KERB LIFE

It's September and a lot has shifted since we locked down and launched KERB on the Inside back in April. What's everyone up to now? I want to find out. Here we go, back with Zan from Bleecker Burger - catching up on the last few months of life in London food and the reopening of her burger joints.

What’s it like to open a bustling market when bustling isn’t allowed? How do you create a safe and enjoyable space that is also busy enough to sustain the traders? Welcome to some of our current dilemmas - and to our new spot, KERB National Theatre - the tiniest and most low-key market we’ve ever hatched, but it feels monumental after the last 3 months of screen time.

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

Jerk is a big deal, inciting strong feelings and deep pride amongst people of Jamaican heritage. So what happens when you grew up with it - where even your Sunday roasts were jerked - but you decide to play with it? This week I speak with Luke Dawes, co-founder of Only Jerkin’ - and creator of the ever-popular ginger beer battered fried jerk chicken nuggets.

With so many conversations swirling right now on: 

Where do we go from here and why do we care about going there 

On food, identity and representation

On how do we become more effective activists within our work and organisations

I thought Luke, ex-mental health nurse, business owner assessing his future and jerk chicken contemporiser would be great to mull this all over with...

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

We have always liked to think of KERB as a space for democratic cooking and democratic eating. A glorious representation of London and its many cultures.

But are we really? 

In our efforts at building greater awareness and change around racial equity, inside and outside our company, I want to talk to some of the black business owners in the KERB community about how inclusive it is: what obstacles they’ve experienced due to racism and what changes are necessary for a more equitable industry.

This week I’m joined by husband and wife team, Tieyan Eweka-Olorunfemi & her husband Sam of Jollof Mama (run, don’t walk to their Instagram to get some of their jollof direct to your home after listening).

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

America’s on fire, and so are our social media feeds. The centuries old pandemic of state violence on black bodies in the US, flared up again via the death of George Floyd and the other pandemic, is forcing many of us to rethink how racism operates. Not just in America, but here on British soil and within the multi-cultural-seeming walls of our own industry. Joining me this week is founder of food and recipe project, Fowl Mouth’s Melissa Thompson.

To follow Melissa and discover her list of BIPOC people in food, head to her Instagram page. She is growing this list every day, with a particular emphasis on more black representation in food. Special mentions from her go to Original Flava, Caribbean rum and food aficionado, Keshia from Caribe, Rain Forest Creations and Eat of Eden

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

Welcome inside our shuttered food hall. With income down to zero and debt mounting, we take a walk around the empty floors of Seven Dials Market and look at the reality of our situation and what hope we have to reopen. This week, the conversation is with someone close to home - my business partner and KERB and Seven Dials Market CEO, Simon Mitchell.

To see what KERB and our traders are getting up to on the inside, head to our Keep the Wheels Turning Campaign.

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

Truffle’s Tom Bickers was left with a load of excess stock when we had to close Seven Dials Market. Through packing it up and sending our team home with it, he created the prototype for a burger kit that would save his business. We talk to him about this whole new way of feeding his customers.

To see what KERB and our traders are getting up to on the inside, head to our Keep the Wheels Turning Campaign.

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

Here’s a little quickie for you - couldn’t resist. It’s our old friend Simon Luard, original original KERBanist and proprietor of much loved mexi-van, Luardos. He’s been fund-raising for the business whilst it’s off the streets. Rather than tell all his customers his award winning fish taco recipe, matey decided to rap about it. Here’s the exclusive first listen to Pts 1 and 2 of Fish Taco Rap “Culeros Ride/Culeros Ride Again” - mixed by our man, Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media.

To see the full vid, get the recipe in non-rap form and/or to support the Help keep Luardos ON the Streets campaign, head HERE.

To see what KERB and our traders are getting up to on the inside, head to our Keep the Wheels Turning Campaign.

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

Here in Episode 3 I pick up with long time KERBanist, Meriel Armitage of Club Mexicana to hear how hospitality, and entrepreneurship have come together to get frontline NHS workers fed, whilst also keeping the wolf from the door for street food traders with no trade. It’s a study in ground-up changemaking that brings kindred spirits together over a common cause and pressing need.

For more information on Club Mexicana X Sportsbanger - and the not for profit they are setting up, MEGA AID, head to @clubmexicana on Instagram.

We are so proud to give special mention on this Club Mex swivel to the Go-Faster Girls: Lucy Mee of Ink, Lily Bovey of Stakehaus, Jess Olson of Only Jerkin’, as well as James Brooks our AGM at Seven Dials Market, Biff of Biff’s Jack Shack, Tom Dewey of Born & Raised, Lee Johnson of BBQ Dreamz, Josh Paterson Bill or Beak, Hannah Jeeves of Yum Bun - and Made in Hackney who are all working closely together to make this thing fly and to get people who most need it fed.

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian DanTo see what KERB and our traders are getting up to on the inside, head to our Keep the Wheels Turning Campaign.

In our second episode we take a wide lens view of the state of our industry by speaking with man on a mission, Jonathan Downey. ‘Powered by Whatsapp’, high def foresight and an unwavering capacity for getting things done, JD’s proposals to government could help save thousands of businesses.

For more information on JD’s #NationalTimeOut and how to support it - even if you don’t own a food business but just cherish eating out - follow the hashtag, and follow @HospoUnion and @DowneyJD on Twitter as the campaign develops.

Hosted by KERB founder Petra Barran, with audio production from KERB stalwart Robin Leeburn of Fairly Media and music ℅ pioneer of the UK grime scene, Tottenham’s very own Meridian Dan

To see what KERB and our traders are getting up to on the inside, head to our Keep the Wheels Turning Campaign.