Update 15/04/2024: This event has now sold out. Please support the Do More Than Dine fundraising campaign by making a tax-deductible donation or purchasing a raffle ticket.

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Scarf is excited to announce the return of its fundraising gala dinner with generous support from The Mulberry Group. Do More Than Dine '24 will run on Thursday 18th April at Square One Rialto promising an evening of culinary excellence, tangible social impact, and unforgettable experiences.

The event will be co-hosted by renowned food writer Dani Valent and esteemed chef, author, and social entrepreneur Hamed Allahyari, who became firm friends while co-writing Salamati, one of 2022’s most anticipated cookbooks referred to as a “gateway to Persian culinary culture”.

The fundraising dinner is comprises five meticulously curated courses paired with top-notch beverages. Guest chefs include Thi Le, celebrated for her ground-breaking cooking at Anchovy, Jeow, and Ca Com, who will be taking care of the canapé course. Diners can expect betel leaf with fragrant chicken and cashew, Gỏi Cuốn (fresh rice paper rolls) with pork and herb, and fried tempe Miang Kham with coconut relish.

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"I'm excited to be cooking at Scarf’s gala fundraising dinner, and look forward to showcasing the ethos of Southern Vietnamese and Laotian cooking - freshness, simplicity and generosity. I became a Scarf Ambassador three years ago because I think it’s key to nurture and support talent and promote why the hospitality industry can be so rewarding, especially for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds," says Thi, who was awarded both Gourmet Traveller Chef of the Year and Melbourne Food and Wine's Trailblazer in 2023.

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Celebrated chef Thi Le; and Matt Preston with Scarf graduates the last time we ran our gala fundraising dinner - Do More Than Dine '19. 

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Jordan Clay, the creative force behind Pipis Kiosk, will showcase his inventive seafood mastery in the first course. For the second course, Kyle Nicol from Lilac Wine is set to bring his generous flavours and French bistro-inspired fare. The menu will include plenty of beautiful seasonal produce from Common Ground Project, The Mulberry Group's regenerative farm and social enterprise, located in Freshwater Creek. With esteemed establishments Tarts Anon and Maker & Monger providing the final two courses, guests can be sure that the dessert and cheese offerings will be of the highest quality. 

There will be memorable drink pairings across all courses, thanks to beverage partners Bibendum Wine Co, Noisy Ritual, Unico Zelo, NON, Starward, Stomping Ground Brewing Co, Grada, Home Grown Drinks and Bathtub Gin Co. Long-time Scarf supporter Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co will ensure the mineral water is flowing! 

Adding to the ambiance, Scarf graduates will deliver food and beverage service, showcasing the skills, networks, and confidence they have developed through our programs. Some graduates will even bravely take to the microphone to talk about their experience on the program and what they’ve done since graduating. One recent graduate who’ll be working at the event is now employed at Stomping Ground Brewery & Beer Hall in Collingwood, and Capitano in Carlton. 

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"We are thrilled to bring back 'Do More Than Dine,' which ran annually from 2016 - 2019, before a pandemic-related hiatus. This is a super important event in the Scarf calendar, raising vital funds to support our programs which empower graduates to secure employment and build fulfilling careers in the hospitality industry and beyond,” says Hannah Brennan, CEO & co-founder at Scarf. 

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The event will culminate in a ‘Money Can’t Buy’ live auction called by Scarf Ambassador Matt Preston and Gowan Stubbings (Kay & Burton). The auction will feature high-end, unique experiences and items, including a progressive dining experience at Apollo Inn and Gimlet, a rare, vintage wine collection, cooking classes with Coskun Uysal (Tulum) and Sean Kierce (Ladro), and artwork from Ethiopian-Norwegian artist Olana Janfa. 

Perhaps the most enticing prize is an “investment barrel” of single-malt, single-cask whisky being donated by long-time Scarf supporters Wayne Bourke and Sue Hiscock. The winning bidder will actively participate in crafting their own whisky at Bathtub Gin Co, a small batch distillery located in Williamstown. From naming the whisky to pouring it into the barrel, beginning tastings (in 2+ years) to bottling and labeling the final product, the winner will be intimately engaged in this unique process which should result in production of 150 bottles which can be personal keepsakes, thoughtful gifts, or potential sales. 

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Tickets for this intimate event (90 seats in total) are in high demand and close to selling out. Guests are encouraged to secure their tickets promptly to avoid missing out.

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Find out more: www.domorethandine.org