#PlateForAMate 2024: Miguel Maestre joins PFAM, and cooks 500 serves of paella from his THREE metre ‘Paellatron’, to support the Black Dog Institute
Written by Hilary Chin
The 2024 #PlateForAMate campaign has kicked off in the most grand and impactful way: with Miguel Maestre joining the #PlateForAMate family!
And what a visual announcement it was: Miguel cooked – from scratch – the biggest paella in the most visually stunning three metre wide ‘Paellatron’, which is a custom-made paella pan needing to be carried in by several people, with Miguel then committing to hours of prep, frying off every ingredient and stirring in every element of this most delicious of paellas with the distinct Maestre touch, and extra elements of Spanish TLC.
Says Miguel: “I am so happy to be involved with an organisation whose purpose is to bring together businesses, brands and chefs to create a lasting difference to people’s lives. At a time when food insecurity, the cost of living, and extending the dollar as far as possible is more important than ever, it brings me joy to know I can go some way in making a difference, especially in aid of mental health, and The Black Dog Institute.”
The piping hot paella was then served up to eager attendees at the Good Food & Wine Show (GFWS) in Melbourne on Saturday June 1, who had lined up and patiently waited as the distinct Hispanic scents of the paella wafted through the halls at the GFWS.
All proceeds of the sales of the paella servings to the public went straight to #PlateForAM – and this were so successful, the $12 per bowl paella sold out completely!
The total raised added to the tally of money raised for #PlateForAM to ensure it continues to do real good was: almost $4000 – a fantastic effort, considering it took place at the GFWS at a peak time at 1pm, with a two hour serving window at the GFWS.
During the paella cook-off at 2024 Good Food & Wine Show Melbourne on June 1, Miguel was visibly moved, adding his thoughts around what #PlateForAMate means to him personally:
“It means a lot. Because with a little bit of food, we can raise awareness, and raise money for a great cause that’s quite close to my heart.
“As a chef in the hospitality industry, I’ve got a lot of friends that have lost the battle with mental health, and doing something so simple like cooking a paella, and seeing all these amazing people buying and raising money for that (lining up at the Melbourne Good Food & Wine Show), it’s almost like, you know, even a little you can do can go a very long way, so it’s special. And the paella is delicious!” says Miguel Maestre.
#PlateForAMate is a community awareness campaign now in its fifth year, raising funds for the Black Dog Institute. This year the focus is on supporting the mental health of our farmers, and people in regional areas devastated by recent natural disasters.
The initiative is also supported by a range of iconic Australian food and baking brands that are deeply rooted within regional and rural communities.
And joining the #PlateForAMate family this year as NEW much valued sponsors are:
SPC – alongside Ardmona and Goulburn Valley – based in the Goulburn Valley Region of Victoria, Australia. They have been “putting food on the tables of Australians since 1918 – whether that’s Aussie grown stone fruit, tomatoes, or other iconic Aussie snacks such as our SPC Baked Beans and Spaghetti.” SPC is committed to the important role it plays in the Australian economy and manufacturing industry. They pride themselves that 90% of their ingredients are grown right here in Australia.
Pino’s Fine Produce: Delivering “Fresh, Local, and Healthy Produce Since 1958.” Pino’s Fine Produce is a family-owned business serving the Australian community since 1958, and founded by Pino Narduzzo, who immigrated to Australia from Italy that year. Since then, the business has been passed down for three generations and continues to be a staple in the community, and they deliver produce around Australia at prices up to 30% less than supermarkets.
Humpty Doo Barramundi are the premium saltwater barramundi which is sustainably grown on their 100% Australian family owned and operated farm, between Darwin and Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, working around the clock to ensure their barramundi is delivered fresh, all year around.
Aurum Poultry is a collective of Australian poultry specialists dedicated to producing the finest locally reared chicken, cockerel, pullet, duck and game birds, who strive for poultry with a rich, deep flavour and a defined texture. Forming close relationships with a selection of small, hand-picked family farmers throughout Victoria, the Aurum Poultry Co. founders and farm team have shared their traditions and knowledge with its farming cooperative in order to grow perfect birds and create refined poultry products.
