Welcome to The Cook Off 2025

Thank you for whisking up hope this winter

On Monday 16th June 2025 at St Matthew-in-the-City church, under the guidance of three top chefs, senior business leaders came together to prepare a delicious three-course meal for 150 Mission guests.  Our guests were people already accessing the Mission for assistance with homelessness, complex health issues or struggling to put food on the table.

In the The Cook Off, each senior business leader rose to the challenge to raise at least $10,000 each towards the collective goal of $310,000.   

We're thrilled to say our fundraisers smashed our target and raised a total of $372,000!  What an incredible result.  

It was an amazing night which saw CEOs, celebrity chefs and our guest star Neil Finn mingle freely with people experiencing the effects of poverty including homelessness and health issues.  This event is more than just serving a meal, during the night we shared care and connection as one community.  

The Mission’s community dining room, Haeata, has seen year on year increases in demand, serving over 84,000 meals in 2024 to people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.  Currently, Haeata provides around 300 warm and nutritious meals every day - for many this will be the only meal they'll have that day.   We rely on funds from our community to continue with our ongoing commitment to provide these hot meals. 

Thank you to all the people who donated to our fundraisers.  Together you have raised the equivalent of funding 23,250 meals at Haeata this winter.  

Leaderboard

Thank you to all our fundraisers 2025

Serving Up Hope in Haeata

Daily, nutritious meals, seven days a week. That’s our promise at the Haeata Community Centre, where all meals are freshly prepared onsite by a chef.

For people experiencing homelessness or who can’t access cooking facilities easily, Haeata offers a safe and welcoming space for kai and connection.

Haeata is a space that’s grown to become a hub of activities and connection for street whānau. Guests can take part in the many life-enriching classes on offer from drama,  poetry, art, pottery, and community work, along with weekly waiata.

Some people come to Haeata regularly, while others dip in and out – all are warmly welcomed to connect with each other and our team.

Thank You For Your Support