Dans le Noir? the celebrated dining in the dark restaurant staffed by blind people and the youth homeless charity Centrepoint will be collaborating to host a gastronomic dinner for 50 of Centrepoint’s vulnerable 16-25 year olds to celebrate Dans le Noir’s 10th Anniversary and decade of successful charitable ventures. The event which will be held on the 9th March this year will allow people who attend to experience heightened flavours by enjoying a gastro dinner in the dark. The menu has evolved over the past ten years and in November 2015, Michelin star chef, Julien Machet, was hired to consult and help John Houel, the London Head Chef create the four eclectic menus. Chef Julien will be present to assist with the creation of this spectacular dinner.
Dans le Noir? and Centrepoint support those furthest away from the jobline to help them get in to work. The two companies are joining forces to maximise awareness of the difficulties blind and homeless young people face when trying to get in to employment.
Dining in the dark challenges people’s preconceptions of other people. Mind-blowing Gov.uk statistics estimate that 16% of working age adults is disabled. Recent statistics show that only 46.3% of disabled people are in employment compared to 76.4% of non-disabled people making it a significant social issue. Disabled people are also more likely to experience unfair treatment in work.
Edouard de Broglie who founded Dans le Noir? in Paris 2004 said,
“50% of our staff have a high disability, yet we still operate an efficient and profitable company. We have an incredibly low staff turnover which shows the dedication of our long standing team. We want to show big companies that those with disabilities shouldn’t be limited to performing only menial jobs. Our guides are incredibly skilled and challenge the perception that blind or visually impaired can serve in a restaurant. Who could have said that 10 years ago?”
Sadie Odeogberin, Head of Skills and Employment at Centrepoint said,
“The number of young people rough sleeping in London has more than doubled in the last four years, but providing a safe place to stay isn’t enough to solve the youth homelessness crisis. That’s why Centrepoint supports each young person staying with us to find a job or a route into the world of work to achieve their ambitions. It’s not an easy journey for a homeless young person to make and thanks to the generosity of Dans Le Noir? we can reward them with an experience they will never have had before. Homeless young people are every bit as talented as their peers and with the right support and hard work they can fulfil their potential.”
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