D’Orsogna is 70-year-old business success story, which began with ‘la famiglia’, with Luigi D’Orsogna arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia from Italy to seek employment opportunities during the gold rush. Today D’Orsogna has grown from humble beginnings in a one-person butcher shop in West Perth into a market leader, while still being true to the authentic Italian handcrafted traditions they use to create much loved and awarded hams, bacon, continentals, and salami products, with time-honoured recipes and innovative techniques key.
Good Food & Wine Show is Australia’s favourite destination for food and wine experiences, is a premier platform where they scour the nation to find the most delicious and exciting products available. Plus, it’s a place where you can watch top chefs and your favourite food heroes live on stage as they cook up a storm and meet the makers to sip, sample, and shop their produce, for the ultimate foodie day out.
More supporting brands are expected to be announced soon.
Produced by MGI Entertainment, #PlateForAMate will see well-known chefs and Australian icons whip up mouth-watering culinary creations together – while sharing anecdotes, insights and memories about their lives and love of food.
Through #PlateForAMate social and video content, Australians will be given an exclusive invitation into the chefs’ and icons’ private kitchens, learning how to cook an exquisite collection of nourishing recipes specifically designed to be shared with loved ones. By encouraging us all to ‘share a plate with a mate’, the campaign is reminding us of the importance of shared meals as a way of addressing mental health issues.
“Mental illness is so prevalent so it’s imperative we have continued conversations about it. For me, the relationship between food and wellness is inseparable so I am very excited to be involved in this project,” said Manu Feildel.
Importantly, #PlateForAMate will also encourage home cooks across the country to donate to the Black Dog Institute, raising funds to deliver much-needed mental health training in regional and rural communities.
Natural disasters are shining a light on the mental health crisis unfolding in regional Australia. While 20% of Australians will experience a mental illness each year,[1] 68% of Australians living in rural and remote areas have experienced depression and anxiety during the past two years.
This overrepresentation is exacerbated by 26% of these patients having to wait four to six weeks to access support[2].
This new offering by the Black Dog Institute is in response to findings that there are currently 2.5 million Australians that could benefit from low-intensity mental health services[3].
“We are so pleased that #PlateForAMate is aligning with us and has prioritised delivering mental health training in regional and rural communities through the Black Dog Institute,” says Sarah Connor, Head of Service Engagement and Operations at the Black Dog Institute. “At the Institute, we carry out research to learn how best to offer mental health support and translate that research into programs and services which can help so many people, wherever they are based in Australia. We know that preventative measures and catching signs early are key to help and that’s why we offer mental health training programs in locations where support may be limited,” says Connor.
Taking place for the third year in a row, #PlateForAMate is steadily cooking up a proven track record of giving back to the community. In 2021, it raised $160,000 to combat rising food insecurity as a result of COVID-19.
For more information: https://www.plateforamate.com
On Instagram: @platefor_amate
-ENDS-
About MGI Entertainment:
Founded in 2010, MGI is considered Asia-Pacific’s leading entertainment marketing agency, having produced campaigns with celebrities including Brad Pitt, Jessica Alba, Beyonce Knowles, Maroon 5, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Karen Mok, and Nicholas Tse.
About Black Dog Institute:
Black Dog Institute is a proudly independent not-for-profit medical research institute affiliated with UNSW Sydney. As the only medical research institute in Australia to investigate mental health across the lifespan, its aim is to create a mentally healthier world for everyone. It does this through ‘translational’ research. Integrating its research studies, education programs, digital tools and apps, clinical services, and public resources to discover new solutions, foster connections and create real-world change. Its partnerships with people with lived experience, federal, state and local governments, communities, schools, corporate Australia and others in the mental health sector enables it to drive evidence-informed change in mental health where it’s needed most.
[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2008. Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/ national-survey-mental-health-and-wellbeing- summary-results/latest-release
[2] Australian Counselling Association, Australia’s Hidden Health Crisis 2022. Available from: https://www.theaca.net.au/documents/Australian_Counselling_Association_National_Regional_Check_In_2022.pdf
[3] Productivity Commission, Mental health, Report no. 95., 2020. Canberra. Available from: https://www.pc.gov.au/ inquiries/completed/mental-health/report
); ?>&media=https://plateforamate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/image_6487327.jpg&description=#PlateForAMate 2024: Miguel Maestre joins PFAM, and cooks 500 serves of paella from his THREE metre ‘Paellatron’, to support the Black Dog Institute)
