Scarf, the social enterprise that specialises in training up and mentoring marginalised youths with hospitality skills, is teaming up with Uncle for a series of dinners. The premise is simple: you book in, turn up, enjoy a two-course set menu prepared and served to you by people participating in the program, eat, have a great time and go home. It might feel like you're just having another night out, but you will be doing more than dining. You will be providing a group of marginalised youths with the confidence to apply their skills in a real-life hospitality environment and arming them with the experience and confidence to seek meaningful future employment.
The menu for this season has been created by Uncle's head chef, Dai Duong, and features dishes like hapuka with young coconut, chilli, betel leaves and rice crackers, a popcorn chicken bao, steamed barramundi in a black bean sauce and a pumpkin, turmeric and lemongrass curry.
Scarf is a proven program that has been running for eight years and has trained up 215 graduates, who have served 15,200 meals, received 7,260 hours of paid work experience and then gone on to find employment in venues such as the European, Super Ling, Cumulus Inc, Top Paddock and Garden State Hotel.
This year's winter dinners will be running every Tuesday from July 9 July to August 27, and bookings are essential through the website.