blog.gov.je
Food has always been about more than what’s on the plate. It tells stories, preserves traditions, sparks conversation, and brings people together in ways few other things can.
That spirit was at the heart of The Welcome Table, a community food project created by Chris Scott of The Good Stone to bring Jersey’s newer communities together through cooking, conversation, and shared meals.
Supported through an International Cultural Centre (ICC) Connect Me grant, the project invited people from Jersey’s Filipino, Sri Lankan and Caribbean communities to gather around one long table and celebrate culture, connection and belonging.
Held at Le Tâcheron, a traditional Jersey farm setting rich in island heritage, each event combined open-fire cooking, homemade dishes and relaxed communal dining. The setting itself became part of the story, bringing food cultures from around the world into a distinctly Jersey environment and reflecting the island’s growing and evolving community.
But The Welcome Table was never simply about showcasing food.
It was about creating connection.
Jersey welcomes people from all over the world to live and work on the island, particularly within the farming and hospitality industries. While many arrive with opportunity, some arrive without established friendships, family networks or a strong sense of belonging. That can make settling into island life difficult.
The Welcome Table was designed as a simple but meaningful response to this challenge.
By cooking together, sharing meals from home and spending time around one shared table, conversations began naturally. People swapped stories, laughed together, shared traditions and built new friendships, not only with local residents but also with others from their own communities who they had never previously met in Jersey.
Across all three evenings there was a real sense of warmth, openness, pride and appreciation.
The ICC Connect Me grant helped make these welcoming spaces possible, covering food, equipment, event setup and the time needed to work closely with the communities involved. The support allowed the project to feel relaxed, inclusive and community-led from beginning to end.
The success of The Welcome Table highlights the power of simple community experiences. Something as familiar as cooking and eating together can strengthen social connections, celebrate cultural identity and help people feel welcomed into island life.
One table. One community.
Interested in learning more about the International Cultural Centre?
The ICC supports community-led projects that strengthen connection, reduce isolation and celebrate Jersey’s cultural diversity. Through grants of up to £5,000, the ICC helps local organisations and community groups bring inclusive ideas to life across the island.
To find out more about the ICC, future grant opportunities, and support available for Jersey’s communities, visit gov.je/ICC.