Press release: Collaboration between ISL and Stëmm vun der Strooss

Since the first week of November, the Stëmm vun der Strooss has been working with the International School of Luxembourg (ISL) to reduce food waste and distribute meals to those in need.

With over 900 meals a day served in the Stëmm's three social restaurants, including almost 400 in Luxembourg City, the restaurant in Hollerich, 7 rue de la Fonderie, is bursting at the seams. It is not unusual for all of the day's menus to be eaten by 2 pm. This forces head chef Thilo Umbach to get creative in order to provide a meal for all recipients.

Thanks to this new collaboration, initiated by Steve Zeimes, Head of Facilities and Security at ISL, in partnership with EUREST, managing the two on-site production kitchens, along with Jill Jucken, a qualified educator at Stëmm, and Thilo Umbach, the non-profit organization retrieves unsold items from the high school and primary school cafeterias at ISL three times a week. Fresh products like salads and vegetables, as well as cooked meals, are collected at around 1.30 pm and served immediately afterwards in the social restaurant in Hollerich, which makes the cooks' work much easier.

In the presence of ISL Director David J. Condon, the meals were given to the Stëmm on Tuesday 14 November. To ensure that the food stays warm until it arrives at the social restaurant and to comply with HACCP standards, the association invested in the purchase of four isothermal boxes to transport the food. The Stëmm vun der Strooss was able to count on the generous support of CACEIS Bank, Luxembourg Branch, which donated €5,425 to finance the isothermal boxes.

But the project doesn't stop there. Two other aspects of Steve Zeimes' initiative are that EUREST becomes a primary point of contact to integrate refugees working in the kitchens of Stemm vun der Strooss into the professional world. To facilitate their integration, ISL will set up language courses for them, taught by students under the supervision of teachers. This project is a win-win for all parties involved.

As Alexandra Oxacelay, director of the non-profit association, pointed out: “This project fits in perfectly with Stëmm's objectives, which aim to provide meals for those in need and reduce food waste. At the same time, it makes it possible to sensitise high school students to the problems associated with precarious living conditions in Luxembourg”.