Fairy Meadow eatery Spiced Kitchen won many hearts on Tuesday when it offered free food to anyone unemployed or having a hard time feeding themselves or their family during COVID-19.
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Co-owner Paul Rongyen put the call out on social media encouraging people to come between 3:00pm and 4:00pm for freshly cooked Chicken Fried Rice made with Chinese broccoli and kale, eggs and 'lots of love for free'.
His Spiced Kitchen message ended with 'don't be shy, you and I are in the same boat".
Mr Rongyen said he decided to offer the free meals to those struggling at this time because business was quite slow with no one able to dine in any more since COVID-19 restrictions were introduced.
He said he didn't want to throw rice or other food in the bin so he decided to make meals like Chicken Fried Rice that everyone likes and would make the perfect take-home meal.
"I just wan't people to enjoy it. That is all".
Mr Rongyen said not long after posting the call out in the middle of the night he started receiving orders.
Even though the invitation was for people to come for a free meal at 3pm he decided to fill those orders in advance.
"I have such had a great response I started making food for them on Tuesday morning," he said.
"I have had some lovely messages from people telling me why they need food. That made me quite emotional. Some people are really struggling".
The generosity comes at a time when Mr Rongyen and his business partner Danny Noyeaux are facing their own challenges at the restaurant on the Princes Hwy that specialises in Thai and Mauritian cuisine.
The two men opened Spiced Kitchen in July 2019 and things were going well until summer when smoke kept people away.
Business was just starting to pick up again in January and February when coronavirus restrictions stopped all dining traffic.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
