Five-star feed sets the homeless on a new course

by Adele Horin

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday, 15 October, 2003

Jamie Oliver, eat your heart out. Britain's celebrity chef was dogged by frustration in his televised effort to turn alienated youths into cooks.

But for Sydney chef Jeff Gambin, the job has been easier. For 10 years the former restauranteur and his wife, Alina, have fed Sydney's homeless from their van. Their food, as their street clientele will tell you, is five-star quality.

But as well as cooking 300 kilograms of food a day, Mr Gambin has helped train dozens of homeless people in his commercial kitchen in Rozelle.

"Being in the kitchen helps them feel they are part of something," he said. "It gives them back some dignity."

Yesterday the pressure was on. Mr Gambin and his crew were preparing a banquet for 300 of Sydney's corporate elite to raise funds for a charity, Social Ventures Australia. At the same time, they had to make more than 400 gourmet meals, as usual, for the city's homeless.

Last night, the likes of Neil Watson, executive director of Macquarie Bank, and Tony Harrington, chief executive of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, were to dine in Paddington Town Hall on penne with three-cheese and white-wine sauce, and boned chicken maryland with rolled ham and chives.

The homeless, meanwhile, were to be offered a choice including chicken with ginger and cranberry, curry, or Spanish rice and chicken.

Even when a much-needed shipment of frying pans failed to turn up, calm and good humour prevailed in the headquarters of Mr Gambin's outfit, known as Just Enough Faith.

That's because people like Mark Gavars, 29, will give their right arm for Mr Gambin.

Three years ago Mr Gavars, homeless, on the bottle and down to his last T-shirt, was queueing at Mr Gambin's van. He had spent a year on park benches.

"I was totally blown away by Jeff's food," he said. "I had eaten at good restaurants before, and the food from the van was of the same standard."

After Mr Gambin helped find him accommodation, Mr Gavars went to work in the kitchen.

"Instead of being on the receiving end, I was able to contribute," he said.

Mr Gambin does not try to transform all his helpers into chefs. Every now and then he discovers a person with a flare for cooking, such as Ben, a street kid, who eventually became a chef, and Harry Baweja, 29, now a key assistant. "If I dropped dead, I would die in peace," Mr Gambin said, "because Harry would be able to do it."

Mr Gavars, on the other hand, later found his vocation working on trawlers, but returns to help. Yesterday he wrapped 150 loaves of garlic and herb bread in foil.

Mr Gambin admits to angry outbursts over the years, when volunteers burnt his favourite pots or ruined his best knives. "I've chased some out with a big ladle," he said.

But nothing deters them. Alex, 34, comes every day to wash dishes or chop vegetables, even though he now has a full-time job.

"He did something for me," Alex said. "It's time to return the favour."

Photograph by David Moir

"Instead of being on the receiving end, I was able to contribute" ... formerly homeless and now working on trawlers, Mark Gavars, centre, was back helping out in Jeff Gambin's kitchen for last night's dinner.

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