Introducing a new blog series by Jack Rainey, our Restaurant Manager at Everybody Eats Wellington. Jack shares stories from the front line of hospitality—real moments, real people, and the everyday power of food to connect, uplift, and nourish. It’s an honest reflection of who we are and what we do.

On Thursday 12 June, we hosted our first-ever Dine for Good in Pōneke—a special collaboration between Everybody Eats and the team at The Botanist in Lyall Bay.

Dine for Good is a unique initiative that brings hospitality venues and Everybody Eats together to celebrate talented chefs, promote rescued and surplus food, and raise vital funds to support our kaupapa. After a successful first run in Tāmaki Makaurau with Mumbaiwala, we were thrilled to bring the concept to the capital.

For our Wellington debut, The Botanist’s head chef, Ethan, created a beautiful three-course set menu using ingredients supplied by Everybody Eats—including rescued and donated kai. The menu featured delicious contributions from our friends at Angel Food, Wonderland Chocolate, and Mushroom House, and each course was paired with optional matching alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from The Botanist’s bar.

Guests were encouraged to contribute $40 per meal, and thanks to their generosity, we were able to turn those koha into dinner vouchers for local whānau. In total, we passed on 21 family meal vouchers—each feeding four—to the Wellington Citizens Advice Bureau’s Budgeting Services team, who’ll ensure they reach families in need. That’s 84 people who’ll now get to enjoy a warm, nourishing meal and a night off from cooking—all thanks to one shared night of good food and goodwill.

As always, our amazing volunteers were there on the night—supporting front-of-house, dishes, and kitchen prep. Their energy, warmth, and dedication were a big part of what made the evening so special.

We’re excited to bring Dine for Good to more communities around the motu. If you’re a venue keen to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. It’s a powerful way to cross-promote, showcase culinary creativity, and make a tangible impact.

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Lessons from the Front Line of Kindness

What stayed with me most wasn’t just the incredible plant-based kai—it was the way everyone involved showed up with open hearts. Diners, chefs, volunteers, and staff came together not out of obligation, but out of genuine generosity.

The big takeaway for me?
Kindness is amplified in collaboration

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