Food For Thought has confirmed three dinners in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to be held in November.
The evenings aim to encourage conversation and raise awareness of mental health in the industry, and will be dedicated to Nitai Gordon, a junior at Bennelong, and Jeremy Strode.
“In hospitality we witness the effects long hours, high-pressure work environments and an entrenched ‘just deal with it’ attitude can have, making those suffering from anxiety and depression fearful of speaking out,” says founder and chef Mal Meiers.
“These dinners were sparked by my own experience, having personally faced this. My hope is to help broaden the awareness of the support that’s available — to not only my peers, but to the wider community, for all those who suffer in silence.”
The events will raise funds for Beyond Blue and R U OK?, with 100 percent of the profits donated to the charities.
Each 50-seat dinner will feature a different team of up-and-coming chefs who will create dishes that reflect their own style. Tickets are $150 for a seven-course set menu with matching beverages for Sydney and Melbourne, and tickets for Brisbane are $125 for a six-course set menu with matching beverages.
Melbourne: 13 November 2017
IDES, Collingwood
Mal Meiers (Founder Food for Thought & Food + Wine pop up); Peter Gunn (IDES/San Pellegrino Asia Pacific Young Chef 2015); Harry Mangat (Biji Dining/Doot Doot Doot); Stevie Nairn (ESP, Estelle Scott Pickett); Ross Magnaye (Rice Paper Scissors/Rice Paper Sister); Florian Ribul (ex-HOST) and Danny Rahilly (Saint Crispin).
Sydney: Monday 20 November
Four Fourteen, Surry Hills
Mal Meiers (Founder Food for Thought & Food + Wine pop up); Aaron Ward (ex-Sixpenny/Electrolux Australian Young Chef 2016); Troy Crisante (Firedoor/Electrolux Australian Young Chef Runner-Up 2016); Shui Ishizaka (Bennelong/Electrolux Australian Young Chef of the Year 2017); Matthew Bugeja (The Dolphin/Josephine Pignolet Award nominee 2017/Electrolux Australian Young Chef of the Year finalist 2017); Alanna Sapwell (Saint Peter/Electrolux Australian Young Chef National Finalist/Timeout Hot Talent Award) and Paul Farag (Monopole).
Brisbane: Monday 27 November
Smoked Garage Events, Fortitude Valley
Mal Meiers (Founder Food for Thought & Food + Wine pop up); Nick Blake (Wild Forage Australia/Noma Australia); Troy Crisante (Firedoor/Electrolux Australian Young Chef Runner-Up 2016); Shayne Mansfield (Ecco/Electrolux Australian Young Chef Finalist 2016) and Joshua Gregory (Hunter Dining/San Pellegrino Asia Pacific Finalist 2017).