‘We face a choice that defines who we are: to care, or to turn away. Childhood should not be a casualty of war. Peace should not be the price of indifference. We all share the duty to act – with urgency; with determination – to bring this suffering to an end.”
This statement from the special representative of the United Nations secretary general for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba, came from last month’s report of the UN Secretary General Children and Armed Conflict.
It showed that the year 2024 had the highest incidence of grave violations against children in armed conflict since the inception of the Children and Armed Conflict Mandate, almost 30 years ago. The countries with the highest incidences of violations against children included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, Haiti, and – unsurprisingly, from within Palestine’s Gaza Strip.
As of the beginning of July, the death toll in Gaza had surpassed 57,000 and the Israeli-controlled aid distribution scheme continues to keep vital food, medicine and supplies from reaching the people within. Numerous aid workers have been killed while visiting aid sites with food, water and supplies.
Helplessness is a common feeling as these horrors unfold on our television screens or on social media streams. The small amount of aid reaching Gaza is not enough to sustain the entire population, and doctors, UN officials and aid workers say starvation is the reality Palestinian children are currently facing.
Friends and Co Cork-based restaurant owners Barbara Nealon and Beverly Mathews were feeling helpless when they met two months ago for an evening out. Both operate well-loved restaurants – Barbara, St Francis Provisions in Kinsale, and Beverly, L’Atitude 51 in Cork city – and, as food professionals, the idea of aid and food being withheld from anyone is unfathomable.
“It was an emotional moment where we felt like we couldn’t do anything,” Beverly says. “But then we started talking about how, really, the Irish hospitality industry has a very strong, unified voice.
“In the early days [of the genocide], some people might have been a bit hesitant to use their business to make a political statement. But it’s become increasingly clear, especially since the start of 2025, that this goes beyond any regular conflict. I decided to use my business to create a bit of awareness, and Barbara has been doing the same. We just said, ‘Let’s turn this feeling of hopelessness into something more positive.’”
One Plate for Palestine
From that first conversation, an idea grew to involve the entire Irish hospitality industry, spanning the island of Ireland. The pair have created a movement called One Plate for Palestine, which will see a wide number of Irish restaurants offer a special Palestinian-inspired menu item from 22-27 July.
Julia Hemingway will be participating in One Plate for Palestine with her food truck, Julia's Lobster Truck.
Proceeds from these menu items will be donated to a central fund via iDonate and will be distributed to small Irish charities and projects actively providing aid to the people of Gaza. Two such charities include Gaza go Bragh CLG and TEA Collective, who are, amazingly, currently managing to get aid into the Gaza Strip.
“This is obviously an ongoing issue when it comes to aid getting into the Gaza Strip,” Beverly says. “We’ve selected charities which are currently being successful.”
The response from Irish chefs, restauranteurs and hospitality professionals has been extremely positive so far, with each province in Ireland currently represented for participation.
Barbara and Beverly say, while registrations are ongoing, they expect more than 100 restaurants and food businesses to participate.
“From the very beginning of the idea, whoever we mentioned it to said, ‘Absolutely – we’ll get behind it,’” Beverly says, smiling. “There are a lot who have said they are planning to register, but haven’t gotten to it yet. So far, we have over 40 restaurants registered, the latest being Uno Mas in Dublin. We hope to see over 100 registered by the end of the campaign.”
It isn’t just urban restaurants taking part. From Ballyvaughan to Tramore and Timoleague, rural chefs are actively getting behind the movement (see panel for more information). The One Plate for Palestine menu items can be anything, but should have plenty of Palestinian influence. Barbara says they are excited to see what each chef comes up with.
“Paradiso [in Cork] are doing something really cute; petit fours where people could take them away at the end of their meal or as an add-on, and that is very different to the kind of dish we thought we would see on menus. Allowing chefs to be creative with their menu items is a really exciting element of this whole thing.
Sarah Richards operates Seagull Bakery in Tramore, Co Waterford.
“We are currently developing a flatbread with labneh, Palestinian olive oil, za’atar and sumac,” she adds. “We’re a seasonally-focused restaurant, so we will likely include some grilled or roasted vegetables [whichever ones we get in that week]. Just making use of beautiful Palestinian flavours, with a local focus.”
