Meet the Indian chef offering free meals to the poor in Canada

How many times has there been a scenario where you’ve noticed people begging for food outside a restaurant you’re at?

It’s alarming how many people all across the world still continue to live below the poverty line and are unable to afford even two square a meals a day- while we continue wasting food or taking a second helping of our favourite dish.

Keeping this very thing in mind, restaurants are devising ways to ensure that the needy get access to food.

A few weeks back, the story of the Kochi restaurant which had installed a public fridge outside its premises so that anyone can leave food for the poor did the rounds and now a restaurant based in Canada just won all our respect for being incredibly thoughtful.



Chef Parkash Chibber, who owns a restaurant called Indian Fusion: The Curry House in Edmonton, Canada is in the news for offering free food to those in need.

For the last few years, this restaurant has been offering free food for the city’s less fortunate.

Anyone who is unable to pay for a meal is being encouraged by the restaurant to step inside to eat by sticking a sign on the back door of the restaurant, which reads:



“Dear friends,

If you are hungry and have no money to pay, just ring the bell below or come in for a free meal box/coffee anytime.”

The sign which was put up six months ago is accompanied by another which spells out the Free Meal Menu.

The restaurant is even being courteous of dietary needs, by offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals, and asking those who may be using the restaurant under these circumstances to bring information of any ‘allergy or dietary concerns’ to their server’s attention.

According to Chibber, the idea behind putting up the sign was to feed more and more people as he’s been fortunate to run a restaurant which always has more than enough food. This was the best way of dealing with the excess food, he believes.



When asked about how many people make use of this service on a daily basis, he claims that he sees both ends.

“There are days when no one knocks and then there are also days when 3-10 people make use of our Free Meal Menu,” he adds.

A picture of the sign that was posted on Imgur last week went viral after it got a million views and started doing the rounds on social media.

Chibber however believes he is not worthy of all the accolades coming his way- what with congratulatory message pouring in on the restaurant’s Facebook page or people lauding him for this thoughtful gesture.

“I am not going out of my way to prepare food for those in need. I think I can do so much more.”

A plenty of people beg to differ.

Image credit: Indian Fusion: The Curry House