Harmonize was founded by Romain Malan, a classical cellist and founder of the World Harmony Orchestra who organised free socially-distanced concerts to thousands of isolated people during lockdown.
After seeing the healing effects that music can have on people, Romain decided to set up a permanent space for regular live events, community events, and music lessons. Harmonize also serves a fully vegan menu with sliding scale pricing and free food and hot drinks for refugees and homeless people.
Healthy home-cooked vegan food tackling the cost of living crisis
Romain opened Harmonize in response to the ‘disharmony in society’, with gentrification and the cost of living crisis making nice environments increasingly inaccessible. Romain’s solution was a pay what you can model that makes healthy, good food accessible to all.
Harmonize’s menu is fully vegan as a healthy alternative to the meat-heavy, ultra-processed diet prolific today. The sliding scale pricing at Harmonize makes a balanced and ethical diet a more affordable option than fast food, with hearty curries, soups, and dahls by chefs Harj Ram and Anneth Fenton priced at £8, £4, £2, or free for people in need.
Their socially-conscious drink selection includes coffee that empowers women and organic beers and sulphite-free wines.
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Community music nights for togetherness and joy
Romain’s mission to heal communities and bring happiness to people through music was inspired by his personal experience of seeing music comfort his ill mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s, and his charity work with the World Harmony Orchestra, playing for people in healthcare settings and in isolation. He saw the therapeutic and healing benefits of music which inspired him to create Harmonize as an inclusive environment for people to experience this.
Regular live music events at Harmonize showcase local talent including multi-genre acts and open mics hosted by Marianna Zappi. Romain has seen firsthand the power of music as a medium for connection, breaking social and financial barriers between people. At the lively music nights, musicians are encouraged to share stories and use their art to foster harmony in the cafe, connecting people and creating collective moments of joy.
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Harmonize is run by Romain and a small team of staff: Promise, Gökçe, Ramin and volunteers Elly, Paul, Maia, Fiona, Mohammad, and Macelino.
Harmonize Cafe is located at 214 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7HU, open everyday from 9am to 9pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
