Brewing Change: Cafe One in Cairns is transforming lives
- Details
Most of us start the day with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, but at Cafe One in Cairns, each pour is like a fresh start. Mission Australia’s Cafe One is an inspiring social enterprise that aims to break the cycle of homelessness by providing people with hospitality skills, professional training and social connection.
The busy mobile cafe is more than a coffee stop—it’s a place where individuals with lived experience of homelessness and disadvantage can build brighter futures.Through a 24-week paid traineeship program, Cafe One offers trainees a chance to develop practical skills, gain valuable work experience, and earn their Certificate I in Hospitality.
“Our aim is to help people break the cycle of homelessness by giving them hard and soft skills to get back into the workplace,” says Program Manager Barb.
But the impact doesn’t end there. Initiatives like weekly cooking groups provide a place of connection, where residents living in transitional housing can learn how to prepare creative and nutritious meals using limited resources—like a humble rice cooker.
Led by Nicki, a Mission Australia Support Worker and Lance, a previous Cafe One Trainee, these sessions bring people together, foster a sense community, and inspire culinary creativity with dishes like risotto, pancakes, and a crowd-favourite chicken noodle soup.
Try the recipe: Asian chicken noodle soup in the rice cooker
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- I litre of salt reduced chicken stock
- 1-2 packets of 2 minute noodles
- ¼ barbeque chicken shredded
- 2 spring onions peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks of celery (optional)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic (optional)
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger (optional)
- 1 chilli sliced (optional)
- Shredded ham (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare all of the ingredients cutting, slicing and dicing as required
- Place all of the ingredients in the rice cooker and turn to cook
- Allow to simmer. The longer you leave it on warm the better the flavours will be
- Remember to regularly stir your soup
If you prefer you can make the soup, without the pasta, and leave it to simmer.
Cafe One and its complementary programs are redefining what’s possible for those striving to overcome adversity, one cup of coffee—and one meal—at a time.
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