How a kitchen became a recipe for rebuilding lives

From a kitchen bench to a fresh start

Women who once received donated meals are now the ones cooking them up, this time as paid professionals earning above-award wages. With skills training, confidence building and a whole lot of heart, they’re plating more than lunch — they’re serving second chances.

This transformation is at the heart of Two Good Co.'s Work program, a 24-week initiative creating employment pathways for women who have experienced domestic violence, homelessness and complex trauma. With support from Lendlease's Workplaces with Impact Grant, the social enterprise is expanding opportunities that go far beyond job training.

"The program itself is not only just about the food, but it's about learning what it is to be an employee and a dependable one," explains Daf Dar, Senior Manager of Social Impact Programs at Two Good Co. "For some women, they hear about Two Good because they've recieved our meal so to have them then create that meal for someone else is a huge part of their story. And it's that full circle moment as well."

The program's design is deliberately comprehensive. Participants don't just learn culinary techniques – they develop workplace confidence, rebuild social connections, and gain the stability of steady income. The meals they prepare are donated to women's shelters, shared with colleagues, or sold as part of Two Good Co.'s retail range, creating a meaningful cycle of support within the community.

For many participants, the kitchen becomes a space of reclamation. Skills developed during the program open doors to long-term employment in hospitality, catering, and food service industries – sectors that offer genuine career progression.

Watch the video  below to hear more from Daf Dar at Two Good Co. and how this program is changing lives through opportunity, dignity and purpose.

The Workplaces with Impact Grant represents Lendlease's commitment to organisations creating lasting change through employment. Alongside Two Good Co., recipients include the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Hotel Etico, Good Shepherd & Fitted For Work– all focused on opening pathways to meaningful work.