How international students in Perth can get chef-prepped meals

During hard times, a tasty meal goes a long way. Whether it’s beetroot and orange salad with chickpeas or spinach and pumpkin lasagne, international students in Perth facing hardship due to COVID-19 can look forward to these and more prepped by budding chefs taking part in the International Student Meals Programme by StudyPerth.

Western Australia Food Ambassador Don Hancey and Chef Sophie Budd have joined forces with StudyPerth to run this programme that also supports local producers, farmers, and fishermen — where all the fresh produce for the meals come from.

Every week, international student chefs prepare 250 meals at The Kitchens in Balcatta under the watchful eyes and guidance of chefs Hancey and Bud, then delivered to student collection points.

Here’s how to receive one of these meals:

• Register for a free meal here
• Receive confirmation of your meal request and the address for collection
• International students can collect their meals from four designated collection points on Tuesdays between 10.30am – 3.30pm

During the worst of the crisis in Australia, the educational initiative implemented a Crisis Relief programme to help international students in need of emergency food and shelter in Perth.

This is their second programme to aid international students affected by the pandemic in Western Australia.

A boathouse on the Swan River sits in water in the Perth suburb of Crawley on May 25, 2020, after the area was lashed by gale force winds and a tidal surge from the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Mangga.
Source: Trevor Collens / AFP

Those studying cookery in Western Australia will also get the opportunity to train and cook with Chef Sophie Budd while helping provide tasty and healthy meals for international students in need.

When lockdowns first began, international students were stranded in Perth where many lost their part-time income.

Perth, Western Australia attracts a large number of international students every year. At the end of 2019, over 50,000 international students enrolled in universities in the state.

As international students were left out of federal emergency funding, state governments took it upon themselves to offer housing relief and hardship funds.

International cookery students are hard at work every Monday in June to cook free meals for the wider international student community!

Be sure to sign up to receive a meal if you haven’t already: https://t.co/90NZrssMMF pic.twitter.com/LP79e98ynT

— Study Perth (@StudyPerth) June 13, 2020

Angela Beechey, senior manager at StudyPerth, told The PIE News that the programmer doesn’t only support students, but also showcases Perth as a first-choice destination for studying commercial cookery.

“If we value and support our international students when they are most in need, we can ensure that the international education sector in WA remains strong and can drive prosperity and jobs growth, as restrictions are lifted and the global economy begins to recover.”

“International students have an important contribution to make in the hospitality sector: a recent StudyPerth survey suggests that most students are not looking for a handout, but seek assistance in finding paid employment.”

Each week, the recipes for the meals from the programme are added to the website so that international students can recreate them at home.