For the 5th year, alongside the Green Santa of Secours Populaire.

This is not a retrospective. 📚

No glittering meal.

No perfectly plated dish.

Just taking the time to measure what happens when our attention steps back.

In the year-end marathon, we found the momentum — for the 5th year in a row — to support a cause close to our hearts:

the Green Santa initiative of Secours Populaire Wallonia–Brussels.

Every year, they support more than 350 families across the country during a moment of sharing, celebrating another kind of Christmas for children who don’t always have the chance to experience one.

This year, it was 650 families.

650 families, often single-parent households, who were able to celebrate last Saturday.

And for the first time, we didn’t “do” anything.

Meaning:

we didn’t prepare,

we didn’t cook,

we didn’t wrap.

Why?

Because this year has probably been the most demanding and exhausting one yet —

running a restaurant in such a context of social, economic, and political instability.

This year,

we brought people together.

We used our connections.

We simply sent a message to different organizations already swallowed up by an end of year packed with orders and by the consumer frenzy our society imposes.

We tried to move back to the top of their “to do” pile:

the idea of sharing a small part of their production,

setting a date,

and making the logistics around it easier.

And honestly, we were stunned.

The donations collected — sometimes after just a single email or a WhatsApp message — were immense and deeply genuine.

Without an end-of-year ESG report.

Without any marketing intent.

Since they won’t necessarily share it themselves, we will.

A huge thank you to:

@pierremarcolini @pierremarcolinihimself

@maisondandoy

@humbertocitrus

@ingredientsdumonde

@matieres_premieres_

@cafeboudin

@forcado1982

Local players, big and small.

Thank you for reminding us that the simplest gestures can have the greatest impact —

and that sometimes, everything starts with an initiative.

Kudos to Secours Populaire for carrying these actions throughout the year. You can support them at spwb.be. 🎁