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Most of us spend more time thinking about what comes out of our mouth than what goes into it. Yet for millions around the world each meal connects them to their culture, their traditions and their spirituality.
Presented by radio national・s Alan Saunders, ：Eating Together； is a dinner where Australia・s religious leaders discuss humanity, truth and food. Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Buddhist leaders will discuss their religion・s traditions and relationships with food, and attendees will join together in that universally symbolic act for all humans, the sharing of a meal.
Four religious leaders will speak as the course relating to their faith is served and eaten. The leaders include the Indonesian Muslim Scholar Imam Amin Hady and Peta Pellach from the Shalom Institute. Amin is a member of the Prime Minister's Muslim Reference Group and is is actively involved in interfaith dialogue. Peta is the Adult Education Director of The Shalom Institute. She has been involved in inter-faith dialogue for the past decade. Alan Saunders is the presenter of ABC radio national・s The Philosophers Zone, and was awarded the Pascall Prize for critical writing and broadcasting in 1992. Alan has written about food and other topics for various publications including the ABC's Delicious magazine.
"Eating Together" is an idea Miccal Cummins and Simon Anderson from the Sydney catering company Gastronomy have had for some time, evolving as a natural progression from the company's daily lunch. Every day the chefs cook and then all sit down to eat together; Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and of course whoever else is working! Gastronomy's philosophy is that all are fed and all dietary needs are catered for; a kind of gastronomic equal opportunity one could say.
The menu for the night will include cuisines chosen from the cultures and traditions of the speakers. Of course the two major dietary rulings we will need to observe across the board involve meat (no pork for Jews and Muslims) and no alcohol (banned by Islam). All meat will be halal, and vegetarian and kosher options will be provided.
This will be held at the Leighton Hall, Scientia, UNSW, As this is a non profit event, any profits from the night will be donated to the Children・s Cancer Institute Australia.
Tickets will be $110 for a stunning 4-course meal with non-alcoholic beverages. People can book tickets via emailing Gastronomy at simon@gastronomy.com.au or calling 0433 881 212. This event has the support of the UNSW. The date this event is to be held is the 21st of July.
It is hoped this will become a yearly event as Australians of all persuasions come together to celebrate our diversity and our shared humanity.
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