Three popular restaurants have joined forces to raise funds for people affected by the war in Ukraine.

The stand-up event, featuring a variety of street foods and drinks, and which is taking place on Monday, is curated by renowned chef Rafel Sammut of Briju.

Sammut is no stranger to philanthropy, having set up the Victory Kitchen during the Covid-19 pandemic and volunteered in Lebanon after the 2020 Beirut explosion. But his latest initiative is driven by his recent visit to Ukraine.

Rafel travelled to the Kyiv region in September to volunteer with Happy Initiative, a charitable NGO with which he has been collaborating.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, Sammut said he was impressed not only by the destruction he witnessed in places like Irpin and Borodyanka, but also by the shocking stories recounted to him by some of the people he met.

The NGO is helping a particular home for the elderly and persons with special needs. Sammut plans to visit again soon and had already organised a fundraising event which is taking place in London at the end of October.

“I had asked Noni and Bahia to join me in organising a fundraiser in London because fundraising in Malta had slowed down. They showed a lot of energy and came onboard. In the meantime, I went to Ukraine and, when I saw the situation there, I realised that these people could not wait until the end of October to receive some aid. So we decided to do something urgently in Malta. If we at least collect a quarter of the funds they need through this event, we could send them that money as early as next week.”

Monday’s event will be held at the Chophouse restaurant in Sliema. A variety of street food will be provided by Sammut’s own Briju, as well as Chophouse and Noni.

There will also be free-flowing wine and gins, accompanied by music by Gorg Puse and DJ Pillu.

The price is €65 per person and all proceeds will go to charity. The event starts at 6:30pm and tickets can be purchased here.

“Some very kind-hearted people have helped us a lot and we have already collected some money, even before the event itself. This gives us a lot of courage and motivation. We are working up to 30 hours a week on this project, it involves a lot of logistics and meetings and I hope the event is a success so that we can help these people in Ukraine,” Sammut said.

“I feel there is a lot of good that can be done, locally and overseas. There are a hundred reasons why we should help people, whether its war, corruption, or hunger. At the moment, our focus is on Ukraine. We hope the war will end soon and they can start rebuilding their country, and then we will move on to helping other people.”

“Giving can be very satisfying,” Sammut continued. “So if you can help is in any way to reach out to those in need we would really appreciate it.”