The Drill Hall Cafe Projects

Cafe Training has been an intrinsic part of the cafe, training and and employing young people facing additional barriers to work in hospitality and catering.We have supported over 300 people to gain practical skills, confidence and experience. We’ve worked alongside many other organisations like POLHA, Canongate Youth, Forth Sector and GOAL Training and helped young people gain formal qualifications. Many have gone on to work in top Edinburgh restaurants and hotels and a few have stayed with us and are now running the kitchen and some of our best attended events and projects.

The Drill Hall Cook School began in 2020 and was a chance for people of all ages and skill levels to get involved, and learn how to cook and bake for practical purposes, or just for fun.

Like with many things in 2020 we had to change our plans.

Just after the official launch with World Kitchen in Leith in March of that year Scotland went into lockdown and Out of the Blue temporarily closed its six buildings across Edinburgh. In April 2020 we re-opened our kitchen to begin a partnership with the SCRAN Academy to provide free healthy meals to vulnerable people and those who were self-isolating during the Covid-19 pandemic. By opening up the Drill Hall Cafe kitchen for meal preparation we enabled the extension of the SCRAN Academy’s project to the whole of Leith. By the end of August 2020 the Out of the Blue Drill Hall cafe team were a key part of a team of chefs and volunteers who delivered 115,000 meals to vulnerable people across North Edinburgh.

As well as making meals for distribution we used the time that the kitchen was closed to the public to develop our preserving skills and started to make jams, pickles and chutneys with food from Fareshare. With the help of volunteers we also started a little lockdown kitchen garden at our Meanwhile site just off Leith Walk.

Now you will find our lovely preserves on sale in the Drill Hall Arts Cafe and served with your toast or inside your slice of Victoria Sponge. So far we have diverted almost half a ton of potential food waste from the bin.

We still welcome volunteers and small community groups who would like to learn some traditional preserving techniques or who could benefit from the use of our kitchen and equipment.

The Preserves project aims to make a difference to the amount of food that perishes by using traditional methods of preserving and makes quality products for the retail market. Our aim is to develop a sustainable model for continuing the project in the long term. We aim to share that product with other charities who are working to support people in food poverty.

Here's what people had to say

Jordan

“Out of the blue is a fantastic fun and friendly environment to build up social skills, learn to cook and genuinely have fun doing it. Take chances, some things are better than you expect. It was great great to work with people with a variety of skills and all ages”

Louise

It’s an amazing place to learn new skills & its a great place for people of all ages , I have had personal experiences of training with out of the blue drill hall arts cafe that’s was brilliant as I started training here in 2014/2015 with sparks at the yard & decided to do further training with Port of Leith which resulted in me getting a job in the cafe that I absolutely love.”

Tammy

“A chance to meet new people and be in a new environment. It’s good that we have exhibitions on and all the different things going on here. The worst part of it is probably that I’ll be having to leave at the end of the six months! The rule is if you make something you have to try it – I think that’s a good thing. There’s not a lot I wouldn’t try…!"

Kerry

“I think Out of the Blue is a great place to work as there is so many different things going on and so many different creative businesses. Everyone is so friendly and willing to help in any way possible. This Placement has helped me with many things mostly my confidence in dealing with people whether it be face to face or over the phone.”

Meredith

Four months into her trainneeship at the Drill Hall Café, 18-year old Meredith landed a job as a commis chef at the Balmoral Hotel. The experience so far has made Meredith even more determined to become a chef. Alongside her traineeship, she will also be sent to college to study subjects such as food hygiene. What’s the best thing you have made so far? “The other day I had to make a macadamia pie, it was really yummy!”

Jodie

Jodie completed a 6 month café traineeship at the Drill Hall Arts Café after coming the Drill Hall as a participant in the ‘Streetlife’ project. Now Jodie is the Development Manager for the cafe and co-ordinates our most popular events including the monthly Flea Market & quarterly Markers Marque. “I first heard about the training scheme from my careers adviser and thought it would be something I’d enjoy. It has been amazing. I’m getting up in the morning all excited about coming to my work. I have never worked before and didn’t know what to expect but working in the café is a great experience.” (2009).