“Those who arrive under extreme circumstances generally have more capacity and more motivation to really build a second life for themselves, and take the sort of risk to start businesses and employ people and create jobs”
Huy Truong, CEO ALI Group (Australia), quoted in the Australian Financial Review 25 Nov 2016
Food, home, and belonging
For everyone, food is deeply meaningful. It evokes memories of home, family & belonging. From a treasured family meal, a precious recipe from our childhood, a myriad of sounds, smells, tastes. We all share such histories, identities & cultures.
During the COVID-19 pandemic people seeking asylum are struggling more than many. We recently held on online Q&A with Shaun Christie-David (Columbo Social), Idrissa Dumbuya (Bread & Butter Project), and Dulce Munoz (Outreach Program Coordinator at Addison Road & Mums 4 Refugees National Convenor). Watch the full conversation below and take action to support asylum seekers in our community.
Local businesses by refugees.
House of Welcome Catering
House of Welcome Catering is passionate about providing opportunities for refugees and people seeking asylum that enable their self-determination, empowerment and participation in the community.
Cafe Sunshine &
SalamaTea
Cafe by day, Restaurant by night. Fully run by refugees and asylum seekers. Specialising in Persian food.
Hamed, the owner, also offers online cooking classes in ISO:
Visit eventbrite page
Aunty’s
Ginger
Tonic
Aunty's Ginger Tonic is a handcrafted, low sugar, refreshing ginger drink. Each bottle has a story from Yarrie. The tonic originated in Sierra Leone, where ginger is celebrated.
Colombo Social
Colombo Social is a Sri Lankan restaurant dedicated to providing employment for asylum seekers and supporting their integration into Australia, whilst serving up colourful Sri Lankan cuisine.
Teba
Catering
TEBA Catering is an authentic Middle Eastern cuisine specialist based in Sydney. The delicious and fresh taste of their food will be remembered long after your event. Call today.
Parliament on King
Social enterprise catering provided by asylum seekers and refugees, in partnership with local Australians.
“Our mission is simple: to make lovely food. But in doing this we’re here to provide hope and opportunity to asylum seekers, refugees and recent arrivals to Australia.”
“100% of our profits go into helping shape the lives of people seeking asylum & refugees.
We provide training and employment pathways for refugees and people seeking asylum.
We are passionate about creating a diverse & empowered workplace”
Bavan
Foods
Krishna caters for any occasion and has regular clients that include the UoS and UTS, where he is famous for his savoury eggplant curry. Krishna cooks authentic home-style Sri Lankan food.
Shiraz Ice Cream
Mohammed Reza puts smiles on people’s faces with his freshly made Iranian inspired sweets, ice cream and juice from his shop, Shiraz Ice Cream in Merrylands.
The Social Outfit
An independently-accredited, ethical trading social enterprise that provides employment and training in the fashion industry to people from refugee and new migrant communities in clothing production, retail, design and marketing.
Taste Cultural Food Tours Inc
A charity and social enterprise providing training to Australian migrants and refugees and local youth. They offer employment leading local tours which promote cross-cultural understanding. Tours include:Taste of Migration and Tours of Auburn, Punchbowl, Liverpool etc.
Maeve O’Meara
An SBS Foodie.
Tune in to Maeve’s tours of Haberfield.
Refugee Food Festival: Sharing stories, sharing food
The Refugee Food Festival is an initiative started by the Food Sweet Good charity with the help of the UNHCR which aims to promote a better perception of refugees in their host countries and bridge the gap between cultures through food. During the festival, local restaurants opened up their kitchens to refugees now working as chefs in France, so they could share their cuisine with the country that welcomed them.
Cookbooks:
SOUFRA – Recipes from a Food Truck.
This cookbook not only shares some of the most treasured recipes that changed the lives of the Soufra women, but it also will give back to the families at the camp. The women of Soufra, through WPA, are full partners in the publication of this book. They will share equally in proceeds from its sales, which will contribute to the ongoing development of the camp’s Children’s Center and to building a school for the children in the camp.
The Kitchen without Borders:
Recipes from Refugee and Immigrant Chefs and Stories of the Journey to Make a New Home
By The Eat Offbeat Chefs
A cookbook with wide-ranging roots and a very deep heart: 80 authentic, off-the-beaten-path recipes for delicious dishes from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Eritrea, Venezuela, and other countries are shared by chefs who arrived in the US as refugees and found work at the Eat Offbeat catering kitchen.