More than a decade before Ashish Sood opened up his own restaurant, he spent time living on the streets.

It was 2007 when he arrived in Brisbane on a student visa and with nowhere to go.

It was only for two weeks, but he's never forgotten how it feels to sleep rough in a park.

He had come to Australia to study hospitality and commercial cooking. He had a dream of one day owning his own restaurant.

And when he did, knowing what it was like to sleep rough, he wanted to do his part and feed the homeless.

Now, more than 10 years on, he has realised his dream, and made good on his promise to help those less fortunate.

Ashish Sood realised his dream of owning his own restaurant in 2017. ( ABC News: Patrick Williams )

Seven days a week, at closing, staff at Ginger and Garlic on Adelaide Street in the Brisbane CBD divvy up any remaining curries, samosa, naan bread, and pappadams and give them away to those without a roof over their head.

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"We've got so many people homeless, I have eight to nine people I see regularly. I want more, if there are more homeless people I'm happy to feed them, all of them," Mr Sood said.

The 33-year-old said he had been providing free food for the homeless for the past five months.

He knows all his regulars by name. They are mostly men, and some women with children.

"Whatever they want to eat, I'm happy to give away whatever they want to eat," Mr Sood said.

"It's already food ready in the bain-maire and whatever is left over, I feel bad putting food in the bin, so it's good people are eating it."

Mr Sood said paying customers were encouraging him in his endeavours.

"People are so happy. They've giving me thumbs up … they're helping me to keep doing more. I'm really happy about it.

"I'm doing my best, that's all I can do for the homeless people.

"That makes me feel proud."

Any food left over at the end of the day is given away to those who are homeless. ( ABC News: Patrick Williams )

Homeless people 'miss out on social connections'

Drop-in centre 3rd Space Brisbane CEO Sara Harrup said perhaps even more importantly than the food, the social connection Mr Sood provided was invaluable.

"The food is a great way of supporting people, it's also a wonderful way to build relationships with people," Ms Harrup said.

"Particularly homeless in society, it's very stigmatised, people feel very uncomfortable about it and about homeless people. So bridging that gap and connecting the community is a great thing."

About 1,700 people homeless in the inner-city of Brisbane on any given night. ( ABC News: Giulio Saggin )

Ms Harrup said there were unfair assumptions made about the homeless.

"People assume they're all drug addicts or criminals or that somehow they deserve it," she said.

"So they're very socially isolated and excluded. Having even the smallest gesture, having a conversation with them, it's a wonderful thing."

Ms Harrup said on any given night in the inner-city regions there are about 1,700 people homeless.

"That's not meaning just people sleeping rough, the definition of homelessness is people who are couch surfing, in insecure tenure, staying in boarding houses or sleeping on friend's couches … but that's quite an alarming figure."

Earlier this year it was revealed the number of homeless people in Australia jumped by more than 14,000 — or 14 per cent — in the five years to 2016.