Chef Hany Harb and his team of volunteers have left for Beirut to cook for survivors of a devastating blast that rocked the Lebanese capital earlier this month. 

More than 170 people were killed and 6,000 injured in the massive explosion in Beirut's port on August 4. 

With thousands of people displaced and lacking adequate shelter, the threat of widespread hunger is also looming large on the people of Beirut.

Harb, who was born in Lebanon but raised in Malta said it was his obligation to return to his homeland and be of service in whatever way he can to his fellow countrymen.

The chef, who runs the restaurant Ali Baba in Gżira, will be cooking in Beirut until August 23, the first of many planned trips he chose to make to the country in lieu of his summer holidays.

Video: 'My country is in need of me', says chef Hany Harb Chris Sant Fournier

“I am doing what I’m doing because my country is in need of me at the moment,” Harb told Times of Malta.

“I will always be obliged to the country of my birth, which is Lebanon and the country that give me my livelihood, which is Malta.”

The rest of Harb’s team, Rafel Sammut, Robert Bonello, Zack Demarco, Jean Galea Souchet and Marko Pavlovich, have been equally hard at work, gathering supplies and donations for the journey to Beirut.

Photo: Chris Sant FournierPhoto: Chris Sant Fournier

With only 30kgs of luggage each, the team of chefs stuffed every nook and cranny of their bags with dried food and supplies, slipping in scant personal belongings in between tins of beans and rice.

Team Malta will be joining Souk el Tayeb, a farmer’s market that has transformed into a community kitchen that provides daily meals for victims of the explosion.

“I called up all the chefs I knew in Lebanon and said ‘let’s get together and help’ and this is what we want to do really, be a set of helping hands where necessary,” Harb said.

“At the moment people need food and shelter. Our mission is just cooking meals with the other chefs already there, we’re aiming for around 18,000 to 20,000 meals a day.”

The aftermath of an explosion at Beirut's port, caused by a fire in a warehouse on August 4. Photo: AFPThe aftermath of an explosion at Beirut's port, caused by a fire in a warehouse on August 4. Photo: AFP

The team have also been overwhelmed by public response, and were able to collect over €45,000 in donations, which will be distributed to Lebanese NGOs Caritas, Red Cross and Farah Al Ataa, which are providing essential services to people impacted by the explosion.

“The whole team is really committed to working there,” Harb said. “We are doing what needs to be done.”

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.