Gourmet chefs have used surplus food to provide a sumptuous open-air community meal at Everybody Eats in Te Komititanga.
Everybody Eats in Te Komititanga, the public square at the harbour end of Queen St, brought together the central city’s locals, visitors and its most vulnerable residents for a free shared meal, ensuring accessibility for all.
The meal was made using partly rescued food, thanks to the generosity of KiwiHarvest, reinforcing the importance of reducing food waste while providing delicious, nourishing dishes. There was seating for 100 at a time, with up to 500 expected to attend over two hours.
“The most important ingredient in any city’s culture is its community. Food has an incredible power to bring people together, and we’re excited to create a space where the community can connect over a shared meal,” Everybody Eats General Manager Amy Tew said.
“With our head chef Head chef Archana Kurup using rescued ingredients, we demonstrated how sustainability and community care go hand in hand.”
Everybody Eats, founded in 2017, is a not-for-profit, pay-what-you-can social dining concept. Its vibrant charity restaurants in Auckland and Wellington use surplus and rescued food that would otherwise go to waste and turn it into high-quality meals, served to diners from all walks of life, by volunteers.
“Our shared meal in Te Komititanga was a thought-provoking experience that created a stronger community. Inviting anyone and everyone to eat together at shared tables builds trust and local connections that create stronger, happier and healthier communities,” Tew said.
“Donations made by people eating at our restaurants enable us to fulfil our mission of reducing food waste, food insecurity and social inclusion.”
Everybody Eats has taken perfectly good food that would otherwise go to waste and uses it to provide meals with dignity, without cost being a barrier.
This shared meal was made possible with the support of Auckland Council Whānau and the city centre targeted rate, and is brought to life by Everybody Eats, Kiwi Harvest and Interesting Things.
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