Don’s Mission
As a long-time Chef, radio and tv Personality and Presenter Don’s mission is to not only inspire the community to cook with fresh, seasonal and local produce but to improve their health and wellbeing by building on the awareness and the importance of buying local, supporting local and shopping local.
Don believes Western Australia is home to some of the finest produce anywhere on the planet. He knows food production has a story and his mission is to tell it. Whether the producer is small or large, as long as they are true to Western Australia and treat their produce with the respect and ethics that Don believes in then these are the stories he wants to tell.
Locally produced food is a win / win for the community; not only are there significant economical benefits for our state and producers, there are also significant health and well being benefits.
About Don Hancey
Passion Passion is the best word to use when describing Don Hancey. After a long and successful career owning some of WA’s finest regional kitchens, Don Hancey has become WA’s Food Ambassador through his continual support and dedication to WA food producers.
Don loves nothing more than working with quality local producers to help grow their business, their opportunities and create innovative ways to present, showcase and market their produce by creating a world class dish. Don has a holistic view on food production and is interested in the process from soil right through to plate.
Described as a Chef with soul, away from the kitchen Don is heavily involved with charity organisations and also founded the charity yescambodia whose core aims are to improve the lives of Cambodian people through improving health and education. His charity work is something that gives him great satisfaction and Don continually works to make a difference, both locally and globally.
Passion Passion is the best word to use when describing Don Hancey. After a long and successful career owning some of WA’s finest regional kitchens, Don Hancey has become WA’s Food Ambassador through his continual support and dedication to WA food producers.
Don loves nothing more than working with quality local producers to help grow their business, their opportunities and create innovative ways to present, showcase and market their produce by creating a world class dish. Don has a holistic view on food production and is interested in the process from soil right through to plate.
Described as a Chef with soul, away from the kitchen Don is heavily involved with charity organisations and also founded the charity yescambodia whose core aims are to improve the lives of Cambodian people through improving health and education. His charity work is something that gives him great satisfaction and Don continually works to make a difference, both locally and globally.
Don’s Mission
As a long-time Chef, radio Personality and Presenter Don’s mission is to not only inspire the community to cook with fresh, seasonal and local produce but to improve their health and wellbeing by building on the awareness and the importance of buying local, supporting local and shopping local.
Don believes Western Australia is home to some of the finest produce anywhere on the planet. He knows food production has a story and his mission is to tell it. Whether the producer is small or large, as long as they are true to Western Australia and treat their produce with the respect and ethics that Don believes in then these are the stories he wants to tell.
Locally produced food is a win / win for the community; not only are there significant economical benefits for our state and producers, there are also significant health and well being benefits.
Philanthropy
Don is heavily involved in various community and charity organisations, not only as a founding member and member, but also hosting many charity dinners locally and globally. Some of these organisations include:
- YesCambodia charity organisation
- Feed the 5000
- Forever Project
- Starlight Foundation 5 Chefs Dinner
- Ngala Fundraising
- Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser
- Royal Flying Doctor Service – Taste of the Gascoyne Carnarvon
- Variety Club Toy Bank
- Cocktails for Cambodia
- Vision Cambodia
- Food Rescue
Don founded yescambodia.org, a charity raising money to support many individuals and institutions within Cambodia, including Cambodian Childrens’ Trust and the Paul Dubrule School of Hospitality. These organisations have helped to give young Cambodians excellent training and qualifications to contribute towards sustainable tourism in Cambodia.
Since 2011 Don has also been a foundation board member of the Chefs Long Table Lunch. CLTL is a charity organisation that has raised over $750,000 to date.
Don also spends a lot of his time mentoring and supporting local and regional hospitality students, sponsoring Hospitality Group Training (HGT) to ensure up and coming hospitality students are provided with the proper training and mentoring required. You will often find a hospitality student assisting him at many festivals that he is involved in. Some of the Hospitality Training Institutes Don mentors, include:
- West Coast Academy of Hospitality & Training
- Youth Awards Catering Institute of Western Australia
- Challenger Institute of Technology
- West Coast Institute of Training
- Southwest Institute of Technology
- Kimberley Training Institute
- Goldfields Institute of Technology
The years of Don’s mentoring, support and involvement in charitable organisations were recognised in 2013, when Don was awarded Western Australia’s Good Food Guide Governors Award for Charity and Philanthropy.
Don continues to be heavily involved in supporting community events and charity organisations within Western Australia and abroad.
