Greek Food Hero Feeds Leeds’ Poor

With winter setting on the United Kingdom, Greek restaurateur George Psarias took it on himself to feed 100 hungry poor people with a delicacy from his homeland, lamb stifado.

Psarias’ owner of The Olive Tree restaurant, each year supports the YEP-backed StreetSmart campaign, an annual drive that collects funds for homeless charities in Leeds.

This year though, he wanted to do something else as part of his restaurant’s 30th anniversary. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post that he hoped the popular Mediterranean dish that is served in all of his three restaurants would go down a treat with client’s at St George’s Crypt in Leeds city center.

He said: “I like to help the homeless – we have got more food than they have, so we really should. Everything we have cooked is all the highest quality, we don’t take any short cuts. We are privileged to have food so it will be nice for them to eat well.”

Martin Patterson, Director of fundraising at the Crypt, said: “The thing with George and The Olive Tree is they have been constant supporters of the Crypt for the last eight years. George has involved himself with us beyond that, which is fantastic,” he told the paper.

He added: “Here’s someone who has established himself so well with the community and we like to think there’s a kind of synergy between us as we are both Leeds institutions in our different ways.” Patterson said that, “George has come in here and provided a meal for 100 people and that means an awful lot to us and our clients.”