Like I told the gals at Sporteluxe, this year I spent my Valentine’s Day between my office in Newtown and Sydney Pole. I did however ‘celebrate’ with a special lunch, delivered by the amazing company that is Two Good.
Two Good is one step above the traditional Aussie charity barbecues. Its story start as early as in 2010, when engineers Rob Caslick and Cathal Flaherty gave birth to Australia’s first organic soup kitchen at St Canice’s Kitchen in Kings Cross in their commitment to provide food that wasn’t sausages. Then in June 2015 Rob and Cathal scaled up the soup kitchen, coming up with a “Buy One, Give One” model set to offer meals to a local domestic violence refuge.
Two Good collaborates with celebrity chefs to deliver their yummy salads in stylish reusable jars, perfect for cocktails, packed lunches and overnight breakfast pots. They employ women from the refuges they serve, working with other social enterprises such as The Bread and Butter Project and Cana farm.
80 per cent of Two Good’s lunches are delivered on bikes by their delivery partners Deliveroo. The site almost crashes every Tuesday from 11 am, the only day of the week during which it’s possible to deliver the jars in Sydney.
At presents, the Deliveroo meals are bade by two of Australia’s most awarded chefs: Ben Shewry, Head Chef and Owner of Attica, and Mat Lindsay, from two Hatted Sydney restaurant Ester. Ben Shewry’s salad ($14) is made with chicken, kimchi, snake beans and soba noodles and it’s as tangy and fresh as it sounds. My favourite however has to be Mat Lindsay’s salad ($13), a medley of roasted cauliflower with radish, chickpeas, mint and almond sauce, just what you need to get you through the day without feeling too guilty in these hot summer days.
As Rob and Cathal say on their website: “One of the most debilitating things about domestic violence is that it strips someone of their self worth. We made a commitment to do the absolute most we could to show the women that we believe they are worthy.”
When you’re in an abusive relationship, you don’t “just leave”. Various studies show that leaving an abusive partner is actually the most dangerous time for a woman in a violent relationship (Australian Institute of Criminology, Domestic Violence Prevention Centre etc ).
Plus, sometimes you don’t want to leave: maybe you are too afraid; maybe you have children who will grow up without a father or without financial support; maybe you are just in love and leaving the man that hurts you also means running away from someone who means the world to you; maybe you don’t think you’re a victim, or don’t want to be seen as one. If we stop judging and begin educating men and women instead, as well as helping those who need it the most, something will change.
A social media post probably helps very little, so if you’re in Australia and you’re looking for something to eat for lunch, order Two Good’s jars and help your sisters out. If you’re not, give this a share because maybe someone in your country will come up with an idea as awesome as this. Over and out.
Pictures: Carolina Are, Two Good
