We believe in the power of food for positive change
Founded on friendship and grounded in community, at Dinner Ladies we know that people and food are magic. When they meet, the potential is extraordinary. So we seize the possibility in every plate and every person, growing opportunities through food and transforming the energy of the celebration into a legacy that keeps on building. Nothing is wasted: indulgence becomes impact. Produce becomes purpose. And individuals become a passionate movement.
Where brilliant women meet bold flavours
Dinner Ladies was forged from friendship and cultivated in Asia. Our co-founders, Lily Cai and Emily Plunket, met at university before living in China, where they threw themselves into its culture and cooking, developing a taste for both.
Today, we still believe in the power of brilliant women and bold flavours, and they run through everything we do – from our playfully punchy, Asian-inspired menus, to our fierce championing of emerging female talent.
People are drawn to our table as a nurturing space to share their stories and their skills. And we couldn’t be prouder of what our family continues to achieve, both at home and in the wider culinary world.
Our mission to do more
To build a brave new era of food for positive change, we need to do more than just be sustainable: we need to get creative. Everyone who sits at our table has a part to play, and food is just the start.
We gather the ingredients
The absolute essentials: sustainable, locally sourced produce, planet-friendly menus, and a lighter footprint.
We work with each of our suppliers to get to know their story – not only so we can get incredible ingredients, but so we can make the most of everything they provide. We offer vegan and vegetarian menus and reusable packaging, and use a zero-emissions electric van.
We want to create spaces to delight, challenge and change perceptions through food.
We set the table
Then we go a little further, improvising, innovating and using our creativity to amplify our narrative of food for positive change.
Our Wasted Supper Club, where we ask people to bring their leftovers for us to transform into a live feast, isn’t just a grand spectacle: it’s a revelation and an education on how to be more inventive with food waste at home. Our Sharing Plates initiative gives those who work with us the option to make their meal go further.
We spark the conversation
Our long-held ambition is to open a Dinner Ladies Academy, so we can educate chefs, change-makers and the wider community and dream up bold new possibilities together.
OUR SUPPLIERS
