Events with Refugee and Asylum Seeker Chefs

Since April 2021, we have organised 30 refugee powered events, which include markets, art exhibitions and 20 sold-out dining events with refugee chefs and asylum seeker chefs, in Sydney, Wollongong & Melbourne.

Fancy eating Syrian, Malaysian, Sri Lankan or Ethiopian food? Or want to learn how to cook these cuisines? Our chefs take home 50% of ticket sales. Get your tickets or you can buy a Pay It Forward ticket.

Contact us for team-building workshops and private events: hello@welcomemerchant.com

SRI LANKAN TAKEOVER AT BABA’S PLACE (SYD)

When: Wednesday 31st May fr 6pm-9pm
Where: Baba’s Place, 20 Sloane St, Marrickville
Booking: Highly recommended

For 1 hot night only, Chef Krish from Bavan Foods will be cooking alongside the Head Chef at Inner West Sydney star, Baba’s Place, in Marrickville. Ticket includes a drink upon arrival, a 3 course meal – curries, vegetarian cutlets + sago pudding There’ll be Tamil dancing too.

Book here

Melbourne – refugees and friends MARKET

When: Saturday 17th June, 2023 (9am-4pm)
Where: Schoolhouse Studios, 28 Victoria St, Coburg (Melbourne)
$5 entry, a portion going to FareShare

Celebrate Refugee Week with us and support talented refugee and migrant powered businesses. Join us for a day of food, fashion, art, kids’ clothing, skincare, candles, homewares and accessories. We guarantee that you’ll find the perfect gift for that special someone or for yourself. There will be freshly-cooked delicious Colombian , Palestinian and Syrian food as well.

There will also be live Iranian and Syrian music at lunchtime. Click below for more information. You can prepay your ticket or pay at the door.

prepay your Entry ticket

SYDNEY Celebrate refugee week – Dinner and dance

When: Thursday 22 June, 2023 (7pm-9pm)
Where: Civic Gallery, Level 4, PHIVE, 5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta, NSW
$60 Early Bird ticket, with a portion going to Jesuit Refugee Services

FEAST FOR GOOD! Come and join us at our Annual Refugee Week event, celebrate our love for great food and music.

You will get a 3-course dinner from talented refugee chef, Sangee’s Kitchen (Malaysian), and a welcome drink. You will also be treated to some Tamil Kuthu dancing! There’ll be great raffle prizes up for grabs too.

Thank you to Navitas Skilled Futures for supporting this event and a big thanks to the City of Parramatta for making this event a possibility.

book your tickets here

Finding Beauty Exhibition – 23/3/23

We hosted our first art exhibition in Melbourne, featuring the amazing work of Peter Lubega, Hala Sekak and Nidhal Altaie. Photos by our very own Arianna Lim.

Celebrate Uyghur Culture – 21/3/23

Guests heard from an amazing all-women panel of writers, community organisers and teachers, and enjoyed a wonderful dance performance by Dilnigar Alim. Photos by Shems Photography.

Iranian Pop-up Dinner – 14/3/23

The first Melbourne pop-up dinner for 2023 proved to be a hit thanks to stories and delicious food by Chef Mahshid Babzartabi, and moving violin performance by Sogol Moradi. Photos by Broke Stills.

Trivia fundraiser – 10/3/23

⁠We marked International Women’s Day by hosting a wildly-fun Sydney trivia to help raise funds for Afghan women.

Galentine’s Lunch – 11/2/23

It was a day full of love, light and beautiful food courtesy of Racha’s Syrian Kitchen at our annual Galentine’s Lunch.

End of Year Community Forum – 13/12/22

Our team and the merchants gathered at Canva Space for our first-ever Community Forum. A warm and insightful evening to share ideas and help plan for the year ahead.