Award-winning chef Marianna Leivaditaki explains why she loves working at shared manufacturing workspace Bloqs

Hailing from Crete and known for her Greek cuisine, Marianna Leivaditaki has previously written a cookbook, Agean (credit Claudia Agati) — Marianna Leivaditaki has previously written a Greek cookbook, *Agean* (credit Claudia Agati)

I remember the day I first met the founders of Bloqs years ago – they were wholeheartedly devoted to their mission to create an open-access workspace.

They wanted something that I thought was fascinating and exciting, as well as inclusive and thoughtful. They had a vision and they were doing everything to achieve it.

Going forward about ten years, they approached me to help them set up their café in their incredible new space. They found me at a point where I had decided to step away from the life of head chef at the busy Morito restaurant in Hackney; I had recently become a mama, I had published my first cookbook and was looking for new adventures.

I took Bloqs up on their offer and joined one of the most amazing teams I have ever worked with. My passion and love for good food is what guides every project I embark on and even though this was far from running a busy restaurant kitchen, my core values and goals are the same.

My background in Greek and Eastern Mediterranean food inspires me to create dishes in a space that feels homely, fun and approachable.

A bit more than a year since opening, Bloqs Kitchen has developed and become a space open to all. We are a small team of five and everyone has something great and refreshing to bring to the table. Our days are busy, creative and full of good encounters.

We start each day baking homemade bread, while making an enormous amount of tea and coffee to fuel productivity! Our mission is to offer food that is delicious, made using fresh ingredients, season-focused and is sold at affordable prices. Our suppliers are small businesses with good products and ethically-sound practices. We want to make sure that everyone using Bloqs as their workspace has access to food that is nutritious and evocative, while the passers-by that come through our door leave with a satisfied smile.

People are at the centre of Bloqs kitchen. We love meeting all the makers, we love greeting the cyclists that come to recharge, we love the families that come with their kids for a lunch, and we love our regulars that come from further away for a friendly chat. There’s banter and gossip, there’s moaning and laughing and there’s lots of brainstorming; All things we need to make Bloqs kitchen feel like a family.

We also open every Thursday evening for food and some fun, be it board games, karaoke or quiz nights. We host workshops, special gatherings, pop-ups, talks, music events, exhibitions – even weddings!

We would love to become a destination for locals and would love to hear your ideas. We are open to trying new things and want to continue growing into something really inspirational.

Bloqs is based in Anthony Way, beside the River Lea. For more information:
Visit buildingbloqs.com

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