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Daniel McAlpine is the senior food sourcing manager for <a href="https://www.cityharvest.org.uk/">City Harvest</a>, London’s surplus food redistribution charity. We chatted to this local legend about supporting the community, beige party food and why you should get out and volunteer.Tell us a little bit about City Harvest...At six years old, City Harvest is London’s first food redistribution charity. Redirecting surplus and donated food from retailers, the hospitality sector, farms, and wholesalers to over 300 charity partners. Today, City Harvest processes over 75 tonnes of food donations each week.How many people has City Harvest supported so far?City Harvest promotes healthy eating and supports 300+ charities to do so. Providing healthy nutritious meals free of charge means our charity partners have more of their budgets to spend on other vital services such as counselling, skills training and play equipment.&nbsp;2020 was a challenging year for everyone, especially those already vulnerable, what impact have you seen in the demand for food across London in the past year?Unfortunately, City Harvest has seen a threefold increase in its service needs since March 2020. A new term, ‘the working poor’ has arisen to describe food bank users who work full time but still do not earn enough to feed themselves or their families at the end of the month. The pandemic has caused a growth in this type of food bank user. Gone are the days that food banks were predominantly used by homeless individuals.How has Covid-19 impacted how the City Harvest operates?City Harvest has had to react very quickly to the ever-growing need for its services. With numerous lockdowns causing havoc in the supply chain of the hospitality sector there has been an unprecedented amount of food waste and job losses. An individual made redundant from a company that has donated its food to us, could receive that same food again at the food bank the following week. It has been a mad year!What does a day in the life of Dan McAlpine look like?My day starts with a morning run with the dogs to clear the mind ready for a busy day at the office. I have a 9am meeting with my team to ensure we are set for the day, and then we’re off! With over 10 tonnes of food donations needed every day (and growing), our work in food sourcing is never finished. From holding Zoom calls with potential donors to checking in with current ones. At the end of the day, I like to chill with my family and dogs, maybe some yoga and wine – although not at the same time.What keeps you motivated to make a difference?&nbsp;&nbsp;Seeing all the smiling faces of the people I work with each day. I love going out and visiting the charities, speaking to them about their journey and how they’ve got to where they are now. The passion these people have for helping others is contagious.Do you have a fond childhood memory of food? #nostalgia&nbsp;Going to friend’s birthday parties when I was young, I’m a sucker for beige party food – you would usually find me sat at the buffet table tucking in, then feeling really sick during all the party games. I love to cook, so I’ve expanded my repertoire to cover all the colours now.Tell us a little bit about the people of City Harvest…I have never worked in a place like it. I have colleagues from all walks of life and stages in their career, coming together for one common goal – to help and support those in need. We also support people in finding their way off the street and have office staff, drivers and volunteers who have been homeless or have had home insecurity at some stage in their lives. The people are what makes City Harvest great.<a href="https://www.firsttable.co.uk/">First Table</a>’s lovely Jackie McGruer has been volunteering for City Harvest in her spare time – what does it mean to City Harvest to have the support of volunteers?&nbsp;Without incredible volunteers like Jackie, City Harvest would not be able to function each day. They sign up to lend a hand, but they bring so much more. Furlough has given people more free time and a lot more stress. Choosing to come and support a charity helps impart some routine and a sense of community. We love all our volunteers, and we are both happy and sad when they have to return to work – but most keep coming back in their evenings and at weekends.What advice would you give to others wanting to make a difference in the community?If it’s something you feel like doing, do it! And if you don’t, do it anyway! You’ll feel great both physically and mentally afterwards. At the moment everyone needs a pick-me-up and by sparing a few hours each week you could help so many great causes do so many great things.

Q&A: City Harvest's Daniel McAlpine shares the importance of giving back

Daniel McAlpine is the senior food sourcing manager for City Harvest, London’s surplus food redistribution charity. We chatted to this local legend about supporting the community, beige party food and why you should get out and volunteer.

Daniel McAlpine is the senior food sourcing manager for City Harvest,&nbsp;London’s surplus food redistribution charity. We chatted to this local legend about giving back to the community.

