Winter '26 Pop-Up Scarf Dinners at Lankan Tucker As part of our Winter '26 seasonal program, we're running three Pop-Up Scarf Dinners at Lankan Tucker in Carlton. Scarf Dinners are a great way to see our training, mentoring and work experience programs in action, while enjoying delicious food cooked by professional chefs. . .. Bookings Bookings will open on 11 June, thanks to our partnership with OpenTable. Tickets are $60 per person and include a generous set menu (entrée and main). Your ticket also directly funds award wages for Scarf trainees, and supports our restaurant partner to deliver a professional, chef-led dining experience. Together, this creates paid front-of-house work opportunities for the Winter Scarf '26 trainees. At these pop-up dinners, you can expect bold flavours, warm service and a relaxed, community-driven atmosphere that reflects the spirit of both Lankan Tucker and Scarf. To accommodate a variety of booking sizes, some guests may be seated at shared tables with fellow diners. While the seating is communal, the dining is not! Each booking will be served separately. We're running three Scarf Dinners at Lankan Tucker on: Tuesday 4 August Tuesday 11 August Tuesday 18 August . Please email us - bookings@scarfcommunity.org - if you have queries about dietary requirements, communal dining, accessibility, group bookings of 10+, or if you'd like to use a Scarf Gift Card to make your booking. . Trainees Scarf trainees are resilient young people seeking protection and those from refugee and migrant backgrounds who are facing barriers to work. Many have experienced long-term unemployment and for most trainees, Scarf is their first taste of paid employment in Australia. During Scarf Dinners, trainees are supported by mentors as they grow their skills, knowledge and experience running the front-of-house, whilst professional chefs do the cooking. A recent graduate said: Scarf gave me a genuine safe space to learn, grow and feel connected. . Spring Scarf '25 trainee Seniru serving diners during a recent pop-up Scarf Dinner. Photo: Laura May Grogan . The young people working front-of-house during these Pop-Up dinners are trainees in the Winter Scarf '26 10-week Seasonal Program. They will be paid the Restaurant Industry Award wage for their work during these events, and other work experience shifts worked at partner venues during the program. . . Restaurant Partner This season, we’re excited to partner with Lankan Tucker, who describe themselves as "A place that feeds people well, supports community, and celebrates culture with every bite. We’ve always done things differently - change makers, rule breakers, flavour first." Located in Carlton, Lankan Tucker is known for its vibrant Sri Lankan flavours, warm hospitality and playful Melbourne twist on traditional dishes. Founded by Nerissa Jayasingha and Hiran Kroon, the much-loved venue offers seriously good food with zero pretence. . Nerissa and Hiran, and some of the delicious food that's recently been on the menu at Lankan Tucker. Photos: Supplied. . Menu coming soon! Dietary requirements? Please include any allergies or dietary needs when booking. We can accommodate most requirements with advance notice. Please reach out to Nele via [email protected] to chat through your needs. . . Drinks As always, we'll have a fantastic drinks list (including non-alc options) thanks to our wonderful Scarf Partners. Expect beverages from Unico Zelo, NON, Stomping Ground, Starward, Archie Rose Distilling Co, Maidenii, Marionette, Bathtub Gin Co, and Daylesford & Hepburn Mineral Springs Co. We're also planning another extra special cocktail collaboration this season! Legendary Scarf Graduate Dis (Autumn Scarf '25) is currently co-designing the cocktail menu with Scarf's Training & Events Manager, Nele. We'll share more about this soon! . Learn about recent cocktail collaborations with graduates Kimiya and Rose. . Autumn Scarf '25 Graduate Dis now works in hospitality, and recently helped us run the bar and front-of-house during Do More Than Dine, Scarf's gala fundraising dinner. Photos: Carmen Zammit . . What to expect By attending a Scarf Dinner, you’re making a real difference to the lives of young people who have faced barriers to work. Professionals do the cooking and Scarf trainees and mentors take care of the front-of-house. Expect delicious food, a top-notch drinks list, attentive service, a fun and buzzy atmosphere and the opportunity to provide valuable feedback as the trainees build their skills and confidence. A regular diner recently told us: At Scarf Dinners, there's nothing but good vibes and respect in the room. . Find out more about Scarf Dinners & events here. If you have any specific questions that you can't find the answer to, please email us - bookings@scarfcommunity.org - and we'll do our best to get back to you soon! . Spring Scarf '25 trainee Marian gains paid work experience during a pop-up Scarf Dinner. Photo: Laura May Grogan . .