NSW chefs band together for flood victims in food relief operation
Two NSW chefs have devised a plan to help flood victims in the northern rivers.
Just under a week ago chefs Pip Sumbak and Wal Foster decided to cook curry and get the food to those that were stranded by the floods.
This idea transformed into a food relief operation which came to involve almost all of Byron Bay’s hospitality sector.
Sumbak and Foster were forced to move to the Bangalow Moller Pavilion due to the scale of the operation.
Initially they hoped to raise $500 but volunteers estimate they have cooked around 60,000 meals and received $170,000 in donations as well as participation of many other businesses.
Food was delivered by jet ski, dinghy and private helicopter to people stranded on their rooftops.
Even though there is a steadily growing presence of government, emergency services and the Australian defence force in the northern rivers, there is no sign that the government will offer food relief.
“We are really exhausted, we haven’t stopped. The community has come together, and no one’s stopped,” Sumbak told the Guardian.
“We’ve had no one tell us they’re taking care of this, food wise. There’s no official government service being offered. It seems so strange.”
On Monday prime minister Scott Morrison said about 2,000 ADF personnel were now in the disaster zone, including 637 in NSW and 1,458 in Queensland.
With a plan for it to increase to 5,000 in coming days.
Irit Jackson, 8th March 2022