Irish Country Living hears whispers of a Dublin-based baker planning a Palestinian-inspired Victoria sponge cake, while another popular eatery – Kicky’s – will be creating a Palestinian-inspired cocktail.
“A local mixologist in Kinsale – All Apologies – is planning a gorgeous-sounding Palestinian-inspired cocktail, as well, using things like date syrup and lemon,” Barbara says.
Making your impact
For those who don’t get out to restaurants very often, there are still ways to get involved.
“We are going to be sharing recipes and resources for people at home, as well,” Beverly says. “You can bring your friends together, host a dinner party or a potluck, and make a joint donation. Even if you’re not a business, you can still register online and take part. If you are on social media, follow us, tag us and invite us to collaborate on posts so we can share and repost what you end up serving.”
Hospitality professionals are well-placed to take on a movement like this – they know that food is the ultimate connector. It is a quietly powerful way to bring people together; to show solidarity to those who are repressed and suffering.
“We’re not helpless,” Barbara says. “There’s always something you can do. It might feel like a drop in the ocean, but the results might be that you feel more able to help others around you. It helps keep the lights on for your own sense of humanity.
Participating restaurants are encouraged to create one Palestinian-inspired menu item during the campaign and donate the proceeds to the movement's chosen charities.
“When we’re constantly subjected to the horrific things happening in Gaza and in the world, it can feel easier to switch off and turn away.
“People need to feel like they have agency in their world, and building a community helps to maintain that feeling. And food is absolutely the most basic way to do that.”
“We all feel helpless sometimes, but it can be dangerous for society, too – it stops people from taking action,” Beverly adds. “Look at the people out protesting every single week – those people are keeping the lights on for all of us.
“In Gaza, they are seeing these images and videos of protests and those supporting them,” she continues. “It’s letting them know that the world hasn’t forgotten about them.”
Get involved: Follow @oneplateforpalestine on Instagram and click on the link in their bio to register. If you operate a food business, develop a menu item to run for either the full week or a few days and donate those proceeds. If you want to participate from home, host a dinner party and have each guest make a donation.
1. Julia’s Lobster Truck: You’ll find Co Clare-based chef Julia Hemingway at festivals and events all around the country with Julia’s Lobster Truck, but she is parking up this summer at The Oir House in Ballyvaughan. Her special One Plate for Palestine will be fresh grilled mackerel with Fattoush salad, sumac and tahini crème fraiche.
@juliaslobstertruck
2. House of Plates: Chef Barry Ralph has been feeding the hungry Castlebar masses for years now at Co Mayo’s House of Plates. His special menu item for One Plate for Palestine will be a classic Palestinian dessert called Knafeh, comprised of crisp, shredded pastry, labneh made from local Rockfield Dairy yogurt, apricots, dates, pistachio and their own foraged rose hips.
houseofplates.ie
3. Paradiso: Veggie-forward Cork establishment Paradiso is featuring petit fours as an add-on to their regular tasting menu at an extra cost of €5 per guest. The chef is preparing two delicate items: a rosewater baklava and a sumac and Medjool date truffle.
paradiso.ie
4. Monk’s Lane: Based in Timoleague, Co Cork, Monk’s Lane is planning a za’atar salmon with Jerusalem artichoke and garlic bean mash and local greens. They are also planning a dessert option of a spiced Arabic tea with chocolate Medjool date.
monkslane.ie
5. Seagull Bakery: Irish pastry icon Sarah Richards and her team at Seagull Bakery in Tramore, Co Waterford are adding a twist to seasonal Irish and Palestinian flavours with a flaky, za’atar-infused Danish filled with strawberries and sumac cream before being finished with a pomegranate molasses.
seagullbakeryshop.com
6. Ursa Minor Bakehouse: In Ballycastle, Co Antrim, the team at Ursa Minor Bakehouse are taking one of their best-selling products and specialities and presenting it with a Palestinian twist. The bake house is well known for gorgeous choux buns and for One Plate for Palestine, they are planning a special one infused with harissa spice and pistachio.
ursaminor-bakehouse.com
‘We face a choice that defines who we are: to care, or to turn away. Childhood should not be a casualty of war. Peace should not be the price of indifference. We all share the duty to act – with urgency; with determination – to bring this suffering to an end.”
