Surrey Afghan restaurant giving health-care workers discounts during COVID-19 pandemic

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SURREY (NEWS 1130) – When Hassib Sarawari saw that health-care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic were still finding parking tickets on their cars after long, grueling shifts, he thought that was sending the exact opposite of the right message.

In the midst of a crisis, business as usual just doesn’t make sense, the owner of Afghan Kitchen said.

The South Surrey restaurant sells “very traditional and authentic” Afghan food. Sarawari’s mother is the head chef.

“She makes everything with lots of love and care and it’s a blessing to have her in the kitchen and in my life right now,” he said.

With a provincial health officer order banning dine-in service, business has ground to a near halt, Sarawari said, adding he was heartbroken to lay off 27 workers.

Now the restaurant staff consists of himself, his brothers (Ehsan, Zabi, and Wali) and mother, (Zohra) all working in the kitchen, selling food for takeout and delivery and preparing frozen meals.

“There is no business, essentially. We’re trying to survive and stay open to help the community as much as we can,” he said.

Despite losing the majority of its revenue in recent weeks, Afghan Kitchen is discounting take-out meals by 30 per cent for health-care workers.

Sarawari said the discount eliminates his already-thin profit margin – but that’s the least of his concerns right now.

“It’s not about making profit; it’s just helping one another,” he said.

Before the pandemic, health-care workers already made up a significant portion of Afghan Kitchen’s clientele. On any given day, Sarawari said, it wasn’t unusual to have 20 doctors eating there at one time.

“They supported us in our last two and a half years and now we’re just trying to do our part as much as we can,” he said.

Afghan Kitchen is also planning to deliver food to emergency room workers at both Surrey Memorial and Peach Arch hospitals in the coming week.

The restaurant is also selling frozen meals to those who order ahead and is encouraging buyers to donate to the food bank when they do so. Afghan Kitchen will match those donations too, Sarawari said.

The owner said he hopes other restaurants find similar ways to support the community during these challenging times.

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