Business leaders, it's time to step up to the plate.
To swap the boardroom for the kitchen.
OzHarvest needs your help.
With more and more people struggling to put food on the table, including families in Newcastle, the food rescue organisation is bringing its CEO CookOff to the city for the first time in October.
By working shoulder-to-shoulder with a top chef to cook, serve and eat a meal with OzHarvest clients, you'll be raising crucial funds for people facing food insecurity.
There's more of them than you may realise.
OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn AO says 3.5 million households in Australia are struggling to put food on the table. She calls it a "cost of survival" crisis rather than a "cost of living" crisis.
"A family is made up of more than two people. You multiply it out and it means 9 million Australians, minimum, at one point are needing food relief," she said.
"And the thing is, we are seeing a new demographic needing help. People who have never needed to before are now googling 'how do I get food support?'. We're talking about working families, dual income as well as single-parent families.
"There's a 36 per cent uplift in that demographic.
"We run a free supermarket in Sydney. During the week it's a different demographic, but on Saturdays families come. There's no questions asked, but the point is, we can see with our own eyes that the demographic has shifted."
OzHarvest's latest Frontline Report revealed a worrying gap between food supply and demand, with more than 350,000 people seeking food support every month and more than 74,000 others being turned away.
OzHarvest delivers food to more than 1500 charities Australia-wide.
There are 1600 charities on the OzHarvest waitlist.
Demand for food relief remains high, with 70 per cent of charities reporting an increase in those seeking support over the past 12 months.
Almost one-third (31 per cent) are households with at least one person in employment, highlighting that compounding pressures are pushing more households, including those previously considered financially secure, to seek assistance.
Seventy-four per cent of charities noted an increase in those seeking relief since March 1 due to the fuel crisis and supply chain disruptions.
"It's the worst I've seen it in my more than 22 years with OzHarvest," Ms Kahn said.
"We've delivered 3 million meals in Newcastle this year. We support 110 charities and have five OzHarvest vans in Newcastle. It's a big city and it punches way above its weight so we figured it was time to bring the CookOff to Newcastle.
"The CEO CookOff is a powerful showcase of leadership in action - encouraging the nation's business leaders to step out of their comfort zones, cook alongside world-class chefs and break bread with guests from the charities OzHarvest serves.
"This is fundraising with heart and leading with purpose. It's where business meets compassion, where networking happens over chopped onions, and where every participant leaves feeling fuller - not just from the incredible food, but from the knowledge that they've been part of something truly special."
Two Newcastle business leaders have already signed up for the CEO CookOff: WesTrac NSW/ACT chief executive Adrian Howard and Port Waratah Coal Services chief executive Hennie du Plooy.
Ms Kahn hopes to find "at least 25 more". All you have to do to be involved is consider yourself a business leader, raise $5000, and sign up online.
Chefs Colin Fassnidge, Miguel Maestre, Frank Fawkner, Joey Ingram and Sharon Winsor will each run a kitchen at the Newcastle CEO CookOff, helped by the participating business leaders.
There are no paying guests at the CookOff, just OzHarvest clients and charities.
Since its inception in 2012, the event has raised more than $16 million, enabling OzHarvest to deliver more than 32 million meals to people in need.
"It's easy for business leaders to write a cheque and then walk away. This event is about participation," Ms Kahn said.
"You don't need to know how to cook but you do get to be ordered about by a chef. You get to network and share a laugh. The most important part, though, is you get to connect with people you often walk by on the street.
"That, to me, is where purpose and leadership collide.
"You can talk all you like about being a great leader, but this is literally breaking bread. Sharing a moment. It's humbling to actually serve someone.
"One of the best stories I ever heard was from a CEO, and he said he asked a person to tell me their story, and they said 'No, you tell me yours'. It stopped him in his tracks and he had to think how to answer.
"Cooking, serving dinner, eating and engaging. Having conversations that you'd never have. The CEO CookOff is transformative for our guests, chefs and business leaders."
Studio Melt in Newcastle is about to host an open-call group exhibition celebrating one-of-a-kind contemporary jewellery.
Only Once will bring together works created outside the makers' usual collections and production pieces, and run from September 11 to 27.
"As we approach 15 years in business, we have recently expanded the cabinetry in our Newcastle CBD gallery, will welcome four new makers over the coming months, and are seeing growing online interest from customers across Australia," Studio Melt founder Angela Hailey said.
"Despite cost-of-living pressures and the challenges facing bricks-and-mortar retail, we continue to attract a loyal and expanding customer base.
"In a retail environment increasingly dominated by mass production, the appetite for jewellery that is handmade, personal and genuinely distinctive does not appear to be going anywhere."
Newcastle Greater Mutual Group employee Claire Mahady has won a national leadership award. She was presented with the 2026 Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) emerging leader award at the World Credit Union Conference in Sydney last month.
The award recognises rising leaders in the customer-owned banking sector who are contributing beyond their roles to drive positive change within their organisations and across the sector more broadly. Ms Mahady will receive a $10,000 grant to support her professional development.
Neil Hicks from Port Stephens Coaches has been named Coach and Charter Driver of the Year at the BusNSW 2026 Bus & Coach Driver of the Year Awards.
Mr Hicks was honoured for his outstanding professionalism and dedication to delivering memorable coach and charter experiences over a 23-year career. Renowned for his meticulous trip preparation, engaging commentary and exceptional customer service, judges said Mr Hicks "consistently goes above and beyond for passengers".
