Foreign aid helps ailing ealing DSO

Ealing Catering Direct, the direct service organisation of the London Borough of Ealing, has come up with an innovative scheme to turn around its economic fortunes.

The organisation has contacted foreign embassies across the capital as well as local businesses in a bid to get help in running theme days in its Princes Restaurant in Ealing Town Hall.

The first theme day, a Swedish day, is to be held next week, with furniture store Ikea providing the food, beer company Abro providing beer and the Swedish ambassador opening the event.

The Italian ambassador has already promised the services of one of his chefs for a proposed Italian theme day and French, German and Indian days are planned.

"We somehow had to turn ourselves from a deficit into a profit ," food and beverage manager Asheesh Danee told Caterer.

"We also wanted to raise the profile of the restaurant and get in both more staff and public to use it."