Rewriting the recipe for Opportunity
130 Primrose is a social-enterprise restaurant employing those affected by homelessness
130 Primrose Re-Opening Soon
Re-opening 1st May 2026: Based in Primrose Hill, the newly rebranded restaurant will offer a contemporary and vibrant culinary experience while delivering on a powerful social mission: to recruit, train and employ people with lived experience of homelessness, offering paid work, accredited training and career progression within hospitality.
A new era with Monica Galetti as Executive Chef
Our mission has now attracted one of Britain’s most recognisable chefs to step into the cause, and onto the board. Monica Galetti, celebrated chef, broadcaster and MasterChef: The Professionals judge, has joined 130 Primrose as both Executive Chef and Trustee. A regular volunteer at Soup
Kitchen London Galetti brings both empathy for the team’s mission and a clear vision for its culinary future.
“I’ve seen first-hand how, with the right support, people can rediscover hope, dignity and purpose through opportunities like this,” said Galetti. “That’s why I didn’t hesitate when I was asked to help shape the culinary future of this incredible project.
My first task is to create an exciting new menu that attracts customers to support our mission – celebrating the best British seasonal ingredients with a little twist of fun. Later, I’ll weave in touches of my Samoan heritage, giving our trainees a unique development opportunity and helping them to stand out when they move on in their career in hospitality.”
Our Partners
Twelve Months of Real Impact
Galetti joins a board of six trustees with diverse experience across the private and charity sectors. Together they will build on the charity’s first-year learnings and accelerate its growth.
To date, the organisation has employed 16 people whose lives were impacted by homelessness, including:
Young care leavers
Refugees
(from Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine)
Prison leavers
Neuro-diverse people
People experience rough sleeping
People in addiction recovery
Candidates were recruited through referrals from partner charities including The Big Issue, Crisis, Beam, Soup Kitchen London and Only a Pavement Away. Each recruit earned London Living Wage, kept 100% of tips and completed their qualifications including The Beyond Food Foundation’s City & Guilds-assured Fresh-Life programme, Food Hygiene and Safety and Allergen Awareness certifications.
Five of that first cohort moved into permanent roles elsewhere in hospitality; exactly the outcome the team set out to achieve, but also a result the team acknowledges could be improved upon.
Stories Behind the Numbers
A father of three and business graduate who experienced street homelessness and hostel living. After joining 130 Primrose’s kitchen team in August 2024, Ade gained full-time employment and now works with Soup Kitchen London, maintaining 18 months of continuous work. He was featured on BBC News as part of a story about the charity’s work.
A prison leaver released into homelessness who uncovered a talent for cooking. After joining the first cohort, Seb was then profiled in the Big Issue (Dec 24) as a success story and went on to the Megaro Hotel under Michelin-starred chef Adam Simmonds (and the organisation’s first Executive Chef).
Our Fantastic Team
130 Primrose is the trading name of Home Ground CIO, a registered UK charity (No. 1216156) helping people experiencing or at risk of homelessness rebuild their lives through employment in hospitality.