A Beautiful Mess opens a new restaurant where 425 people can be trained
Queen Maxima opened the newest inclusive restaurant ‘A Beautiful Mess’ today. The unique restaurant is located on the ground floor of Booking.com’s headquarters in Amsterdam. Over the next five years, there will be space for 425 people with a refugee background to complete a hospitality traineeship. Additionally, there is room for 24 individuals from this group who can work in a sustainable job for at least a year. To make the new location possible, the Social Innovation Fund, Rabo Foundation, and the Apostolic Society have jointly invested €850,000.
‘A Beautiful Mess’ is an initiative by the Refugee Company Foundation, aiming to operate hospitality locations where people with a refugee background can gain practical experience through training or secure direct employment. This opportunity allows them to develop various skills and build self-confidence, ultimately making it easier for them to integrate into society.
“A Beautiful Mess’ is more than just an inclusive restaurant. It is a true impact hub located in the headquarters of one of the Netherlands’ most well-known companies and accessible to everyone. ”
Fleur Bakker, Director of Refugee Company, expressed their excitement about growing their enterprise thanks to the investments from the Social Innovation Fund, Rabo Foundation, and the Apostolic Society. ‘Opening a restaurant and event venue in such a central location in Amsterdam, with residents from asylum seeker centers, is precisely what the Netherlands needs. It’s a place where we can connect worlds’.
SIF wants to connect where possible, finance where necessary
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF) is an initiative by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment that assists employers in investing in an inclusive workplace. Under the motto ‘connecting where possible, financing where necessary,’ the SIF supports employers in finalizing the inclusive business case and attracting the right partners. Rob Peelen, program manager at the SIF, stated: ‘A Beautiful Mess’ is more than just an inclusive restaurant. It is a true impact hub located in the headquarters of one of the Netherlands’ most well-known companies and accessible to everyone. In addition to bridging worlds, ‘A Beautiful Mess’ will create more than 425 apprenticeships and 24 sustainable jobs for people with a refugee background in this unique location! I am delighted that, together with the Social Innovation Fund, Rabo Foundation, and the Apostolic Society, we can contribute to making a significant number of inclusive jobs possible.’
An exemplary case where social and corporate companies come together
‘The social enterprise Refugee Company has established an innovative concept with ‘A Beautiful Mess,’ helping refugees in the Netherlands find employment and integrate into our society. With great confidence, Rabo Foundation has provided financial support for this new restaurant. It is not only an inclusive initiative that achieves significant social impact but also a groundbreaking example of how a corporate company like Booking.com collaborates with a social enterprise. I hope to see more of these partnerships in the future, allowing social entrepreneurs to enhance their visibility and impact alongside corporations. I am incredibly proud of these entrepreneurs!’, says Nanouk Grootendorst, program manager at Rabo Foundation.