It’s a heartbreaking sight when you first see someone reach inside a rubbish bin to rummage for food but one you can’t easily escape the last few years in Greece. It was exactly such an incident that gave the idea for “The Other Human“ social kitchen.
It all started when Kostas Polychroniou, the humble creator of this kitchen, observed a couple of kids fighting over some half rotten food in a farmer’s market in his neighbourhood in Athens. He ran to his flat and prepared some sandwiches for them and this act of kindness could have easily ended there, but on the contrary this was just the spark for Kostas’ great social kitchen project. The first cook-along took place in December 2011 and hasn’t stopped since.
The project’s ingredients are pretty basic: it takes a propane cylinder, a stove, a huge pan and a sign that says “Free food for all”. But what makes it taste really good is its brilliant execution. This is not just about handing over some food, when the meal is ready the volunteers sit down and eat with the people they serve. This gives them the chance to learn more about the people they help and identify other ways of assisting them. For example, they often point people to the direction of other organisations that provide medical or housing assistance. As the organisers point out the ‘Other Human’ social kitchen is not about charity, it is about solidarity: cooking and sharing food brings down the barrier of shame and prejudice that comes with receiving food aid.
Given that this social kitchen is taking place around various farmers’ markets throughout Athens , it has gradually succeeded in engaging with the stall-holders too. Each stall often provides one item from their produce for cooking, showing in practice how a tiny contribution can go a long way when you act collectively. “The Other Human” kitchen cooks for around 70 people on a daily basis although weekends are busier with around 300 portions prepared.![]()
Here’s how we can help:
Cook up a storm: The kitchen is stationed in a different place every day and you can check the weekly location schedulehere. If you are about you can bring some of your food along or just come down for a meal and a chat.
Make a donation: The social kitchen needs all kinds of kitchenware and household products. Some days they need a van for the food deliveries and of course food donations of all sorts are vital for the project. If you are far away to donate the above you can always support financially. Find here the address for the warehouse and the bank details of the kitchen.
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