A social enterprise creating employment pathways through fusion-inspired global cuisine
Our social enterprise contributes to the empowerment of refugees and people seeking asylum to build lasting experiences and knowledge that enables participation in the Australian workforce.
At House of Welcome, we provide our clients with employment and training opportunities, creating pathways that support self-determination, independence and participation in the community.
Our Backstory
HW Catering is an initiative of House of Welcome – a not-for-profit organisation that has provided holistic, client-centric support to refugees and people seeking asylum for over 20 years.
Since its inception, House of Welcome has worked to create employment pathways for its clients – people who have journeyed to Australia seeking safety, self-determination and the desire to contribute to the community. Our employment program facilitates a range of services and pathways, from weekly and individualised appointments for job-seekers to short-term, paid work placements in host organisations.
Connection through food has always been part of the story. From running weekly community lunches to hosting cooking classes in schools , House of Welcome enjoys bringing people together through cuisine.
This sparked the idea for one of our most dynamic employment pathways – HW Catering. Our enterprise combines training and mentorship with paid workplace experience and a celebration of diverse cultures. Through it, trainee chefs gain the skills and confidence they need to establish new lives in Australia, while sharing traditional flavours through delicious food.
Our Purpose
HW Catering combines our two passions – social impact and inspiring flavours. Our individually tailored traineeships provide refugees and people seeking asylum with recognised qualifications, mentoring and paid employment, while our menu offers the community quality food with international flare. By choosing HW Catering for your next function, you’ll get to enjoy multicultural cuisine that fosters hope and positive change.
Our Catering Menu
Our menu celebrates the traditional flavours of our trainee chefs, taking you on a culinary adventure across the globe. Its irresistible array of food items and dishes is perfect for every occasion – from business events to private functions. No matter what type of event you’re hosting or how many guests will attend, we can create the perfect menu for you. Our dishes incorporate a variety of dietary requirements so you can feel confident all of your guests can fully enjoy your function.
Our Recipe for Change
Our recipe for change combines many ingredients, like opportunity, collaboration and community. If you’d like to support refugees and people seeking asylum on their journey to an independent life in Australia, there are several ways you can contribute, from placing an order with HW Catering to supporting a trainee chef.
“I arrived with little English when I found HW Catering. I worked in the kitchen cooking my cultural food. Now I can make so many other foods on my own. One day I will open my own catering business to share my love of food.”
— Aliyeh, Senior Client Chef
What our Customers are Saying
“We wanted to use a social enterprise for our catering and know of the wonderful work House of Welcome has been doing for a long time. We saw the lovely menu and tried out HW Catering for our first function and were absolutely blown away with the quality of the food and the very warm and efficient service by all the team. The cooks have become quite a fixture for us to be able to rely upon. Our guests always love the food!”
— Effie from Vivcourt Trading
“I’d just like to drop you a line to thank you and your team for the wonderful catering experience we had and the service you provided.
You made it so easy for me. From my very first contact with you, I found you and your team to be very helpful and in the end the food was fantastic. It arrived exactly on time and everything was nice and warm, ready to serve.”
— Steven from CatholicCare
“The food was AMAZING! Everyone who attended my event agreed. The chocolate brownies and orange cupcakes were devoured in seconds, the nibblies were so tasty, and the mezze plate was delicious. Thanks to the team, you made my day! Highly recommended.”
— Amanda from Greater Sydney Commission
What’s Cooking in the Kitchen?
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