Pop-up offering free meals helps Vietnamese community connect to Cape Bretoners

Passersby take a couple of free meal kits offered up as part of Vietnamese community pop-up initiative held on Sunday outside the Whale House bistro in Sydney. Photo by Ian Nathanson /Cape Breton PostArticle contentMore than four dozen free meals were made available to anyone in need at a downtown Sydney pop-up for a couple of hours on Sunday, all with one simple goal in mind: A thank you from the Vietnamese community.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentArticle contentBeauty spa and academy BrianBrows collaborated with the Multicultural Association of Cape Breton, Viet Yummy, Taste of Vietnam – Bánh Mì & More and the Vietnamese community offered 50 free meals to give away of a Vietnamese classic, bún thịt nướng (grilled pork with rice noodles and vegetables), along with a bottle of water.Article contentArticle content“Living here, I go around a lot and I say, ‘Oh, I see a lot of people that are truly in need of help.’ So I’m thinking I want to give something back to the community,” said Brian Ho, whose business operates on Welton Street, as well as in Halifax.Article content Volunteers and others from Sydney’s Vietnamese community take part in Sunday’s 1 Meal Help pop-up outside the Whale House in Sydney. From left, Nguyet Hoang, Joanna Huynh, Violet Nguyen, Karen Hoang, Jack Nguyen, Wendy Nguyen, Trang Dang, Vy Tran, Hung Nguyen, Thao Nguyen, Tan Phung, William Dang, Ginny Nguyen, Tracy Nguyen, Ocean Le, Jodie Vo and Brian Ho. Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POSTArticle content“I’m just thinking what I should give? Like, money, clothes or something? But it’s really difficult because if we give money, we will not have enough to give for everyone. Clothes may not fit everyone. But, if we give them some food, a meal, that might make them happy.”Article content1 MEAL HELPArticle contentThat spawned into the pop-up initiative 1 Meal Help. Joined by numerous volunteers at the Whale House in downtown Sydney, where the bún thịt nướng dishes were made, the group set out 50 meal sets at an outside table located on Falmouth Street between the Esplanade and Charlotte Street, where passersby were handed out the Vietnamese delicacy to enjoy, with no questions asked and without any barriers.Article contentArticle content“This is Vietnamese traditional food,” Ho said. “But besides that, we want to express our culture to other people, especially here in Cape Breton.”Article content A passerby checks out the 1 Meal Help pop-up on Sunday near the Whale House in Sydney. The initiative brought 50 free meals of a Vietnamese delicacy, bún thịt nướng (grilled pork with rice noodles and vegetables), along with a bottle of water, for anyone in need. Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POSTArticle contentArticle contentThao Nguyen, who has a bún thịt nướng booth set up every Saturday at the Sydney Public Market on Charlotte Street, said the event offers more than just a gathering of the Vietnamese community in Cape Breton.Article content“We have shared everything to something which is considered our specialty,” she said. “It’s our honour to help serve to the community but also to serve people who do need food.”Article contentWilliam Dang, a chef at Whale House and also at the Home at YQY bistro/community kitchen operation at McCurdy Sydney Airport, helped make the bún thịt nướng for all to enjoy.Article content Ocean Le, right, talks with a Sydney couple about the 1 Meal Help pop-up on Sunday just outside the Whale House bistro on Falmouth Street. Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POSTArticle content“For me, it’s about Vietnamese food. I love it, I truly love it,” he said. “People having my food, they also love it. And I want more people to know about it.”