- [Lidia] Firas started No Res Gourmet in his kitchen in 2019.

(gentle music) - I got this idea one day that I am gonna cook for people that are experiencing homelessness in my neighborhood, but I wanted to make something that's a little better than your standard donated food.

Wanted something gourmet, and I went out and handed them out to people in my neighborhood.

People were shocked that somebody took the time to make this food for them individually, and it just inspired me that this needs to be a thing.

(gentle music) - [Lidia] He asked others to join him, and No Res grew quickly.

- [Firas] One meal to one person that really needs it, that really appreciates it, you feel that.

More and more people kept showing up, more and more meals made, more and more people served.

- Hi, good to see you guys again.

Welcome, welcome.

I see you're on kitchen duty, so go ahead and grab an apron and then come out and get a name tag.

- [Lidia] Months after the fires, No Res Gourmet is still providing meals for their neighbors.

- We're doing a really exciting meal planning and delivery today for folks who have been impacted by the fires.

If people are displaced for the next 18 months, that was the estimate from the Army Corps of Engineers, like, we're gonna be here for the next 18 months providing food.

Let's do it.

- We're gonna start it off with give me a bottom layer of oil on each pan, Mike.

- Okay.

- And then Lidia, I'm gonna be giving you the onions.

- [Lidia] I joined them at a recent pop-up cooking event.

- Coming in.

We go with the 80/20 because we want that extra fat for the flavor.

- We're making a 175 five-course meals.

Let's get every little bit here.

Mm, nice smell.

When I entered the kitchen, it was almost like a little beehive.

(energetic music) Positive feeling, positive thinking, positive cooking, teamwork, music.

I had fun.

Yeah, I think so.

- All right.

- I want to hear some good music.

Get some Italian in there in my honor, okay?

- In my honor as well.

- We like to have some music playing and it just so happens that I know some pretty well known and good DJs.

- I asked them for some Italian music.

How's that?

- Well, they're not that good of DJs.

(group laughs) When you're cooking, if there's joy in the process, celebration, and dancing, and everybody's having fun, that translates into the food.

You can taste it, you can feel it.

There's joy coming from here.

- You have a great smile.

(both laughing) - Community is that sense of being part of something greater.

Every person who walked in here felt like they were contributing, that they're a part of a team.

- When you serve others, you get that feeling of, oh, I'm needed, I matter, I count and that, you know, fills people with happiness.