Swine are just some of the  fab ‘kits’ you can order and have a go yourself and Pizza Pilgrims will even grade your pizza if you post it on Insta!!

Not quite as good as the real deal but close enough and what a splendid way to get your weekly fix of your fave meals!

Egg Slut also released a step by step guide on achieving their famous Fairfax Egg Sandwich at home – check it out!

Fund Raising

The past month has seen a huge amount of fundraising going on with perhaps the most stand out story being of Colonel Tom Moore who has just celebrated his 100th birthday.  How utterly amazing – this gent has raised over £30million for our wonderful NHS and we think he is a hero!

The London Marathon should have taken place last weekend (26th April) and was obviously cancelled leaving thousands of charities facing a shortfall of donations and indeed struggling to survive themselves.  Some of Team Appetite have been taking part in the #TwoPointSixChallenge – a series of challenges involving the numbers 2 and 6 – to represent the 26miles of the marathon – in an effort to make up a small part of the shortfall!  We support Only a Pavement Away – a wonderful charity who support the homeless, ex-offenders and vulnerable veterans into employment within hospitality.  Some of the challenges we and some of our close industry pals have done (and are still doing) include:

  • A 2.6mile walk – barefoot!
  • Walking a marathon in 10 days
  • 26 days of 26-minute HIIT workouts
  • A 2.6 x marathons run during a 26-day period – 68.12 miles total
  • A 26km row every day for 26 days – that’s 676km and takes approx. 2 hours a day on the rowing machine!

If you are able to, please do consider popping us a DONATION – it would mean so much to Greg and the team at OAPA.

Looking to the Future

Its very early days and the uncertainty looms but the green shoots of recovery are starting to show.  Every day, more and more businesses are coming back and starting to tentatively trade on take away and delivery.  It’s a start.  And as we navigate the next phase of ‘New Normal’, we’ll do it together.

Hospitality is a way of life and a fundamental part of society.  When, and we stress WHEN we get to the other side of this, because we will, can you begin to imagine how awesome those hugs and handshakes are going to be?  How special that meal is going to feel and how wonderful it’ll be to clink glasses with your friends again?  To welcome your regulars back, take those orders, work that bar, run that pass, and clean down with more appreciation than before.

We can’t wait!

And we’re here.  If you need us, we’re here.  We can’t find you a job just yet, but we can be a friendly voice on the end of the phone, text or email.

With all our love and best wishes