A Dinner for Scott is an annual event inspired by the 'Celebrity Chefs Dinner' that Scott initiated in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It aimed to bring renowned chefs from Australia and Aotearoa to the Southern Institute of Technology providing hospitality students with the opportunity to learn from the industry's best. The dinner served as a fundraiser to help students attend the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

Continuing in this tradition, A Dinner for Scott honours Scott's commitment to culinary education and excellence.

Over the past four years, A Dinner for Scott has grown into a unique intergenerational hospitality kaupapa. What began as a single fundraising dinner has become a powerful learning experience that connects secondary students, tertiary students, chefs, food producers, marae and community.

Through the Dinner and its surrounding programme, we have:

• Profiled the rich artisanal food production of Murihiku, on land and in the ocean
  

• Given over 100 rangatahi the opportunity to learn directly from some of Aotearoa and Australia’s leading chefs, including Matt Lambert, Peter Gordon, Vicki Young, Fleur Sullivan, Tom Hishon and many others (with an epic line-up planned again for 2026)
  

• Awarded five Scott Richardson Memorial Scholarships, including the inaugural Scott Richardson Secondary School Prize launched in 2024, supporting emerging hospitality leaders through mentoring and professional development