Add some spice to your weekly cooking repertoire at Free to Feed, a not-for-profit social enterprise founded by community worker Loretta and her husband Daniel Bolotin. The classes are run by refugees and asylum seekers, for whom Free to Feed may be their very first job in Australia, and an incredible opportunity for Melburnians to learn more about a diverse array of cultures and life experiences up close – all through the universal power of food.
Hailing from Syria and Latin America to Sri Lanka, Iraq and beyond, each instructor is passionate about teaching guests how to make authentic dishes that are dear to their hearts, such as Tamil curries, Iranian desserts and Egyptian vegetarian dishes. The teachers share stories of their experiences as refugees as they sit down to dinner with fellow cooks, making the experience not just your average cooking class. It's a unique opportunity to connect and share in the power of community. Want to learn more about Free to Feed's cooking instructors? We interviewed asylum seeker Mahshid Babzartabi from Iran about her journey to Australia and her Free to Feed story.
The organisation has delivered some pretty special dining experiences during its time, including rotating seasonal programs of dinner events at its cosy second space in Fitzroy North, a catering stint at the Aussie Open and a Sri Lankan summer pop-up feast. You can get catering, grazing boxes, event spaces and more through Free to Feed, and the Northcote space has just had a beautiful renovation.
Step in to take in the design work from Persian-Iranian artist Nina Sepahpour, who has honoured the space's many participants with nods to some of the hero ingredients used throughout the classes (saffron, rose petals, pineapples, pomegranates) and design inspiration from her own grandmother's home in Iran.
Whether it's individuals, families or colleagues and groups, participating in Free to Feed's feasts is an opportunity to connect, learn and build better cultural understanding while supporting refugees and people seeking asylum on their journey to independence.
For more information, visit the website.