This Saturday, Dundas West wine bar, Paris Paris, is offering a Punjabi Picnic meal, where 100 per cent of the proceeds are being donated to Kailash Satyrathi, a foundation distributing medical aid to children affected by COVID-19 in India.
Executed by a small group of volunteers made up of chefs, front of house workers, a nurse, a doctor and the doctor's mom's secret traditional recipes, this vegetarian-friendly meal is completely handmade and packed in a reusable tiffin container to not only add value to the meal, but also reduce excess packaging.
The meal features chana masala, a blend of chickpeas and spices, saag paneer, which is made with spinach and paneer cheese and dal makhani, one of the most popular lentil dishes with origins in New Delhi. Mains are accompanied by sides of fluffy naan and basmati rice. For dessert, look forward to gulab jamun, a sweet milk-based doughy treat.
Krysta Oben, wine director at Paris Paris, says the idea for the fundraiser was conceived with her two best friends, who are a nurse and a doctor for work.
"My friends both love restaurants and have tons of chef friends, so we assembled a little ragtag group of pals to put this together at Paris Paris. We have the space to cook right now at PP, so now seemed like a great time," Oben says, "As an ER doctor, my friend is painfully aware of the devastation of COVID. Although things are looking up for us here, the situation in India is really horrifying-so many kids are now without parents."
Wanting to contribute to raising funds and support for children in India, they chose to donate proceeds to Kailash Satyrathi. The foundation is led by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, who strives to advocate for youth rights and make a difference in the lives of children in need of support in India.
According to Oben and her team of friends, "The inspiration is just to be able to provide some support to children who have had such a devastating impact on their lives because of COVID. It's easy to write a cheque, but putting time, effort and care into something might inspire other people to also do something."
To reserve your Punjabi Picnic tiffin-style meal, visit Paris Paris' website. Meals will be available for pre-order right up until Saturday or until they sell out, so be sure to reference their Instagram to ensure they still have availability. This meal is pick-up only Saturday evening at Paris Paris Wine Bar and while you're there, don't forget they've transformed into a bottle shop as a result of the pandemic, with online orders for alcohol delivery offered.
