The Hoxton Apprentice is a restaurant with a charitable mandate to use 100% of its profits to train unemployed people to work in the hospitality industry. The socially conscious restaurant was conceived by social entrepreneur Gordon D’Silva and chef Prue Leith, and provides its patrons with inexpensive culinary meals and exceptional service.
Since the restaurant had its debut opening in London, England in 2004, it has mentored over 150 apprentices with job training and has had over a 70% success rate of helping place those who completed the program with jobs. The apprentices work in the restaurant alongside seasoned kitchen staff, learning practical, industry-related skills from trained professionals.
Some of the job placements for the apprentices have included top restaurants and internationally renowned hospitality groups such as the Hilton, a restaurant directed by Gordon Ramsay, and Buckingham Palace -- just to name a few. The restaurant also allows for its clients to feel guilt-free about enjoying a night out, as by choosing the Hoxton Apprentice to dine at, the customer is not only enjoying an excellent meal in a pleasant atmosphere, but also directly involved in contributing to the apprentice program; so customers can eat well and feel good about it too.
Sophia Wong of Fluid London wrote: "Thank god for the Hoxton Apprentice. Set-up by the charity Training For Life (all profits get fed back to the charity), the Hoxton Apprentice is managed by professionals but staffed partly by apprentices who have been unemployed for six months or more (some of whom were also homeless). A marvellous idea so that even greedy, stingy sods like me can feel virtuous."
The Hoxton Apprentice has been such a success that it has opened two other doors since its initial launch, allowing for a truly unique dining experience and meal that is worth every dollar put into it.
Contact Information
Hoxton Apprentice website
Hoxton Apprentice on Twitter
Hoxton Apprentice on Facebook
Virtuously Veritable Dining
The Hoxton Apprentice Serves Feel-Good Meals
Trend Themes
1. Socially Conscious Dining - Opportunities for socially conscious restaurants to use profits to train unemployed people in the hospitality industry.
2. Apprenticeship Training Programs - Opportunities for apprenticeship training programs to provide industry-related skills to those who are unemployed or homeless.
3. Guilt-free Dining - Opportunities for guilt-free dining experiences where customers can contribute to charitable causes while enjoying an excellent meal in a pleasant atmosphere.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - Opportunities for top restaurants and hospitality groups to provide mentorship and job training to apprentices through apprenticeship programs.
2. Charitable Organizations - Opportunities for charities to open socially conscious restaurants and use their profits to fund apprenticeship training programs for unemployed people.
3. Food Service - Opportunities for food service companies to create and promote guilt-free dining experiences for customers who want to contribute to charitable causes while enjoying excellent food and service.