THE first One Dish Restaurant on the Border has been judged a success.
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A collaboration between UnitingCare Wodonga and Wodonga TAFE, the socially responsible restaurant served its maximum capacity of 30 people on Friday.
One Dish Restaurant has no fixed meal price and so diners pay what they can afford.
Volunteer chef Shane Archer said the feedback on Friday had been overwhelmingly positive.
He said Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning students from Wodonga TAFE helped him prep the meal ahead of the lunch sitting.
“The meal was made from scratch right down to the Napoli sauce,” Archer said.
UnitingCare Wodonga emergency relief coordinator Catherine Byrne said the lunch booked out in just two days.
She said the socially responsible restaurant concept had appealed to many people.
“We had one couple book who don’t normally get a chance to eat out for lunch,” Ms Byrne said.
“They would not be able to do it otherwise.”
Ms Byrne said the One Dish Restaurant would operate three times during the first school term and once during the second term.
“It would be great to find some funding to make it a more permanent thing,” she said.
Ms Byrne said UnitingCare Wodonga had an ongoing relationship with Wodonga TAFE.
She said students had made 200 meals for emergency relief, which were handed out at UnitingCare last week.
“They also did a big cook-up for us before Christmas,” she said.
“We had TAFE students working in the op shop gaining retail experience as well as those in the kitchen gaining hospitality experience, cooking and meet and greet.
“If they’re going to be a chef they’re getting good exposure here.”
North East Local Learning and Employment Network executive officer Bev Hoffmann said the restaurant concept was a great example of valuable workplace experience.
“We’re very excited to see this latest project,” she said.
The next One Dish Restaurant will operate on March 10 at UnitingCare Wodonga, 177 Beechworth Road, from noon until 1.30pm.
Bookings are essential to Catherine Byrne on (02) 6024 2108 or email catherine.b@wodonga.unitingcare.org.au.