ST Canice’s Kitchen launches weekly dinner series to feed its future

For more than three decades, St Canice’s Kitchen has quietly fed the hungry of Sydney’s inner east – one plate, one person, one day at a time.

On Saturday night, it set the table for something new.

About 40 guests sat down to a multi-course, family-style Italian feast on the parish’s redecorated courtyard. Candles dripped with wax, patio lights sparkled, and purple light drenched the exterior of the old church walls creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

It was the launch of a new weekly dinner series, with each sitting designed to raise funds and awareness for the kitchen’s daily mission of serving the city’s most vulnerable.

St Canice’s Parish Priest Fr David, who joined guests at the table, said the evening was about more than revenue.

“I’m a big believer in social enterprise as a way for communities to solve problems,” Fr David said.
“And this is a lovely example of it. You can really feel the community.”

The charitable kitchen serves between around 150 meals daily, Monday to Saturday, with 20 rotating teams drawn from its 400+ volunteers, each bringing a different menu every day.

The weekly fundraising dinners aim to build a sustainable model that funds and expands the kitchen’s reach during Australia’s deepening cost-of-living crisis.

“We want to make sure that all of our kitchen guests and everyone in between feels welcome,” Fr David continued. “It’s a mission of hospitality.”

St Canice’s Kitchen Manager and Lead Chef Vicky Bell, who clocked off to enjoy the event, said the fundraiser was essential in spreading awareness.

“People need to find out what we do, what we stand for, and our community,” Ms Bell said.

St Canice’s Kitchen Manager and Lead Chef Vicky Bell enjoys the launch of a weekly dinner series.

The PAYCE Foundation, supporting partner of St Canice’s Kitchen’s planned redevelopment into a modern community hub, backs the vision.

“This dinner series is a smart, community-led step toward a more sustainable future,” PAYCE Foundation Director Dominic Sullivan said.

“This is exactly the kind of initiative we’re proud to get behind.”

To book a seat at the next fundraising dinner, visit: https://collections.humanitix.com/march-in-the-courtyard