First Table has a community of over 170,000 passionate diners, accessing around 700 restaurants in 35 major cities, mostly across <a href="https://www.firsttable.co.nz">New Zealand</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.firsttable.com.au">Australia</a>, until now.<a href="london/">Landing in London</a> shows they are not slowing down. Having just last year, ‘roasted’ past 100,000 bookings, while opening 12 new territories in just as many months, this is likely not to be scoffed at.“Arriving in London is a huge milestone on our trajectory, we’re super excited to be here!” proclaims their Brixton based, First Table London Director,&nbsp;Kate Loisel.First Table’s success may well be in part to its upfront simplicity for both their diners and restaurant advocates. A diner always receives 50% off their table’s food bill (parties of 2 - 4 people only), simply by finding an early-bird table on the site, and securing it with a small booking fee (£5 GBP/$10 AUD).“In Australasia, First Table’s unique concept is becoming what the happy-hour is to a bar…but with quite a lot more reach,” laughed Kate.<img src="https://firsttable-images-1n1f2ybvzswiv.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public/Uploads/6d717b2680/Kate-Loisel.JPG" alt="Kate Loisel">
This Spring, their community will be racing to get their elusive early-bird tables and begin appraising some of London’s best! Including — Treves &amp; Hyde, Tom’s Kitchen Canary Wharf, Snaps &amp; Rye, Enoteca Rosso, Tonkotsu, Paladar, The Perception at W London, Farmacy, Hood Streatham, Beach Blanket Babylon, Tiger Tiger and Bo Drake to name a few. With more coming.The First Table diner and guests get to try a new spot at a heavily discounted rate.&nbsp;Then later, are kindly prompted to share their experience, in-turn bolstering that restaurant’s reputation and in no small part. It could be just a quick star-rating, an online review, providing some valuable private feedback, or simply just telling their friends and family.&nbsp;“The great thing about First Table is that it makes it affordable for people to try new places often. We all have our favourite haunts of course, but then time and time again, we see our diners discover a new place through First Table and become loyal patrons. They either have such a great first experience or just find some sort of ‘connection’…” said Kate.The platform may solve the age-old problem of a slow evening start. But then First Table also has an in-house digital marketing team, focused on delivering effective, local advertising and "brand amplification" for all their restaurant members –&nbsp;of exceedingly good calibre too. The catch for them? None. They do that for free.“The cumulative results here are phenomenal. We’re simply assisting restaurants doing great work to get the recognition they deserve, and just for doing what they do best. No matter what their size, influences or backstory is” Kate empathised.In today’s age of social media ‘storms’ and online reputation fiascos, this should likely present a massive win for restaurateurs. First Table is now in their fourth year of operation, with hundreds of grateful restaurants on-board, all advocating what First Table is doing and how.“We’re super excited to roll out our unique value proposition, both for Londoners and the ridiculously good quality restaurants you can find literally everywhere.“The common ground that really makes us tick? It’s a simple passion for food and sharing the joys of a really great restaurant experience.It’s fantastic to be here! We’re thrilled to begin championing all London has to offer.” concluded Kate Loisel.<h2>Sign up for First Table in London</h2>Sign up with promo code WELCOMEUK and you'll get £2.50 free credit to get you started:<a id="signup" class="popup btn btn-primary btn-lg" rel="nofollow" href="sign-up/?CityID=1057&amp;code=WELCOMEUK">Diners Sign Up Here</a>Restaurateurs can&nbsp;<a href="/restaurateurs">find out more information</a>&nbsp;here.<h2>About First Table</h2>First Table launched in <a href="https://www.firsttable.co.nz/queenstown-lakes/">Queenstown</a>, New Zealand in 2013 to overcome one of the hospitality industry’s oldest problems: slow starts to evenings. It has since helped more than 170,000 diners discover the best restaurants in their area without breaking the bank.

Half-priced dining launches in London

First Table has a community of over 170,000 passionate diners, accessing around 700 restaurants in 35 major cities, mostly across New Zealand & Australia, until now.

He scored half-priced dining using First Table in Queenstown and watched scores of others do the same at a restaurant he ran in Sydney, now a Bristol local is launching the service in his hometown.Elliott Hannam is leading the launch of Australasia’s premier restaurant discovery service, First Table, in Bristol as the service opens in its 30th city and third country.<img src="https://firsttable-images-1n1f2ybvzswiv.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public/Uploads/4468f0b7b9/Bristol-local-Elliott-Hannam-will-lead-First-Tables-expansion-into-the-UK-after-using-the-service-as-a-customer-in-Queenstown-and-restaurateur-in-Sydney.jpeg" alt="Bristol local Elliott Hannam will lead First Tables expansion into the UK after using the service as a customer in Queenstown and restaurateur in Sydney">
First Table offers exclusive deals to diners booking early evening seating and operates in 29 cities across Australia and New Zealand with more than 550 restaurant partners - including top, award-winning eateries.First Table Founder Mat Weir says the expansion to the UK is a big move for the Kiwi company, but one which is sure to please locals.“Elliott used First Table for himself while visiting Queenstown and also ran a restaurant in Sydney which was a First Table partner, so he knows the industry and our business inside out.“Teamed with his local status, he is the perfect person to take First Table to his hometown, a city with rich hospitality offerings and a diverse population eager to check them out.“He's seen First Table in action from both a restaurant perspective and a diner perspective - so he knows what it is like at both sides of the coal face and we couldn’t have a better person on the ground in Bristol.”Weir says First Table’s popularity throughout Australia and New Zealand shows a huge appetite for people wanting new dining experiences, and for businesses wanting to attract new diners.“We just love connecting people to the best establishments in each city. We have award-winning and high-end eateries as well as hidden gems waiting to be discovered, and we see time and again first-time experiences turning into loyal patronage.“Teamed with restaurateurs being able to showcase their passions and products to a whole new group of customers, it really is a win-win for everyone and we can’t to roll out to a new city in a new country.”<h2>Sign up for Bristol launch</h2>Diners who sign up before First Table launches in Bristol will get £2.50 free First Table credit to use towards their first booking.<a id="signup" class="popup btn btn-primary btn-lg" rel="nofollow" href="sign-up/?CityID=1532">Diners Sign Up Here</a>Restaurateurs can&nbsp;<a href="/restaurateurs">find out more information</a>&nbsp;here.<h2>About First Table</h2>First Table launched in <a href="https://www.firsttable.co.nz/queenstown-lakes/">Queenstown</a>, New Zealand in 2013 to overcome one of the hospitality industry’s oldest problems: slow starts to evenings. It has since helped more than 150,000 diners discover the best restaurants in their area without breaking the bank.Operating across <a href="https://www.firsttable.co.nz">New Zealand</a> and <a href="https://www.firsttable.com.au/">Australia</a>, First Table recently launched in <a href="https://www.firsttable.com.au/canberra/">Canberra</a> and plans to open in <a href="https://www.firsttable.com.au/darwin/">Darwin</a>, <a href="https://www.firsttable.com.au/wollongong/">Wollongong</a>, and <a href="https://www.firsttable.com.au/newcastle/">Newcastle</a> by April this year.

Bristol local Elliott Hannam leading First Table’s expansion into the UK

He scored half-priced dining using First Table in Queenstown and watched scores of others do the same at a restaurant he ran in Sydney, now a Bristol local is launching…

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