This statement from the special representative of the United Nations secretary general for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba, came from last month’s report of the UN Secretary General Children and Armed Conflict.
It showed that the year 2024 had the highest incidence of grave violations against children in armed conflict since the inception of the Children and Armed Conflict Mandate, almost 30 years ago. The countries with the highest incidences of violations against children included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, Haiti, and – unsurprisingly, from within Palestine’s Gaza Strip.
As of the beginning of July, the death toll in Gaza had surpassed 57,000 and the Israeli-controlled aid distribution scheme continues to keep vital food, medicine and supplies from reaching the people within. Numerous aid workers have been killed while visiting aid sites with food, water and supplies.
Helplessness is a common feeling as these horrors unfold on our television screens or on social media streams. The small amount of aid reaching Gaza is not enough to sustain the entire population, and doctors, UN officials and aid workers say starvation is the reality Palestinian children are currently facing.
Friends and Co Cork-based restaurant owners Barbara Nealon and Beverly Mathews were feeling helpless when they met two months ago for an evening out. Both operate well-loved restaurants – Barbara, St Francis Provisions in Kinsale, and Beverly, L’Atitude 51 in Cork city – and, as food professionals, the idea of aid and food being withheld from anyone is unfathomable.
“It was an emotional moment where we felt like we couldn’t do anything,” Beverly says. “But then we started talking about how, really, the Irish hospitality industry has a very strong, unified voice.
“In the early days [of the genocide], some people might have been a bit hesitant to use their business to make a political statement. But it’s become increasingly clear, especially since the start of 2025, that this goes beyond any regular conflict. I decided to use my business to create a bit of awareness, and Barbara has been doing the same. We just said, ‘Let’s turn this feeling of hopelessness into something more positive.’”
One Plate for Palestine
From that first conversation, an idea grew to involve the entire Irish hospitality industry, spanning the island of Ireland. The pair have created a movement called One Plate for Palestine, which will see a wide number of Irish restaurants offer a special Palestinian-inspired menu item from 22-27 July.
Julia Hemingway will be participating in One Plate for Palestine with her food truck, Julia's Lobster Truck.
Proceeds from these menu items will be donated to a central fund via iDonate and will be distributed to small Irish charities and projects actively providing aid to the people of Gaza. Two such charities include Gaza go Bragh CLG and TEA Collective, who are, amazingly, currently managing to get aid into the Gaza Strip.
“This is obviously an ongoing issue when it comes to aid getting into the Gaza Strip,” Beverly says. “We’ve selected charities which are currently being successful.”
The response from Irish chefs, restauranteurs and hospitality professionals has been extremely positive so far, with each province in Ireland currently represented for participation.
Barbara and Beverly say, while registrations are ongoing, they expect more than 100 restaurants and food businesses to participate.
“From the very beginning of the idea, whoever we mentioned it to said, ‘Absolutely – we’ll get behind it,’” Beverly says, smiling. “There are a lot who have said they are planning to register, but haven’t gotten to it yet. So far, we have over 40 restaurants registered, the latest being Uno Mas in Dublin. We hope to see over 100 registered by the end of the campaign.”
It isn’t just urban restaurants taking part. From Ballyvaughan to Tramore and Timoleague, rural chefs are actively getting behind the movement (see panel for more information). The One Plate for Palestine menu items can be anything, but should have plenty of Palestinian influence. Barbara says they are excited to see what each chef comes up with.
“Paradiso [in Cork] are doing something really cute; petit fours where people could take them away at the end of their meal or as an add-on, and that is very different to the kind of dish we thought we would see on menus. Allowing chefs to be creative with their menu items is a really exciting element of this whole thing.
Sarah Richards operates Seagull Bakery in Tramore, Co Waterford.
“We are currently developing a flatbread with labneh, Palestinian olive oil, za’atar and sumac,” she adds. “We’re a seasonally-focused restaurant, so we will likely include some grilled or roasted vegetables [whichever ones we get in that week]. Just making use of beautiful Palestinian flavours, with a local focus.”
