As the weeks go by, more and more bars and restaurants are doing their part to look after their own and offer support to a workforce on a knife-edge. Goodwill has been especially high in the Inner West: Rising Sun Workshop has managed to re-hire its staff as ramen delivery drivers, and Bella Brutta recently launched the ‘Slice of Life’ initiative, donating pizzas to those without the means to fund a meal. Now, Sydney Cebu Lechon – the wildly popular Filipino pork joint on Enmore Road – is jumping onboard with a campaign of its own.
Beginning May 5, owner Will Mahusay and his team will be packing and handing out 100 hot takeaway meals from the restaurant’s kitchen for people struggling to feed themselves – and they’ll be doing between noon and 2pm, every Tuesday, for the entire month of May. The aim is to provide 400 meals across the four weeks, with donations being collected via GoFundMe.
“We now have hundreds of people that are struggling to feed themselves,” says Mahusay. “Some of these are international students and it’s heartbreaking to know that many of them are struggling and will continue to struggle in the coming months.”
No registration is required, and no questions are asked: just rock up and a container of braised soy chicken with housemade butter-garlic fried rice and Filipino-style brioche roll will be yours if you need it. Mahusay has partnered with his pal Henry Paraan, who owns and operates Mate Burger and will also be distributing meals from the Mount Druitt shop for those in Sydney’s West.
The ‘Foodit Forward’ initiative is already moving swiftly towards its $4,000 goal, and can get there even faster with a $10 donation from you to cover the cost of a meal. And if you’re looking to treat yourself and get some pork on your fork in honour of doing a good deed, Cebu Lechon is still serving up its signature charcoal suckling pig for pick-up and home delivery.
For more information or to make a donation, click here.
