Leamington cook partners with foodbank to help tackle poverty

Bianca Rodrigues Perry took a step behind the camera when she visited Coventry Foodbank’s open day on December 14, as part of preparations for a New Year episode of her Bia’s Kitchen Show filmed at the Binley site.

The presenter of Bia’s Kitchen Show on YouTube was joined by her production team along with friends and family, to pack food parcels for the 15 foodbank centres across the city.

Visitors to the open day also donated half a ton of food items.

They also had the chance to learn more about the work of the foodbank and its sister charity Feed The Hungry, as well as the various ways they can get involved.

Bianca and her team also interviewed volunteers, visitors and the Foodbank founder Canon Gavin Kibble MBE.

He said: “Coventry Foodbank and Feed the Hungry were delighted to welcome Bia’s Kitchen Show to the Halo Centre.

"Bia is a vibrant and infectiously fun Brazilian lady and we are all looking forward to developing this partnership in 2025 for the benefit of people who need our support in Coventry and Warwickshire.

“We are incredibly grateful to her for using her growing platform to help focus in on the work of the charity and the vital ongoing need for public donations and support, especially at this time of year.”

Fifteen years after settling in the UK from her native Brazil, a combined passion for cooking and entrepreneurialism became a lifeline for Bianca, who went on to win Couple’s Come Dine With Me on Channel Four.

Buoyed by her early business success running a thriving food delivery service during lockdown, it was in January this year that she stepped out of the shadows of her kitchen once more, and into the limelight. The Bia’s Kitchen brand was born.

Since then Bianca and her show, which is streamed twice monthly on YouTube, have won the affections of a loyal and growing UK audience.

Copies of a recently released cookbook dedicated to local independent food and drink businesses in south Warwickshire, are also selling well.

The featured chefs were made up of guests that appeared on her show throughout this year.

Of her Foodbank visit, she said: “Coming from a Third World country you know what hunger means and, at my lowest, I had a period of living in Rio de Janeiro with just one real in my pocket a day, so I like to think I can relate to what being hungry really means.

“We all have those small things in life that make us happy and two of them for me are food and helping other people.

"I’m proud to be able to bring those together to make this special show.

“It is absolutely amazing the work they do here, changing people’s lives, not just in Coventry but around the world.

"You don’t have to be a millionaire to change the world, you just need to do your little bit to help. A little bit can make a big difference to people who don’t have anything.”

Bianca also plans to take her film crew to a Foodbank site in Lillington.

She added: “It’s an especially pertinent time to raise awareness with many families struggling to put Christmas dinner on the table.

"We hope our support and the special episode of the show dedicated to the work of Coventry Foodbank and Feed The Hungry, can help make a difference.”