“
The Perfect Place to Grow was different to other services; we actually did stuff. And not just learning to cook, we got to go out and see places. People actually listened to me and cared about what I had to say.
”
WHO
WE
ARE.
The Perfect Place to Grow is a cafe and training kitchen in Margate supporting 18-24 year olds into sustainable employment. We use food in all its forms to help young people gain the skills that will allow them to change their futures for the better.
Our cafe is open once a month for an Open Weekend Showcase, where trainees cook and operate the kitchen alongside a professional chef. Lunch is available 12-4pm Saturday and Sunday on those weekends. See our events page for upcoming openings and news.
WHY
WE
DO IT.
We founded The Perfect Place to Grow to help address the very evident barriers young people are facing when trying to find employment opportunities in Thanet.
Kent has a rich and varied food culture, and Margate in particular has become a focus for modern independent restaurants, galleries and venues – open any weekend supplement and you’ll find articles about where to go and what to eat.
But walk a few streets away from Margate’s old town, and like many coastal towns you’ll come across a hugely deprived area with high unemployment rates amongst young people. So many young people are struggling. The lazy tropes we hear about the “youth of today” are not OK and not true.
Young people want to work; they want to change their lives for the better, but the barriers many face are often not addressed by traditional routes of education and employment.
Each person faces a different set of obstacles to overcome and many of these young people find themselves passed between short-term employment services without ever gaining real experience, confidence, or understanding of the tools needed to work. They are all individuals with very individual needs.
At The Perfect Place to Grow we have the ability to address these individual needs, and help them find meaningful employment along the way.
The UK unemployment rate is 4.1%. For young people in Kent, it starts getting worse at 5.5%. Thanet, however, has the highest rate of youth unemployment in the South East at 10.2%
HOW
WE
DO IT.
The trainees work in the kitchen and front of house at our cafe and in local restaurants. We recently started The Perfect Place to Grow allotment, which takes trainees outside and learn about food production first hand. They also work with butchers, bakers, baristas, and a huge range of guest chefs from all over the world at our Open Weekend Showcase events each month.
We use these experiences to inspire the trainees, build their skills, and to support them as they make a positive impact on their futures and the communities around them.
The kitchen at The Perfect Place to Grow is used as a creative place to open up conversations on progression, building resilience, and making positive work choices. For those that need additional support, we can also offer English and Maths tuition, physical therapy or counselling thanks to our experienced external partners and volunteers.
The length of support is based on a trainee’s individual requirements, but our aim is to find employment opportunities that will be fulfilling and sustainable.
Whatever they choose to do for work — and it does not have to be in hospitality — if the skills and experience from The Perfect Place to Grow have helped them gain the confidence to go and get that job, we consider that a success.
SUPPORT
OUR
WORK.
Our training kitchen is funded by private donations, trusts and charities, alongside our work as a catering provider. The current funding climate is hard, however, and we really need all the help we can get, so no matter how small please, please do get in touch to support our work or DONATE HERE.
Alternatively, we are always looking for volunteers to assist in all manner of work, including trainee support, allotment maintenance, and one-off volunteering at events.
If you can help, please email us at hello@theperfectplacetogrow.org
