Big-hearted Ramsgate café boss Rio Bilgic will be dishing up free Christmas dinners to people who are homeless and in need.
The dad-of-two, who lives in Margate, will be opening the doors of Rio’s café restaurant in Grange Road on Christmas Day for up to 25 people – and says he and his team can also package up meals and deliver if needed.
Rio has headed up the café – formerly Beano’s – for two-and-a-half years but has been in catering for more than 20 years with venues previously in Ramsgate and Sandwich.
He said: “Two customers asked me if I was going to open Christmas Day for dinner and at first I said no but then more people asked me so I thought ‘why not?’
“I did a menu for £14.0 with turkey, chicken, beef, seven or eight vegetables. People asked why it was cheap and did I use cheap stuff and I said ‘no, it’s not cheap ingredients but it’s Christmas, I can’t charge people more because things are expensive enough’ so I just charge what will cover the costs and staff.
“Then, I thought about some homeless people that come into the café for coffee in the morning and decided I would invite them. I know there are some poor people and I thought I would do something for them for Christmas and just give away the dinners.”
Rio posted about his plan on facebook and says there was a lot of interest including a farm that is gifting a turkey and vegetables and some customers who have donated money for people’s meals.
Rio said: “I thought I would do this and hope they have a lovely day and I have invited around 10 people and said on facebook if people knew someone homeless and in need. Now I have 10 to 15 people coming but I can go to 20 or 25. I also have people who are willing to deliver on Christmas Day, it doesn’t matter for how many, we will cook and box it up.
“I do not mind helping people when they need help.”
Rio, 38,came to the UK from Turkey as a student at Canterbury College. He said: “I love cooking and went straight into working, first in a kebab shop and then in restaurants. I have had shops in Sandwich and Ramsgate and I have my place here now, it’s my little shop and I love it.”
