Cooking up hope for hungry kids

Over the next four months, more than 150 hospitality and cookery students will serve up a range of tasty fundraising dish, from $11 lunches Green Fields Bar and Restaurant to $1 cookie and coffee deals and $5 soup sales, all raising funds for UNICEF Australia's vital work.

This initiative is about much more than fundraising. It’s an immersive, hands-on learning experience where students develop real-world culinary skills while gaining a deeper understanding of food’s role in health, community, and global equity.

Ben Stewart, Education Delivery Manager and chef at TAFE Queensland, sees this campaign as deeply meaningful, not just for what’s created in the kitchen, but for the awareness it stirs beyond it.

“Cooking and teaching is always impactful for me,” Ben said.

“But the UNICEF campaign allows the food we produce to start some genuine conversations and awareness of what some societies face. Having awareness pushes us toward raising the bar for a better future for all.”

Students involved in #CookForKids don’t just learn how to cook, they learn why their skills matter.

“Food is the vehicle for support, community and understanding,” he said.

“It’s the one thing we all have in common the world over.”

As the country’s first sustainable VET campus, TAFE Queensland Robina takes pride in championing community engagement and social responsibility. Students are empowered not only to master their craft, but to use it to make a difference.

Ben said students gain the kind of meaningful, transferable experience that will shape their professional journeys.

“They leave class picking up the skills and knowledge of how to engage in a meaningful cause that can be replicated in their workplaces or businesses into the future,” he said.

General Manager of TAFE Queensland Gold Coast, Karen Dickinson, said the Robina campus embodies community engagement and quality education.

“We encourage the public to visit our Robina campus and support the #CookForKids initiative. With facilities like our gym, café, restaurant, beauty salon, hairdressing services, the campus serves as a community hub that welcomes everyone,” she said.

“This initiative highlights our commitment to combining practical learning with meaningful community impact, providing students with valuable hands-on experience while contributing to a greater cause.”

By participating in this initiative, TAFE Queensland and its students are proudly supporting UNICEF Australia's vital mission to end hunger, promote health, and reduce inequality worldwide.

CEO of UNICEF Australia, Tony Stuart said they're thrilled to welcome TAFE Queensland’s Robina campus into the growing family of UNICEF Australia supporters.

"Around the world, catastrophic levels of hunger have reached record highs, and these crises are far from over. Every child, no matter what, has the right to proper nutrition. It’s not just vital for their healthy development, it’s crucial for their survival," he said.

“That’s why it’s so inspiring to see 150 students stepping up, using their cooking skills to drive change, and rallying their peers and community for a good cause. This spirit of generosity is the power behind UNICEF’s work in more than 190 countries, reaching the children and families who need it most, when they need it most.”

About UNICEF

UNICEF operates in more than 190 countries in some of the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children. UNICEF Australia works with local partners to raise children’s voices, defend their rights, and help them reach their potential at all stages of life, here and in neighbouring countries. We rely entirely on voluntary donations to provide lifesaving support; improve maternal and child health, education, and nutrition; and to respond to global emergencies.