Community lunches back on the menu

THE main hall at the Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre is buzzing with a quietly contained chaos.

Kitchenhands and staff rush about the centre, while patrons sit at tables placed about the large room in anticipation of a two-course meal that cost less than most restaurants.

This is a regular occurrence for Our Kitchen Social Enterprise, who held their first community lunch of the year last week in acknowledgement of International Women’s Day.

With a guest speaker, decorations to mark the occasion, and much of the kitchen staff absent, Neighbourhood Centre community development manager Donna Tucker said the disorder is nothing new.

“We’re in one of those industries where whatever’s broken or on fire at the time, whoever’s closest just attends to it and we all work it out,” she said.

“And we thought we might ease ourselves in to start with, but our chef doesn’t really do things by halves. Our light luncheon has turned into a bit of a buffet.”

Initially formed as a catering business in 2017, the enterprise holds regular community lunches, with volunteer kitchenhands many of which are hired through Jobs Victoria Work and Learning Centre Ballarat.

Under the tutelage of chef David Bending, the lunches provide training for the kitchen staff, giving them hands on industry experience.

One trainee kitchenhand, Blake Fallen, has been a staff member since April, and said that despite the stresses commonly associated with kitchen work, Bending is nothing but supportive.

“David’s definitely a lot better than most chefs I’ve heard of, because some just yell at you nonstop,” he said.

“He’s a lot more patient, and he always tries to make everything less stressful for when we do our community lunches.

“The whole thing has helped me get out of the house and be social, and I love when people come up and they tell us how great our food is and how grateful they are.

“It’s just been a very rewarding experience overall, and most of the people that volunteer here end up getting jobs.”

With the enterprise’s return for 2022, Ms Tucker said the team is undergoing “a rebuild phase,” and that they are committed to delivering 24,000 learning hours to their trainees this year.

The lunches normally serve about 50 people, and vegetarian and dietary options are made available regardless of the day’s menu.

Much of the food is provided by food rescue organisation SecondBite or grown from the community vegetable garden.

Local resident Cecilia Edwards has been attending the lunches for four years, and said it provides the perfect space to socialise while supporting the community.

“Most of us elderly customers are alone, so to be able to come down and see each other and give back to this place like it gives to us, it can’t be better,” she said.

“There’s always such a variety, and the food is so yummy. I probably won’t even eat dinner after this.”

The community luncheons are normally held from 12pm on the second, third and fourth Friday of the month at the Ballarat South Community Hub, 11 Tuppen Drive, Sebastopol.

A meal typically cost $10 for two courses.