Top chef ladles soup to discerning poor

Vinnie's Restaurant's owner Geoff Scott is taking part in an initiative to boost volunteer numbers. Picture / Paul Estcourt

The work of one of Auckland's top chefs has been put under inspection by a demanding client base.

Chef Geoff Scott, new owner of Vinnie's Restaurant, dished out bowls of a pungent curry soup to about 40 homeless people at the Methodist Mission's Airedale Community Centre.

The dish came complete with plain white bread and weak, milky tea.

You could say the chef's critics were more than a little harsh, but it wasn't the food they were judging.

"It's great if he really means it, but if it's just a publicity stunt it's not," street-wise homeless man Dale Peihopa observed. "That's the test. If we never see him again without the cameras around, we'll know whether he really means it."

Mr Scott's work was part of a new initiative called Skills Exchange.

The project was set up by Auckland University of Technology, and aims to help not-for-profit organisations find volunteers, which have dwindled in numbers over the past 20 years.

Within two weeks, 1540 people from four separate organisations have agreed to put their names on a database to help out within the community.

Included are workers from Datacom, IBM, Vodafone, and students and staff from AUT.

Mr Scott became involved as a past student of AUT.

Skills Exchange manager Ian Leader said besides the feel-good factor, the initiative was sound business practice. Corporates could point to their involvement as proof of their social responsibility.

Companies could also record data on how their employees were helping out in the community.

"This means companies can make meaningful contributions to the community other than writing a cheque which comes from the board."

People's skills could be matched to the type of work that was needed in not-for-profit organisations.

Mr Scott said his restaurant was currently closed, and the lunchtime work filled a free gap in his day.

"It's a fantastic initiative. There's some grass-roots things about community needs."

Sharing skills

What is it?
The skills exchange is a new volunteer database bringing community organisations and volunteers together.

How it works
Community organisations lodge projects that need doing. Businesses and their employees select and tackle the tasks.

Who is involved
Corporates include Datacom, IBM, Vodafone. Individual volunteer numbers have reached 1540 within two weeks.

www.skills-exchange.org.nz