Feast at Work and Celebrate

I have a saying: “Through the sharing of food we share life and one is never lonely or hungry.”

Being able to make a connection with people, especially those we work with is very important as we usually spend more time with them than our own families. A  connection made though the sharing of a meal can open lines to better communication,  patience, tolerance and  understanding. We can learn cultural rituals and lessons that are quite often priceless and not usually found at the lunch table. For the past couple of years I, among many other food identities and Australian chefs, have been an ambassador to “A taste of Harmony.” A week-long event from the 16th  to 22nd of March,  funded by the Scanlan Foundation.

The event gives workplaces an opportunity to celebrate and create an awareness around cultural diversity through sharing of food in the work place. Celebrating with food promotes conversation, cultural acceptance, unity, and understanding. Not to forget the advantage of stepping outside our comfort zone and trying something different – which in my mind always brings an essence of humility. Our dining experiences would be quite bland without our fellow foreigners landing on our shores and bringing to the table their life, culture and history on a plate. Being able to experience the foods, food rituals, traditions and recipes from others has really shaped Australia into the culturally-rich table it is now.