Please read FAQs below before purchasing a ticket

Cookbook Club Naarm meet-up no.8

This month, we've chosen 'Everything Is Indian: Authentic Flavours, Easy Modern Recipes' by Justin Narayan with Nicholas Jordan.

Date: Sunday 25th May, 2025

Time: 12:30pm-2:30pm (starting promptly)

Location: Chai Shai Fitzroy, 69 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Tickets: $7 - redeemable for a chai drink (valued at $7!) which will be provided upon arrival. Only 50 spots available due to venue capacity - book early to avoid missing out. 100% of ticket sales go to Chai Shai.

Dress code: Bright colours of the cookbook if you can!

About Cookbook Club Naarm

Cookbook Club Naarm is a welcoming community for aspiring cooks and foodies who gather each month to cook recipes from a selected cookbook. Ticket holders will pick a recipe of their choice from the cookbook and bring it to our meet-up and enjoy together.

About Everything Is Indian

Everything is Indian, is Justin Narayan's debut book. It is a vibrant and delicious celebration of his Fijian-Indian heritage and his multicultural upbringing, With over 90 recipes that are familiar, exciting and above all easy. You will find roast potatoes taken to the next level with masala flavours, MasterChef-certified chicken curry tacos, the best pizza you could ever make at home and an insane cardamom-hit caramel slice.

About Justin Narayan

Justin, winner of MasterChef Australia Season 13 (2021), is an Australian-born chef with Fijian-Indian heritage. His love for cooking is deeply influenced by family traditions, especially the guidance of his mum and late grandfather. Drawing on his multicultural roots, Justin brings traditional flavours to life with a bold and creative twist in every dish he makes.

/FAQs

How does it work?

1. Each month, we pick a cookbook.
2. You choose a recipe from it to cook at home.
3. Bring your dish to the meet-up.
4. Then, we eat, share and chat about the dishes we've made! It's a fun way to try new recipes, meet new people, and enjoy the cookbook as a whole, together.

A Google Sheet with the recipe index will be emailed to you so you can see what others are making to avoid duplications.

What do I need to bring?

Your dish + serving ware (consider individually portioning your dish e.g. cups for soups, knives for cakes)
Insulated bags/ice packs/thermos for safe food transport
Extra Tupperware for leftovers
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
BYO water bottle
Reusable plate, cup, cutlery (we’ll have some disposables but we encourage you to be sustainable where you can!)
Napkins, wet wipes, hand sanitiser
Spare disposable/reusable extra cutlery or cups
And of course… yourself! Thanks for coming 💛

I'm bad at cooking, can I still join?

Absolutely! This cookbook will have easy to advanced recipes. There is no pressure, just pick a dish that you're comfortable with. And as late great Chef Gusteau once said anybody can cook. Cookbook Club is for everyone, from beginners to seasoned chefs. It's about having fun.

Can I come alone?

Yes, and we encourage it! It's completely normal to feel a little nervous about coming solo, and you won't be the only one! Many of our members attend solo, and it's a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends. Our community is warm and welcoming. We promise, we're friendly and won't bite (though we might just nibble on your delicious dish!). So don't worry, come as you are, and we can't wait to see you there!

Can I come without a ticket?

Due to venue capacity, we regret that we won’t be able to accommodate walk-in attendees for this Event.

Do I need to buy the cookbook?

While we encourage you to support authors when you can, you don't need to purchase the cookbook! Many recipes can be found online, by just Googling, so you might find what you need without purchasing the entire book. If you prefer a physical copy check your local library.

How do I avoid making the same dish as someone else?

Please check the shared Google Sheet (link provided after booking to help avoid duplicates). While having a few repeats is okay-since popular dishes are often favourites!! We aim for a max of 2-3 of per dish to keep diverse spread in our meetups.

How many servings do I make?

Enough for 1x serving is perfect. No need to cook for 50x people, just enough to share. Use your best judgement! Consider individual servings where possible. If you're coming with a friend, you can either make separate dishes, or sharing the cooking. Use your best judgment to prepare enough for everyone to enjoy.

I have an allergy-can I still come?

Yes, but If you have any serious allergies, please DM us so we can be aware. We do our best to label all dishes at Cookbook Club with food tags, and we ask attendees to follow recipes exactly as they’re written in the cookbook. This way, you can also check the recipe for a full ingredient list. That said, since this is a public food-sharing event, we encourage you to trust your instincts and take any necessary precautions. If you have severe allergies, please bring any preventive measures you may need, just in case. Your safety is important to us!

How do I get to Chai Shai?

Follow the rainbow down Gertrude Street, turn left at the back of Trippy Taco, and find them at 71 Little Smith Street, Fitzroy. Accessible through 69 Smith Street, and walk through to the cozy backyard. Real Indian chai (possibly the best in Melbourne) is waiting for you!

Are you profiting from this?

Nope! We run Cookbook Club purely for the love of it. There’s no profit involved. Any sponsorships we receive simply help us bring amazing products we love to our events for our club members, in exchange for a little social media love. Additionally, Joan and Dom both work full-time and only put a small amount of their own money into printing, transport, and decorations. Most of the time, we call in favours from connections for event spaces, or our wonderful community generously offers us a place to gather.
One day, we’d love to turn this into a full-time job, but for now, the joy of building a free, welcoming community is far more rewarding than any profit could be!

Got questions?

DM us on Instagram @cookbookclubnaarm

or email us cookbookclubnaarm@gmail.com