Hotel Bruny’s free weekly feeds support those in need

What started as a small cook up with the pub’s last bag of leeks has since seen Hotel Bruny serve up free weekly feeds to isolated locals during the pandemic.

IT ALL started with cooking the last bag of leeks to make soup, but now Hotel Bruny are serving up free weekly feeds to the island community.

Owner Dave Gunton said the pandemic shutdown was a “hectic” shock for his tight-knit staff.

“Reality set in, we stuck all the products in the freezer and we had this huge big bag of leeks,” he said.

“I said to the chef, ‘let’s make a something to go with it’.”

The result was a huge potato and leek soup hot pot, which customers soon flocked to the carpark to enjoy after seeing the “free soup” social media memo.

Hotel Bruny owner Dave Gunton is creating free meals for the community.

When an anonymous woman donated $200 towards a similar event the following week, Mr Gunton said the community feed went “from strength to strength”.

“The next week we had some beautiful fish from the Mures family,” he said.

“We made a beautiful batter with plenty of beer lying around.”

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He said social media saw donations pour in, with even a stranger from Canada offering assistance.

He said the recent Blue Mountain soup filled out the carpark while maintaining social distancing.

Chef Garrison in the kitchen of Hotel Bruny cooking free meals for the community.

Mr Gunton said it felt nice to provide free hot food to locals knowing many were lonely and struggling financially.

“To have that reminder that we are a significant central community hub certainly helps me get through it,” he said.

He said despite Hotel Bruny’s hardships, there was something to be said for locals slowing down without the usual flood of tourists, adding he was soaking up the serenity and even paddle boarding to work.