Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Zinc Fed Sq - March 2026
In March 2026, as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, our community came together for the Table of Hope, a night where extraordinary chefs, generous supporters, and people who refuse to look away gathered to fight for Australians living with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA).
It was an evening filled with extraordinary food, deep emotion, and an unwavering sense of purpose. And it was made all the more poignant by the absence of the man whose vision brought it to life.
Teage Ezard, the celebrated Melbourne chef who founded Combat MSA as his own health declined, passed away on Friday, 13 March, just days before the sold-out dinner. His wife Tina, standing before a room full of people who loved him, made a promise.
Melbourne's Lord Mayor Nick Reece presented Tina with a commendation recognising Teage's contribution to Melbourne's hospitality and culinary scene. Among those gathered were Sally Capp, Asher Keddie, Vincent Fantauzzo, Chris Judd and Bec Judd, our amazing MC for the night Matt Preston, Sullivan Stapleton and many more who came to be part of something bigger than a dinner.
An extraordinary evening
Teage's son Kingston read an emotional letter written by his father to the room, a letter that ended with the words: "life should be spicy." It was a fitting farewell from a chef whose whole life was lived with flavour and passion.
The menu was a love letter from Teage's closest friends in the kitchen. Five of Australia's most celebrated chefs each contributed a dish, cooked flawlessly by Zinc Head Chef Chris Henderson and the entire Zinc team at Federation Square:
Karen Martini · Guy Grossi · Luke Mangan · Andrew McConnell · Jacqui Challinor
To these five chefs, and to Chris Henderson and the entire Zinc kitchen team who delivered excellence with heart and precision on the night, thank you. Every plate was a standout.
Why this matters
Multiple System Atrophy is devastating, and most people have never heard of it. It strips away movement, speech, and independence. There is no cure. Diagnosis is devastatingly slow, awareness is critically low, and families are left to navigate an impossible journey with too little support.
Teage Ezard established Combat MSA to change that. Every dollar raised at Table of Hope goes directly toward awareness, advocacy, and the research that gives families hope.
The Table of Hope raised vital funds and, just as importantly, put this disease in front of a room full of people with the power to help carry the message forward.
A special thank you goes to the alumni of ezard and Gingerboy who volunteered their time on the night. They moved through the room helping guests, supporting the live auction, assisting with the bidding platform and making sure every person felt looked after. Many of them worked with Teage for years and their presence added something quietly powerful to the evening. We could not have done it without them.
Our generous supporters
The Table of Hope was made possible by the extraordinary generosity of our sponsors, partners, and suppliers, please support those who support the Combat MSA mission.
Alterity Therapeutics, Seek Investments, Decjuba, Levantine Hill, Malt Donkey, Sher Wagyu, Clamms Seafood, Fresh Generation, Lil's Yolky Dokey Eggs, Flowerdose, S.Pellegrino, NON, Baker Bleu, Calendar Cheese, Vincent Fantauzzo, Atlantic Group, Maha / Delia Group, B+S Commercial Kitchens, Challenge Creative, Chef's Hat, Florentino, Merrylees Architecture, St Kilda Football Club, Villa Stella, Belle Lake House Daylesford, Leaf Village Grocer, Hotel Sorrento, Made In Earth, John Toscano, Elato Artisanal Ice Cream, Alpine Capital, Hannah St Hotel, Trader House, Mount Monument Vineyard, Broadsheet, Carmans, Luxury Escapes, Alba Thermal Springs, Tangerine Telecom, OPSM, Therese Stone, Zinc Federation Square.
Be part of what comes next
Table of Hope was just the beginning. We are already looking ahead to 2027, building on the momentum and the mission Teage gave everything for.
