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Eating well on a tight budget can be a challenge for many people — Adam Thomson, hospitality coordinator and chef at Melbourne Project 614 knows that all too well. So, he created a cookbook that wasn't just great on the taste buds, but also the wallet!

And in even better news, ‘Meals to make ends meet’, as the book is called, won the major award in the ‘Fundraising – Charity’ category for the Pacific region at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

“I’m super excited for our humble little book to officially be given the title ‘Best in the World’ at the Gourmand awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia!” Adam said.“Massive thanks to Pressroom Partners and the entire team at Salvos 614. What a great result for the small army that helped get this book together.”

The cookbook, launched in March 2023, focuses on recipes based on everyday kitchen supplies but with additional tips to make the food budget go further. It includes suggestions on creating many variants from one basic recipe, basic chopping techniques, growing your own herbs, substituting ingredients if you don’t have something available, and minimising food waste.

“You don’t need to be a chef, foodie, or financial counsellor to eat well, says Adam. “It’s really encouraging to know that something we put together to help with a local issue here in Melbourne has initially been so well received on a national level and now has even impacted people on an international level,” Adam said. “We’re really proud of the book and what it stands for and are elated.

“I’ve been a chef for over 20 years now, and the book is a small collection of tried and tested recipes I’ve collected along the way ... a great deal of which we serve from our café here at Project 614 in the Melbourne CBD.

“I think the cookbook was very timely in regard to the economic climate that we’re currently living in, and as a result, a lot of people are feeling the pinch due to the rising cost of living in all areas.It’s bleak for a lot of people, and they feel they have lost control of their finances,” Adam said. “This book will give them hope with practical solutions.”

Keen to learn some new budget-friendly award-winning recipes? Download 'Meals to make ends meet' here