It is the restaurant empire behind glitzy Mayfair establishments including Scott’s, Annabel’s and Sexy Fish which cater for the country’s rich and famous.
But bosses at Caprice Holdings have now mobilised an incredible 700-strong volunteer army to help staff deliver 75,000 meals a week for NHS heroes and vulnerable people shut away due to the coronavirus crisis.
The company, chaired by hospitality mogul Richard Caring, is utilising its Ivy and Bills’ establishments in cities such as London, Edinburgh, Leeds and Birmingham to try to produce up to one million meals.
Classic dishes including Ivy’s famed shepherd’s pie, lasagne, chicken pie as well as cold plates are among parcels being sent out to the most vulnerable members of society who are suffering the most at this perilous time.
Private members’ club Annabel’s – which has attracted world-famous names from The Beatles to Drake in its 57-year history – has become the focus of the astonishing effort in the capital, where 7,000 grab bags a week are being whipped up for our NHS heroes.
The nation’s most famous celebrity hangout now sees staff and volunteers working around the clock in two shifts a day, seven days a week, to get the delicious food out.
The pouches are then delivered to London hospitals including Charing Cross, St Thomas’, St Bartholomew’s, Chelsea and Westminster and Ealing Hospital – with more being lined up for future orders.
Another London-based initiative sees Scott’s, 34 Mayfair and Sexy Fish team up with food redistribution charity The Felix Project to feed the elderly, NHS workers and children who usually rely on free school meals.
Photographs from inside the stunning restaurants show how they have been turned into food factories, with both staff and customers working together to create the freshly-prepared meals.
Each meal has been prepared at the eateries and packaged in their premises before being sent to the thousands of nurses and doctors on the frontline, bravely fighting back Covid-19.
Hard-working staff and volunteers are following social distancing rules in the kitchen and can be seen wearing masks and gloves as they make and package the meals.
The initiative has been launched on behalf of the Caring Foundation, a privately run, family foundation created in January by Richard and Patricia Caring.
Mr Caring, who hails from north London and built his fortune importing clothes from Hong Kong in the 1970s and 1980s, said: ‘This is a time for reflection, patience, understanding, co-operation, trust, belief and most important of all; action!
‘We have a hub of collective kitchens and brands in London and have tentacles across the whole of UK and we are blessed to have the most amazing staff and suppliers who truly want to help, even though there is risk involved.’
The 71-year-old businessman, who after surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake has expanded his empire to be worth £650million, added: ‘We applaud the wonderful network of our guests, members and friends of our brands for being so generous, not only with their good wishes, but also with actual donations and offers of support.
‘During these terrible times, with these unprecedented times upon us, we must all come together, help each other, support those desperately in need.’
Scott’s, Annabel’s and Sexy Fish are making 7,000 meals a week for frontline NHS workers and the vulnerable amid the pandemic. Volunteers place bags of prepared meals onto a table in Annabel’s garden ahead of them being delivered
Hundreds of bags of food are prepared by volunteer at the celebrity hotspot restaurants for NHS frontline nurses and doctors fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The three women all wear masks and gloves as they package the paper bags at Annabel’s
A volunteer and Ali Spencer-Churchill (right)sport protective masks and gloves as they place food produce into paper bags in Annabel’s dining hall, which boasts shimmering chandeliers and eye-catching artwork
Scott’s restaurant in Mayfair, London, which claims to offer the best seafood, fish, shellfish, Champagne and oysters, created delicious fish pies for vulnerable people. Pictured: A chef showcases the meals, prepared in white containers, in Annabel’s
Volunteers at Sexy Fish in Mayfair, London, sort through containers of Lasagne which have been made in their kitchens for vulnerable people. Each meal is weighed before being placed in a box ready to be delivered
Harry’s Dolce Vita, a restaurant serving upscale Italian dishes with handmade pasta, global wines and cocktails in Knightsbridge, supplied the lovely looking lasagne dishes to the establishment
In the kitchen at Annabel’s, a chef expertly kneads a ball of chocolate chip cookie dough, ahead of the ingredients being baked and packaged for frontline NHS workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic
A chef at Annabel’s peels and prepares potatoes before they are cooked to be included in packages for the NHS workers. The volunteer members wears a pair of blue gloves and a mask while working
A cook at Annabel’s, who sports protective gear, mixes together a minced meat sauce for the lasagnes dishes which will be included in the plastic bags taken to nurses and doctors
Layers of fresh pasta are placed over a mixture of cheese and an Italian minced meat sauce as large trays of lasagnes are made by volunteers at Annabel’s. All the people in the kitchen took protective measures and are wearing gloves
A chef at Annabel’s thickly layers a white cream sauce over an Italian-inspired sauce to create the lasagnes which will then be taken to NHS workers in the local area in London
Mr Spencer-Churchill places different types of food into brown paper bags ahead of them being delivered to NHS workers. He sports a mask as well as gloves along with his casual hat, royal blue blazer and jeans look
Hundreds of bags are placed upon several tables as they are prepared by volunteers. The glamorous room at Annabel’s – which features elegant dark flooring and green themed walls – is filled with the carriers
A gorgeous-looking fish pie is placed into white containers by a volunteer at Annabel’s in Mayfair, London, as they prepare meals for key workers in the nearby area
An oven is filled to the brim with food for vulnerable people at Annabel’s, pictured left, while each meal is labelled with a clear sign to indicate where it’s been made and what it contains, seen right
A close up of the amazing meals being given to vulnerable people by the celebrity hotspot restaurants. This delicious-looking fish pie was created at Annabel’s by its kitchen volunteers
A customer of Annabel’s volunteers her time and helps two other women make the food parcels. Rows of brown paper bags filled the establishment’s garden ahead of being delivered
A chef at one of the restaurants prepares vegetables to be included in the deliveries as the volunteers work tirelessly to create more than 7,000 meals a week for NHS frontline workers and vulnerable people
Pieces of fish are placed on a silver tray before being put into a large industrial oven at Annabel’s. The cook wears both gloves and a mask as he helps prepare the produce for the pies
A creamy white sauce is placed over pieces of fish for pies being prepared at Annabel’s (pictured left), while other produce (pictured right) is baked at the kitchen by their hard-working volunteers
A volunteer and Mr Spencer-Churchill (right) at Annabel’s work tirelessly to prepare and complete meals which will be given to NHS frontline volunteers. The dishes are placed in paper bags which have each been labelled
A volunteer who wears an apron, chef’s hat, gloves and a mask, uses a pizza wheel to cut into slices of pasta. The volunteers are working seven days a week to prepare the meals
Volunteers at Annabel’s are making cold dishes to be given to NHS workers in London hospitals, including Charing Cross, St Thomas’, St Bartholomew’s, Chelsea and Westminster, West Midlands University Hospital as well as the Ealing centre
A hard-working volunteer helps prepare the meals. The establishments’ efforts are being organised by the Caring Foundation. It is a privately run, family foundation created in January 2020 by Richard and Patricia Caring
The Caring Foundation has brought together teams from across his Mr Caring’s hospitality network to deliver a selection of meal options to NHS workers and vulnerable communities. Pictured: Labels illustrate where the food has been created
A bird’s-eye view of Annabel’s, where volunteers are preparing the grab bags. The glamorous establishment is helping the most vulnerable as well as NHS workers by providing cold meals
Customers and staff members at the restaurants have volunteered their time seven days a week so far, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Pictured: A chef cooks a tomato (seen left) and a person prepares some meat (pictured right)