GIVING BACK
Wesalutethosewhoreachedouttothewider
community,spearheadedcharitableeffortsand
offered practical support for the industry at large.HARVESTBITES
Originallylaunchedduring
lockdownandcontinuingtoday,
thisswishmeal-deliveryservice
fromthealwaysaltruistic
OzHarvestseeschefsfromsome
ofSydney’sbestrestaurants
(includingNomad,Quay,Firedoor
andSpiceTemple)taketurnsat
cookingrestaurant-qualitymeals
forhomediners.Eachorderallows
OzHarvesttodeliveratleast 40
mealstopeopleinneed.“Harvest
Bitesgrewfromtheideaofnot
onlyraisingmoneytohelpsupport
thegrowingnumberofpeople
sufferingfromfoodinsecurity,but
alsotogetourchefambassadors
backinthekitchen,”explains
OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn.
THEENTREE.PINAYS
ThisMelbourne-basedcollectiveofFilipinasis the
perfectexampleofa modernfoodmovement.The
collective’smissionis toeducateAustraliansabout
thediversityofFilipinocuisinethroughfoodevents
(pre-Covid-19)andInstagramcookalongs(during
Covid-19),butit alsohasa strongsenseofsocial
justice.“Foodhasbeenourgatewaytoillicitpride
amongstourcommunity,butbeyondthatfoodletsus
exploreissueswithinourcommunitythatrununder
thesurface,”saysco-founderGraceGuinto.Thisyear,
thecollectivejoinedforceswithMigranteMelbourne
tosupportFilipinointernationalstudentsaffected
byCovid-19restrictions,bysellingcalamansitrees
(nativeFilipinocitrus)anddrummingupfinancial
supportfromlocalchefs,restaurantownersand
itsconnectedfollowers.“Foodis thereasonwhy
Entree.Pinaysexists.Sowhenfoodbecomesso
insecureforsomeone,howcanwetrulycelebrate
foodwithoutrecognisingthe hardship for others.”ATTICASOUPPROJECT
WhenAtticaownerBenShewryandfoodwriter
DaniValentlearntthattemporaryvisaholderswere
excludedfromgovernmentassistancetheysoughtto
makesoupwithserioussoul.WhenorderingAttica’s
in-homemenu,Melburnianscanchoosetoaddon
a Thai-inspiredchickenbroth– $5ofthesalegoes
towardsfeedingunemployed hospitality workers
on temporary visas.COLOMBOSOCIAL
Evenbeforethepandemic,
ColomboSocialinSydney’s
Enmorehadgoodintentionsat
heart– setupasa restaurantand
socialenterprisethatsupports
asylumseekersandrefugees
transitionintotheirnewlives.
Whenthepandemichit,the
restaurantdidwhatit doesbest:
helpothers.“WhenCovidstruck
andwewereforcedtoshutthe
restaurant,KyleWiebefrom
MissionAustraliareachedoutwith
a requestforfoodrelieffortenants
whowereleftmostatrisk,”says
co-founderPeterJones-Best.
Theteamwentontocook 2000
mealsa week,alsodistributing
themthroughadditionalcharities
includingGlebeYouthServices
andRedlinkHousinginRedfern.
Now,ColomboSocialhassent
outmorethan30,000mealsand
launcheditsownkitchentraining
schoolcalledAbilitySocial,which
offersa comprehensive20-week
trainingprogramandpaid
employment,whilecooking
mealsforthecommunity.CHATTHAICOMMUNITY
ChatThaiconnectedwithits
communitybyprovidingfree
mealstofrontlinestaff,including
police,ambulanceandfireservices,
aswellasanystaffwhowere
stooddown,andmanyothers
inneed.Allwhilepreparing
toopena newrestaurantin
Sydney’s Neutral Bay.Clockwisefromtopright:HarvestBites’chefambassadorPeterGilmoreandhisteamatQuay;
ColomboSocial’sfreemealsforthoseinneed;ColomboSocialco-ownersPeterJones-Best(left)
and Shaun Christie-David. Opposite, from top: Hope Delivery’s Neil Perry; Ho Jiak’s charity meals.GOURMET TRAVELLER 53