Everybody Dig In

Words by Kaityln Randall (she/her)

In 2017, Nick Loosley returned from the UK not only with a Master’s Degree in Green Economics, but also with an idea of how we could put some of our food waste to better use. This idea was then developed into a unique business model taking on some big issues: food waste, food poverty, and social isolation. And today, this idea is open for business three nights a week as Everybody Eats.

“We work almost exclusively with rescued food. This doesn’t mean it was out of the bin, but it could have been on its way there,” says Nick, proudly. It’s food rescue organisations like Kiwi Harvest, Kaibosh, and Kiwi Community Assistance who intercept this high quality food that ends up on plates at Everybody Eats. “It’s often great produce we are working with. It can just be an odd mixture of great stuff, and that’s where the creativity comes in.”

It’s the chefs who use these ingredients to put together a three course, restaurant quality meal based on what’s available to them. It’s their creativity and craft, alongside the help of volunteers, that makes Everybody Eats come to life. “Our volunteers help us with anything from peeling potatoes in the kitchen, through to serving tables and washing dishes. We really could not exist and could not do the mahi we do without them.”

One of the volunteers making it happen is recent graduate Elyse Smaill. “Volunteering for my first time I found everyone to be so welcoming.” She particularly enjoyed the “cosy, yet lively environment. Everyone seemed to be having an awesome time, volunteers included.” For Elyse, “volunteering helps [them] to step out of [their] own world and focus on giving to others.”

Everybody Eats is set on giving people a great dining experience, regardless of their circumstances. This is why they operate on a koha, or pay-as-you-feel basis.

“We make payment completely anonymous, we’re not hung up on it,” says Nick. “More than half of the meals we have served in our five years have been accessed for free.” This means these meals are accessible to those living in poverty or experiencing otherwise difficult circumstances. “We don’t know people’s circumstances, but we know when they come to us they will enjoy a really beautiful meal and experience, even if they don’t have the ability to pay.”

It was in 2018 that Everybody Eats opened its pilot restaurant in Auckland. They have since expanded, opening another location in Onehunga as well as in Wellington on Dixon Street. I went along to their Wellington restaurant recently with my flatmate Amelia. Neither of us really knew what to expect, but were going in with an open mind. As we entered, the first thing we were asked was whether we would “prefer to sit by ourselves, or with others?”

Nick explains, “we are trying to build community through our dining experience. What we wanted to do is create an environment for everyone, where everyone is welcome and is treated with dignity.” Nick emphasises the importance of food and how it fosters great relationships: “As humans we love to share experiences and gather over a table of food.”

Nick recognises that not everyone has the ability to share a meal with friends or family. When dining at Everybody Eats, customers are encouraged to sit together with people they don’t know. “For some people it's slightly uncomfortable, but I think that’s where you start to break down some of those social barriers and make some meaningful connections through conversation.”

For our dining experience, Ben (who preferred not to be identified) was the stranger sitting across the table from us. We introduced ourselves and within moments the waiter greeted and talked us through the menu for the night. Soon after we were eating our green lentil harira soup with crispy mince. 

Ben told us that he first dined at Everybody Eats about a year ago, and since then has been coming back most weeks. Ben agrees, “there is something special about sharing a meal with people.” 

For mains we had carbonara with bacon and linguine, and a lesson in cryptocurrency. At one point Amelia remembered that in the building next door there are swing dancing lessons. From swing dancing we got talking about people who live time capsule lives, devoting their home, wardrobes and soundtracks to a particular era. 

When asked what era Ben would most like to live in, he said, “probably 12,000 years ago in the beginning of the neolithic age.” He further explained, “people lived in tribal communities of about 150 people. Every person was really integral to keeping the community running. Everyone would work towards a common goal.” Ben contrasts this against the times we’re living in currently: “Society is a lot more disconnected these days.”

Ben finds that “it’s hard to find a sense of community in this world we’re living in.” For him, Everybody Eats is a source of community. “There’s a few people that have stuck out and made my times at Everybody Eats particularly memorable and enjoyable.” Ben told us about his friend Peter who he’d often sit with. It wasn’t long before Ben was tapped on the shoulder, and Peter had joined our table.

Peter is a wordsmith, a lover of language and speaking it. He speaks so much that Ben joked to him, “do you ever manage to finish your food before it gets cold?” Peter passed some of his newly op-shopped reading material round the table. He taught us the word “loquacious.” It means wordy, or full of excessive talk and sums up Peter very nicely. In return we all taught Peter who Demi Lovato is, and told him about how she sings to ghosts to help them overcome their traumas. This was what Peter described as “utterly uproarious”. 

“Without a place like this I wouldn’t have developed a relationship with this guy,” says Ben, when Peter finally lets him get a word in. “I keep coming back to Everybody Eats for the vibe, for lack of a better word. For what the thing it is, for the way it introduces you to all sorts of personalities, and for a great meal.”

I walked away from the night feeling full of food and full of appreciation for the experience of eating it. It was a novel experience, but one which really left a great impression on so many levels. I’d learnt a bit about cryptocurrency, acquired a few new words up my sleeve, and met some really cool people that I otherwise might not have met.