Castlemaine’s Community Lunch has provided nourishment and companionship to the community for more than 25 years.
Local chef Duang Tengtrirat, who has been responsible for coordinating the lunches for the past two years, is now passing on the coordinator’s baton.
Castlemaine Community House community development manager, Kez Jennings, said while it had only been two years, it had been an impactful two years because of the way Duang gathered the community around her.
“It’s really significant how she has connected the volunteers and put so much heart into the food and connection and everything she does,” Kez said.
Duang told the Express that being the CCH Community Lunch coordinator had been the most satisfying job she had ever had.
“I work with the love and generosity of the people who give the food, the people who help make the food, and the people who come and eat,” she said.
“Everyone has a common community-loving spirit that we share. Castlemaine is an amazing place, there’s no better place to do that than here.”
The ingredients for the lunch are supplied by Castlemaine Harvest and the Food Garden, but if Duang puts a call out for lemons, a barrel will be donated by someone in the community.
“If I need a bucket of mint, five buckets of mint arrive,” she said.
“I started with about 10 volunteers, and now there are close to 20. We are all foodies, we just love being together, and the energy in the kitchen is just palpable and fun. It’s a great place to be.”
