The Venus Vinifera team, including founder Caitlin Baker (second from the left). Photo: Deejay Jukic.
Canberra’s own women in beverage and hospitality education collective Venus Vinifera is hosting its first symposium to discuss the joys and perils of being a woman in the hospitality industry.
Subject Matters Symposium will feature a diverse lineup of industry heavyweights, spanning three panel discussions on the subjects of Women in Business, Women in Beverage and Women for Inclusivity and Safety.
Venus Vinifera is a not-for-profit that aims to improve education and opportunities for women in hospitality, with a particular focus on beer, wine and spirits. The organisation seeks to empower women, non-binary folk, and those with trans experiences who work in the cis-male-dominated hospitality industry.
Venus Vinifera founder Caitlin Baker said they’ve wanted to host an event like this since the organisation launched in 2021.
“Symposiums like this often happen in bigger cities, which means they’re not super accessible to people here. I think it’s really important that people in Canberra can access these conversations,” Caitlin told Region.
“Venus Vinifera has built a platform and we feel like we have the right connections to make something like this happen now.”
Zaab and Senn Noods owner Becky Khanthavongsa will be speaking on the panel discussion about Women in Business. Photo: Zaab.
Nine women will speak across three separate panel discussions, and there will also be opportunities for networking and socialising.
“We want this to be an opportunity to inspire the next generation of women in hospitality. They’ll have the chance to see what they can achieve, as well as ask questions and build connections for mentorships.”
Jamie Bucirde is a co-author of Not So Hospitable, a report into sexual harassment in the Adelaide Hospitality Industry. Her data was included in recent news stories about serious allegations of sexual assault and harassment allegations made against the Swillhouse Group venues in Sydney. While issues of sexual harassment have been ongoing in the industry, recent media attention has brought it into the spotlight.
Jamie will speak on the issues of Women for Inclusivity and Safety alongside Kylie Preston (Hippo Co), who brings her experience in the disability and health sectors.
Women in Beverage discussions led by Such and Such’s Blue Hyslop will feature Freddie Raimbaud-Gentilhomme (Dan Murphy’s), Nemesia Dale-Cully (Wildflower) and Coco Retter (Bombay Sapphire).
Arika Errington is a Wakka Wakka and Wulli Wulli woman who runs bush foods business Tukka By The Bush. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The Women in Business panel will be led by Region food writer Lucy Ridge, speaking with Mini Gaundar (Ramas), Becky Khanthavongsa (Zaab and Senn Noods), Arika Errington (Tukka by the Bush) and Kylie Preston (Hippo Co) about their experiences as women running hospitality businesses in Canberra.
The Subject Matters Symposium will be held at the National Film and Sound Archive and is open to everyone: allies and non-industry people are also encouraged to attend.
“I think people need to be aware of the impact they can make in how women are treated. For the culture to change and for women to be able to become leaders in the industry, we need a big shift, and that comes down to the consumer, too.”
Food and beverages on the day will be served by the Church Neighbourhood Goods team as part of their NFSA cafe residence.
Tickets are available for either the whole day or individual sessions and are priced on a sliding scale for accessibility. Tickets for First Nations people are free.
Subject Matters Symposium will be held on Saturday, 14 September, at the National Film and Sound Archive from 1 pm to 5 pm. Find out more about the program and purchase tickets. Follow Venus Vinifera on Instagram.
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