As East End Cellars hosts its sixth annual winter soup kitchen with proceeds going to charity, CityMag dropped in to chat about the event's importance during a cost-of-living crisis.

East End Cellars owner Margie Andrewartha was inspired to create her own soup kitchen at her premises after seeing how it could help the local community.

“I started Soup Kitchen six years ago after one wet and freezing night I was taking my daughter to the ballet, and I witnessed a real soup kitchen in progress,” Margie says.

“I was shocked at the amount of people lining up in the pouring rain for a feed.

“I remember feeling so sad at the number of women and children in the queue. We have many homeless people around [the] East End — we see them every day — so I felt the need to help somehow. I contacted Simon Bryant, and we created the first soup kitchen.”

At $20 per bowl of soup, all proceeds to this event support South Australians experiencing homelessness by raising money for Hutt Street Centre and Catherine House.

This year, five guest chefs will be take over the kitchen to cook soup for a worthy cause.

Previous chefs have included Duncan Welgemoed from Africola and Sharon Romeo and David Swaine from Fino Vino.

A previous soup kitchen at East End Cellars

Today, Josh Cooke from Chianti will be there to make zuppa frutti di mare — a seafood soup with orange juice flavour served with capsicum, chilli and crusty bread — a dish inspired by his childhood in Sardinia, Italy.

Giving back is an important part of Josh’s hospitality ethos, as he is always “part of the community”.

“We like to support people in our community by being welcoming and nice to people as it is part of hospitality,” he says.

Being the sixth early iteration of the soup kitchen, Margie is always blessed with the chef’s generosity, and ability to take on this task each year.

“The chefs involved every year are my mates and I simply ask for their help and they all offer to make a huge amount of soup and come and serve it on the day” Margie says.

“So, it’s a big ask, I’m so thankful for all their help, it’s brilliant.”

Margie says that giving back to the community is “even more relevant” in 2024.

“Especially as the cost-of-living crisis pushes more people onto the streets, into their cars or onto couches around the neighbourhoods of Adelaide,” she says.

“I’m hoping that like-minded businesses in our regions like the Barossa, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, and Adelaide Hills might be interested in coming on board next year for the Soup Kitchen to grow.

“Our main goal is not only to raise much-needed funds but also to help drive awareness of two amazing South Australian organisations.”

The charity event will be followed by a silent auction with a mixture of South Australia’s top wines and experiences, such as vouchers for overnight stays and famous wines.

The event will be held every Thursday in August, at East End Cellars which is located at 25 Vardon Ave, Adelaide, from 12pm until sold out. All bookings and reservations are made on their website.

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