Scarf runs one or two Tasting Plate programs per year offering participants a “taste” of hospitality and the opportunity to gain paid work experience in a great Melbourne restaurant. Each Tasting Plate program provides 16 trainee positions, for young people from refugee or migrant backgrounds and young people seeking protection. 

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Upcoming Programs

Tasting Plate for Women (running with support from Melbourne Women's Fund) will take place in May 2021. Find out more here. 

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Tasting Plate is a 3-day intensive program which includes a bunch of awesome, hands-on hospitality and job readiness sessions, allowing participants to grow their knowledge, skills and networks.

This photo album from our most recent Tasting Plate (run with support from the Inner North Community Foundation) will give you a good idea of the program! 

Recent Tasting Plate programs have run at Two Birds Brewing and The Rochey, with paid work experience opportunities during 'Pop Up' Scarf Dinners at Ladro and Copper Pot Seddon.

During Tasting Plate, trainees will:

• Learn basic hospitality service skills (including how to carry three plates, take orders, follow an order of service, set tables and carry wine glasses)
• Learn bar basics (learn about different types of alcohol, how to pour wine, etc)
• Take part in hands-on espresso coffee training
• Take part in ‘customer service confidence’ training
• Complete an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificate and a Food Handler certificate (accredited training)
• Learn how to write a resume for hospitality jobs
• Practice their interview techniques with real hospitality managers
• Take part in a ‘Work Rights in Australia’ workshop
• Hear from Scarf graduates about how they found and sustained employment beyond the program
• Hear from hospitality professionals about the rewards and challenges of working in hospitality
• Engage in post-program job-seeking support from the Scarf team

Once they've completed the three days of training, Tasting Plate graduates are given the opportunity to put their new skills into practice, with paid work experience during one or two ‘Pop Up’ Scarf Dinners. This experience, and a reference, can be added to their new resumes which have been created during the program, allowing graduates to showcase recent, local work experience.

Graduates of Tasting Plate are also welcome to apply for our 10-week seasonal programs should they wish to gain further training and paid work experience with Scarf.

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Interested in applying for Tasting Plate?

Our next Tasting Plate program will run in early May with support from Melbourne Womens Fund. All the details are here. If you would like to receive information about future Tasting Plate trainee intakes, sign up here..

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Cover image: Tasting Plate '19 trainees at The Rochey. Photographer: Roger Ungers