Fans of Caleb Azuka’s Italian cooking would be happy to part with whatever money it takes to dine on his Pasta Alla Sorentina – spinach and ricotta ravioli with oven baked cherry tomato sauce.
They know the Bologna-raised chef always adds that extra special something to his food in huge swathes of generosity, passion and cooking straight from the heart.
Well, now he’s wearing that generous heart on his chef’s sleeves as he rolls them up between midday and 3pm on Monday – his only day off – to serve pasta to hungry people in need of a good feed.
In true Azuka style, he has enlisted around 20 volunteers to help in the kitchen and front of house.
And then… he’s also providing live entertainment while the feast takes place. It’s called Free Food Monday and the army of good samaritans are providing enough food for around 75 people, with soft drinks on the side. No questions asked. No means test. Just turn up with a desire to get together with others, have a chat or take away the meal and sit in the park.
Azuka then drives around Subiaco and Perth and hands out the leftovers to anyone he spots who might need a good feed.
“I have already been approached by two other restaurants who want to do the same thing,” he says.
“You see the joy in people’s faces when we hand it out.
“A lot of families are doing it tough at the moment. I thought I can’t give them much money, but this is what
I can do.”
That’s quite a lot, actually.