Irish Country Living hears whispers of a Dublin-based baker planning a Palestinian-inspired Victoria sponge cake, while another popular eatery – Kicky’s – will be creating a Palestinian-inspired cocktail.
“A local mixologist in Kinsale – All Apologies – is planning a gorgeous-sounding Palestinian-inspired cocktail, as well, using things like date syrup and lemon,” Barbara says.
Making your impact
For those who don’t get out to restaurants very often, there are still ways to get involved.
“We are going to be sharing recipes and resources for people at home, as well,” Beverly says. “You can bring your friends together, host a dinner party or a potluck, and make a joint donation. Even if you’re not a business, you can still register online and take part. If you are on social media, follow us, tag us and invite us to collaborate on posts so we can share and repost what you end up serving.”
Hospitality professionals are well-placed to take on a movement like this – they know that food is the ultimate connector. It is a quietly powerful way to bring people together; to show solidarity to those who are repressed and suffering.
“We’re not helpless,” Barbara says. “There’s always something you can do. It might feel like a drop in the ocean, but the results might be that you feel more able to help others around you. It helps keep the lights on for your own sense of humanity.
Participating restaurants are encouraged to create one Palestinian-inspired menu item during the campaign and donate the proceeds to the movement's chosen charities.
“When we’re constantly subjected to the horrific things happening in Gaza and in the world, it can feel easier to switch off and turn away.
“People need to feel like they have agency in their world, and building a community helps to maintain that feeling. And food is absolutely the most basic way to do that.”
“We all feel helpless sometimes, but it can be dangerous for society, too – it stops people from taking action,” Beverly adds. “Look at the people out protesting every single week – those people are keeping the lights on for all of us.
“In Gaza, they are seeing these images and videos of protests and those supporting them,” she continues. “It’s letting them know that the world hasn’t forgotten about them.”
Get involved: Follow @oneplateforpalestine on Instagram and click on the link in their bio to register. If you operate a food business, develop a menu item to run for either the full week or a few days and donate those proceeds. If you want to participate from home, host a dinner party and have each guest make a donation.
1. Julia’s Lobster Truck: You’ll find Co Clare-based chef Julia Hemingway at festivals and events all around the country with Julia’s Lobster Truck, but she is parking up this summer at The Oir House in Ballyvaughan. Her special One Plate for Palestine will be fresh grilled mackerel with Fattoush salad, sumac and tahini crème fraiche.
@juliaslobstertruck
2. House of Plates: Chef Barry Ralph has been feeding the hungry Castlebar masses for years now at Co Mayo’s House of Plates. His special menu item for One Plate for Palestine will be a classic Palestinian dessert called Knafeh, comprised of crisp, shredded pastry, labneh made from local Rockfield Dairy yogurt, apricots, dates, pistachio and their own foraged rose hips.
houseofplates.ie
3. Paradiso: Veggie-forward Cork establishment Paradiso is featuring petit fours as an add-on to their regular tasting menu at an extra cost of €5 per guest. The chef is preparing two delicate items: a rosewater baklava and a sumac and Medjool date truffle.
paradiso.ie
4. Monk’s Lane: Based in Timoleague, Co Cork, Monk’s Lane is planning a za’atar salmon with Jerusalem artichoke and garlic bean mash and local greens. They are also planning a dessert option of a spiced Arabic tea with chocolate Medjool date.
monkslane.ie
5. Seagull Bakery: Irish pastry icon Sarah Richards and her team at Seagull Bakery in Tramore, Co Waterford are adding a twist to seasonal Irish and Palestinian flavours with a flaky, za’atar-infused Danish filled with strawberries and sumac cream before being finished with a pomegranate molasses.
seagullbakeryshop.com
6. Ursa Minor Bakehouse: In Ballycastle, Co Antrim, the team at Ursa Minor Bakehouse are taking one of their best-selling products and specialities and presenting it with a Palestinian twist. The bake house is well known for gorgeous choux buns and for One Plate for Palestine, they are planning a special one infused with harissa spice and pistachio.
ursaminor-bakehouse.com
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