There may be no better example of cooking for a cause than the #CookForSyria initiative. Having raised more than $AUD1 million to date, the UNICEF-led campaign aims to bring together some of the world’s best chefs in an effort to raise much-needed funds for children in Syria. The month-long initiative will hit Australia this June, culminating with a special dinner held at Three Blue Ducks Rosebery and hosted by UNICEF Australia Ambassador Adam Liaw.

A group of 20 of Australia’s brightest cooking stars will be manning the kitchen, collaborating on a Syrian-inspired feast. Chefs involved include Kylie Kwong (Billy Kwong), Carol & Sharon Salloum (Almond Bar), Jordan Toft (Bert’s), Mark LaBrooy and Andy Allen (Three Blue Ducks), Luke Powell (LPs Quality Meats), Palisa Anderson (Chat Thai), Josh and Julie Niland (Saint Peter), Matt Stone and Jo Barrett (Oakridge Wines, VIC), Duncan Welgemoed and Imogen Czulowski (Africola, SA), Paul Carmichael (Momofuku Seiōbo), Lennox Hastie (Firedoor), James Viles (Biota), Monty Koludrovic (Icebergs and The Dolphin Dining Room), Jacqui Challinor (NOMAD), Andy Bowdy (Saga) and Gregory Llewellyn (Hartsyard).

The event will see a smorgasbord of Middle Eastern-inspired dishes served in a family-style feast for guests on the night. The chefs will put a Syrian stamp on their signature dishes – from Kylie Kwong’s organic saltbush cakes (accompanied by Syrian spices) to a smoked eel moutabbal and beetroot jam donut from Josh and Julie Niland.

It’s a cause that means a lot to Adam Liaw, with the chef having travelled to Jordan in February to meet Syrian children and their families living in Za’atari Refugee Camp. “The magnitude of what faces the displaced people of Syria has to be seen to be believed. Tents and temporary homes stretch as far as the eye can see, housing hundreds of thousands of people who have been through the unimaginable horrors of war,” says Liaw.

“One of the things that gives the residents of the camps hope of one day returning to their old life is going through the everyday routine of normal living. Food is a huge part of that, and the camps are filled with shops that sell breads, sweets, shawarma, and groceries. UNICEF’s work in Jordan provides help and hope to Syrian refugees and funds raised as part of this campaign are vital for continuing this effort.”

But the Three Blue Ducks dinner won’t be the only way to get involved in the #CookForSyria campaign. Throughout June, restaurateurs, chefs, bakers and café owners around Australia have been invited to put a Syrian-inspired twist on their signature dishes, donating $5 from the sale of the dish to the campaign.

The #CookForSyria dinner will be hosted on Monday June 18 at 6.30pm. Tickets are $280 per person (plus booking fee) and include canapés, cocktails on arrival, a shared Syrian-inspired feast and wine. Reservations to the event can now be made online.