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YamDaisy Cafe Frequently Asked Questions |
FAQ's
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Q There are little community cafes around that provide low cost healthy food. Why the YamDaisy Cafe?
A It is great to see little community cafes that have started up, usually to provide training to apprentice chefs as well as cheap healthy food. YamDaisy is different as we argue for a systemic change in the provision of family food. We need a system of long term, sustainable cafes in every locality.
Q Have you heard of Lentil as Anything?
A Yes! Lentil As Anything is the brainchild of Shanaka Fernando. It aims to build trust, inclusion and multiculturalism in the community. Lentil As Anything are vegetarian organic restaurants staffed largely by volunteers. There are three restaurants and a school canteen in Melbourne . They are not for profit and the customer decides what to donate for their food. They provide training for new migrants, refugees and youth.
YamDaisy's aim is to provide ease of nourishment for people who struggle with providing daily food. Clear pricing makes it easy for people in poverty to choose. I hope the business model will increase sustainability, and give status and economic reward to the chef/managers.
There would be many ways YamDaisy and Lentil as Anything can work together, such as: chefs trained at Lentil as Anything could find employment at YamDaisy Cafes.
Q If people are educated and organised they can cook up a nutritious meal in 15 minutes. I can! YamDaisy just encourages people to be ignorant and lazy.
A The worse your health is the poorer you are likely to be and the more difficult it is to shop, pack, prepare and cleanup meals three times a day every day. You are less likely to have a break and if you do it will be the easiest and lowest cost one. People with poor health are generally aware of the need for the best food, and become great organisers of the quick cheap nutritious meal. But they need a break! YamDaisy makes that easiest, lowest cost meal a fabulous one! Have a walk through the ABC of people who would use a YamDaisy Cafe here.
Q What is a YamDaisy?
A Yam daisies, indigenous name is Murnong, were a staple food in the Melbourne area pre white settlement. Their delicious yam roots were dug up communally and their bright yellow flowers are like a dandelion. Good food and a bright face make the yam daisy a perfect symbol for these cafes.
Q Cheap healthy food sounds so boring and worthy. Why would anyone want to eat it?
A Many people find the thought of healthy cheap food utterly wonderful, but for some people it has connotations of chewing away at undercooked second class vegetables and leaving the table unfulfilled. Our challenge is to make sure that YamDaisy food is delicious nourinshing food that keeps people coming back for more!
Q What is 'Sometimes' food and 'Everyday' Food?
A Health educators use these terms to get away from the idea that some foods are good and others are bad. All delicious food is good! But the more processed, the more fat, salt and/or sugar it contains, the more it is 'Sometimes' food, eaten occasionally. The less processed, the less fat, salt and sugar it contains, the more it is an 'Everyday' food. YamDaisy makes 'Everyday' food so that people can eat there every day!
Q Why don't you run it with volunteers?
A Working with volunteers requires an enormous commitment from an organisation. Very few people are available as longterm skilled volunteers and even when this is so it is easy for a volunteer (and volunteer coordinator) to get burnt out. Most volunteers need to leave when paid work becomes available.
There may be ways to include volunteers in YamDaisy cafes, and certainly opportunities for training and apprenticeships, but the model is based on a business that provides a fair income and conditions for the manager/chef(s) and any other staff.
Q Where is your feasibility study?
A This Yamdaisy Café concept was conceived by someone with a chronic illness who has been practically housebound for the last eight years (not completely thank goodness). It is a little one sick woman band who is working away, and there isn't much point in me doing a Feasibility Study until there is a critical mass of people who support the idea. That is why your feedback, support, input and encouragement is needed. But I am doing the best I can. Have a look at the Business Page and the Pilot Cafe ideas to get an idea of the research and development I have done to make sure this is a project that can work.
Q Have you heard of Community Kitchens, Kitchen Gardens, Slow Food, Permaculture, Food Sustainability, Anti GM, Wholefoods..?
A There are many wonderful projects, produce and concepts that work toward better food in our community. All those mentioned can work with or be involved in the YamDaisy Café. Wouldn't it be great if YamDaisy Cafes sourced some ingredients from local community gardens? If school and community cooking programs networked? Wouldn't it be wonderful if YamDaisy Cafes became so powerful by their number and support, they could lead the way in introducing menus around sustainable fish and meat sources, local produce, etc.? It would be a great way to make things happen at a community level. Check out our links page too!