Tom’s Kitchin help is Insta hit with Spartans charity

Top chef Tom Kitchin is cooking up a storm at home and raising funds for a local Edinburgh sports and community trust.

With his Michelin starred restaurant, The Kitchin, and other outlets closed due to the coronavirus epidemic, Tom has put his talents to use by posting online a range of entertaining and informative videos from his home kitchen.

Quality Meat Scotland sponsored one of Tom’s videos on the Instagram IGTV platform and the Leith restaurateur has opted to donate the fee to Spartans.

He said: “Every single penny of this kind sponsorship from Quality Meat Scotland is going to charity. The Edinburgh charity we have chosen to donate to is the Spartans Community Football Academy where my son Kasper and my young twin boys play football. However, Spartans is not only a football club but it is a community organisation and charity that does so much for the northern part of Edinburgh.

“In times like these, the charity is working tirelessly supporting people who just need a little bit of help. Every day Spartans and its affiliated partners send out hundreds of packed lunch meals to families around Edinburgh. I am delighted that the sponsorship from this video will go a little way in helping their excellent work.”

Douglas Samuel, CEO of Spartans Community Football Academy, said: “Tom has been a wonderful ambassador and supporter of the Academy for a number of years. We are extremely grateful for his latest timely act of generosity and kindness. It comes at a time when some local families need our help and support more than ever.

“In the current climate we are unable to use our indoor facilities and outdoor playing fields. The Academy has pivoted as an organisation and effectively turned ourselves into a local food distribution hub to support our community.

“Working with a wide range of partners, supporters and local organisations we are helping local families in our community who understandably may be finding life a bit more of a struggle in these unprecedented and challenging times.”

The Academy has so far distributed more than 25,000 packed lunches, 1,500 ready meals, 350 family food parcels and 4001-day food packs.

Funds from another Quality Meat Scotland Kitchin video will be donated to the Citadel Youth Centre in Leith. Businesses interested in sponsoring a cooking show for charity should contact kate@kitchingroup.com