People with Purpose: Andy de Groot

When you step into a Queer Food event, you quickly realise you’re not just there for the food. Sure, the pasta is perfectly al dente, the sauces rich and layered, the wines thoughtfully paired, but there’s something else on the menu that keeps people coming back: connection.

For Andy de Groot (he/they), founder of Queer Food, every dish is an invitation. An invitation to see, taste, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people in all their diversity. An invitation to sit at a table where no one has to explain themselves. And, perhaps most importantly, an invitation to join a movement that is quietly but powerfully dismantling the barriers queer people still face in the workplace, in the community, and in daily life.

Building a social enterprise from the ground up

“I spend every minute of my day building this social enterprise,” Andy says.

Not as a boast but as a matter of fact. It’s hard to imagine them doing anything else. For someone whose love of cooking is matched only by their dedication to community, Queer Food is more than a job, it’s a way of life.

Launched to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people through food and events, Queer Food is a space where culinary creativity meets social change. The business model is as intentional as the menus: employ and train people from LGBTQIA+ backgrounds, especially those who face barriers to mainstream employment; partner with local producers who share a values-driven approach; and reinvest in community projects that create tangible impact.

One of those projects was catering the launch of Rainbow Mob, a non-profit founded by Queer Food staff member Shawnah Cady to support Indigenous LGBTQIASB+ community members. “Being part of that event felt like everything I wanted Queer Food to stand for,” Andy says. “It wasn’t just about the food, it was about showing up for each other.”

Breaking down stigma, plate by plate

For Andy, breaking down stigma isn’t an abstract mission, it’s grounded in the lived realities of the people they work with and for. Despite progress in LGBTQIA+ rights, queer and gender-diverse people continue to face significant challenges in Australia. Discrimination in hiring, limited access to safe workplaces, and ongoing mental health disparities are part of that picture.

“I’d like to just break down stigma and improve the lives of all queer people, but especially gender-diverse people,” Andy says.

“We still face barriers to employment, and mental health challenges are real and constant. I want Queer Food to be part of the solution, not just by offering jobs, but by offering environments where people can thrive.”

That’s not just a nice line for a website. Andy has created a workplace where asking for help is normalised, where messages from the community are welcomed, and where mutual support is built into the culture. “I’m always happy to receive messages from the community and will help in any way I can,” they say simply.

The joy of cooking, the relief of building

Interestingly, for someone whose life revolves around food, Andy finds their escape in a completely different kind of creation. “My partner and I are building a small house together,” they share. “I love building because it allows me to put down my phone and completely switch off.”

It’s a detail that makes perfect sense. The same focus and care Andy brings to constructing a home, measuring, assembling, creating something solid from scratch, is mirrored in how they’ve built Queer Food. Both projects are about foundations, about making something that lasts, and about creating a place where people feel safe.

The taste of local pride

Queer Food’s next chapter is about to unfold, and Andy wants you at the table. On Friday 30 August, they’re launching a rebrand with a Wine & Pasta Night in collaboration with Chroma Wine. The event is a triple celebration: the unveiling of Queer Food’s new look, the debut of a pasta range inspired by ACT Drag Kings, and a nod to Wear It Purple Day, which supports LGBTQIA+ youth.

“Food is a love language,” Andy says. “And this night is about showing love, to the community, to local talent, and to everyone who believes in equality and inclusion.”

The Drag King, inspired pasta range is more than a clever marketing idea. It’s a deliberate way to honour and spotlight a part of queer culture that’s often underrepresented, even within LGBTQIA+ spaces. Just as Drag Kings take the stage with swagger and creativity, these pasta dishes will carry stories, personalities, and pride straight to the plate.

Why this event matters

It’s easy to see a wine and pasta night as just another date on the social calendar. But this one is different. Every ticket sold helps Queer Food continue to employ and train LGBTQIA+ people, partner with local ethical suppliers, and support community-led initiatives. It’s also a way to show visible, joyful solidarity at a time when LGBTQIA+ communities still face public pushback and harmful rhetoric.

Events like this also have a ripple effect. Attendees leave not just with a satisfied palate, but with a stronger sense of belonging. And when belonging is nurtured, mental health outcomes improve, connections deepen, and stigma loses its grip.

As Andy points out,

“We all have a role to play in making the community better. Sometimes that role is as simple as showing up.”

Food as activism

Activism comes in many forms, protests, policy work, social media campaigns. Andy’s activism is served with a fork and a smile. Queer Food uses the universality of eating as an entry point for bigger conversations.

Over a bowl of handmade pasta or a shared bottle of wine, people connect across differences. They hear each other’s stories. They ask questions. They learn. And in those moments, prejudice softens and understanding takes root.

“It’s hard to hate someone when you’ve shared a meal with them,” Andy says. “Food is one of the most powerful tools we have for change.”

Wear It Purple Day: More than a date

The event’s timing on Wear It Purple Day is intentional. Founded in 2010, Wear It Purple Day encourages people to create supportive, safe, empowering environments for LGBTQIA+ young people. It’s a day that’s both celebratory and serious, a chance to have fun while acknowledging the work still needed to ensure every young person can live authentically.

By tying the rebrand launch to this day, Andy is making a statement: Queer Food isn’t just for adults, foodies, or event-goers. It’s for the next generation, too. It’s about creating a world where today’s LGBTQIA+ youth can step into adulthood with fewer barriers and more opportunities than the generations before them.

From cookies to community change

For the record, Andy’s favourite food is surprisingly simple: cookies.

“They’re comforting,” they admit. “And they remind me that sometimes, the simplest things can make people the happiest.”

That philosophy, of finding joy in simplicity, of focusing on what truly nourishes, runs through everything they do. Whether it’s perfecting a pasta recipe, mentoring a new team member, or helping a community group pull off a major event, Andy’s work is rooted in a belief that small, consistent acts of care can create big change.

How to be part of it

You don’t need to be a chef, an activist, or even a wine drinker to be part of Queer Food’s mission. You just need to show up, whether that’s by buying a ticket to the Wine & Pasta Night, hiring Queer Food for catering, or simply spreading the word.

“Every person who supports us helps create a job for someone who might otherwise be overlooked,” Andy says. “They help us tell stories that matter. They help us build something beautiful.”

Join the celebration:
Friday 30 August
Chroma Wine Bar, Canberra
Book your tickets here

Come hungry, leave inspired and help Andy de Groot and Queer Food keep serving up a future where pride is always on the menu.