It is all a vivid demonstration of the maxim that food brings people together, something well understood by Hongkongers who have grown up with their own love of “street food” and the typical banter found among the patrons of any local dai pai dong, or street cafe.

Yet, in this case, the concept is the brainchild of a multi-award-winning social enterprise, Project Dignity, with its mission of restoring dignity to people with disabilities and disadvantages by providing skills training, gainful employment and greater social inclusion.

Koh Seng Choon, founder of Project Dignity, opened the first Dignity Kitchen in Singapore in 2010. At the time of its launch, the food court, which employs disadvantaged people and trains them for roles suited to their individual abilities and limitations, was believed to be the first of its kind in the world.

The jobs it offers range from food preparation to cooking, serving and taking payments – and it is widely agreed that the quality of meals is first-rate. Employees also receive training in areas such as packaging, labelling, customer service and administrative work.

The business has proved a hit in Singapore, winning international recognition for being a place “where local food meets social good” and for creating a business model that directly addresses a deep-rooted issue, namely unemployment among marginalised groups.

In 2019, it chose a row of restored historic shophouses in Shanghai Street, in the Mong Kok area of Kowloon, as the perfect location for the opening of a Dignity Kitchen food court in Hong Kong.

The move was made possible thanks to the help of InvestHK and the Urban Renewal Authority, which carefully carried out restoration work on the shophouses.

Since then, the food court has joined a host of other social enterprise restaurants which have sprung up in Hong Kong in recent years. The city is now home to more than 70 – according to OpenRice, the respected food and restaurant guide website – with many of them providing much-needed job opportunities for people with disabilities.

Government statistics show that the unemployment rate among the city’s disabled population stood at 11 per cent in 2021, which is believed to be double that of the general population.

Dignity Kitchen’s foray into the Hong Kong market was an instant success, before the Covid-19 pandemic put a brake on eating out and cut revenue. It was a tough period for the hospitality industry in general, with limitations imposed on seating capacity and restaurant operating hours.

“But we found that Hong Kong people have a big heart,” Koh says. “Some customers pledged their entire government cash subsidy to support us, others worked with us packing and distributing meal boxes for the poor and needy, and many corporations got their staff to do volunteer work to fulfil CSR [corporate social responsibility] responsibilities.”

Fortunately, things have now stabilised once again. Dignity Kitchen’s daily revenue has been climbing steadily, and there are none of the early concerns about the acceptance of a food court where the differently abled prepare and cook dishes for the general public.

Currently, the business employs about 80 staff in Hong Kong, of whom about 68 are disadvantaged. Each new recruit undertakes a well-planned and carefully supervised training process. It is usually hands-on and, as in any such enterprise, may require patience if those involved have had no previous experience of standard kitchen techniques or service procedures.

Many of the best trainers are former airline staff who have the interpersonal skills and perception to be very effective teachers.

“We recruited them after convincing them to step out of early retirement,” Koh says. “They are experienced, patient and used to dealing with people from different backgrounds.”

These days, the standard menu at Dignity Kitchen offers plenty of choice and has been tweaked where necessary to suit local tastes. It is a big plus that Hong Kong offers such a wide range of top-quality fresh ingredients at every price point.

At the same time, though, some items such as pandan leaves are specially imported to give the food court’s popular pandan cakes the robust and distinctive Singaporean flavour that diners naturally expect.

“Our pandan chiffon cake features a perfect balance of pandan’s aroma and chiffon’s airy texture, and its spongy mouthfeel makes it easy to gobble up a few slices at one go,” Koh says.

He is grateful to InvestHK for its support and guidance over the years and is now ready to expand further.

“We are casting a vote of confidence in Hong Kong by looking to set up a second kitchen soon on Hong Kong Island,” he says, adding that Dignity Kitchen is about helping people wherever they are, but with a focus on giving customers a meal to remember.

“Don’t come because it is a charity. Come because the food is good,” Koh says.