WA business leaders and chefs unite to tackle food insecurity

Foodbank WA is turning to the corporate sector for support amid rising service demand

Western Australian business leaders are putting on their aprons and teaming up with the state’s leading chefs to help provide 300,000 meals to people in need.

Foodbank WA’s Meal Makers challenge is taking place next week at the charity’s Perth headquarters, at a time when food insecurity and service demand is rising due to COVID.

The event sees business leaders – including deputy lord mayor Sandy Anghie and Perth Business Network’s Duc Pham – sharpen up their cooking skills in Foodbank’s training kitchen, while learning a renowned guest chef’s signature dish.

Former WA Masterchef contestant and Bunn Mee owner Jenny Lam and Wildflower head chef Mathew Sartori are among the chefs taking part.

These Meal Makers will then work in the community kitchen with Foodbank WA’s chef in residence, Grant Longman, to cook and prepare 2,500 meals for distribution across the state. 

Foodbank WA acting CEO Fran Ferreira is taking part in the challenge for the first time, and said she was thrilled to test her skills against some of her business contemporaries. 

She said to help reach the charity’s goal of 300,000 meals, each participant would also be fundraising individually to raise money for 10,000 meals.  

“We are hoping for 30 Meal Makers to collectively fundraise $150,000 which is the equivalent to 300,000 meals for those in need,” Ferreira said.

“We rely on corporate and community support in addition to our food rescue efforts to ensure we have nutritious food available in our six WA distribution centres, all year round.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity has been an increasing issue for many Western Australians and without the assistance of the government stimulus support packages, these people need to source other alternatives.” 

You can find out more information about the challenge here.