Introducing Kim Bloomfield, Chef

Where are you from? What did you do before working at the Vineyard?

I was born and bred in the East End of London where I lived with my parents and two sisters. Before working at The Vineyard, I was a music teacher. I taught in a nursery and primary school covering the curriculum and extended activities such as running choirs, an orchestra, a ‘jam club’, a ukulele group, recorder classes and much more. I also taught the piano for twenty-five years.

When did you start working at the Vineyard, what made you want to join the team in this role?

Having been in the education sector for so long, I wanted to make a life change and as my passion for cooking grew, I explored employment in this field. I knew Sue previously and she invited me for lunch at The Vineyard which she described as ‘unique’. I immediately felt welcomed into the heart of an entirely new and inviting establishment. The atmosphere was amazing, warm, and non-judgemental and I knew at this moment that I wanted to be a part of the Vineyard. Some months later, the position for café chef was posted and voila! I started working at The Vineyard at the end of January in 2020.

What do you do day to day?

The day is never dull and often packed with several tasks from preparing food, cooking, recording temperatures, following a cleaning schedule as well as vast amounts of washing up! I make food to order and deliver it to the café counter where our wonderful café volunteers collect and deliver to the customer. When I have time, I sometimes take the order to the customers myself and love nothing more than asking them if they have enjoyed their meal.

Sometimes, customers ask for meals ‘off menu’ which I provide when possible. We have recently set up a partnership with The Poppy Factory so on some days, I prepare pre-ordered menus for up to 50 guests in addition to the usual café orders. The job is quite varied as one can never predict how busy or quiet we will be or what dishes customers will order. I am responsible for ordering food in, stocktaking and waste management.

What has been your proudest moment in your role so far?

My proudest moment has been changing the menu. It has been quite a challenge as regular customers have had to embrace change; however, it is incredibly exciting to be able to offer a ‘daily special’ in particularly when I am given the opportunity to create something from donations which all benefits the project.

If you had to say, what motivates you most to do this job?

There are many aspects which motivate me in my job. The Vineyard is such a wholesome environment. I love the diversity of the customers and wholly embrace the unique quality that the Vineyard offers. There is a buzz of friendliness that is infectious and exhilarating. I thrive on inventing meals that are nutritious, beautifully presented and yet affordable so that we are realistically a community café. It is always a privilege to welcome back returning customers but also to engage with new customers.

I am acutely aware that we would not be able to maintain such an excellent service without the help of our committed volunteers. Their input into the successful running of the café makes us different from other venues and the love, time, energy, and expertise that they inject into the centre is valuable beyond estimation. And this ethos runs throughout the entire centre and extends to the varying branches of the project. It is with joyful heart that I come to work each day and work with such a wonderful community of amazing people whether they are volunteers, paid staff, customers, guests, advisors, trustees, -we are a great team and there is a tremendous sense of balance and chemistry that unites us all. Kindness and pure heart prevail.