About The Lunch Society

Based in Wellington, The Lunch Society is a quarterly ladies’ lunch event designed to bring together women in Wellington for networking, entertainment, and philanthropy. Each event will be hosted at a key Wellington restaurant, feature a prominent speaker, and include a goodie bag showcasing New Zealand businesses. A percentage of ticket sales and proceeds from a silent raffle will be donated to a selected charity. The aim is to create a positive social and economic impact by supporting local restaurants, small businesses, and charitable causes.

Join Our Next Event

Meet Our Founders…

The Lunch Society was co-founded by Komal Parbhu and Tania Siladi, two dynamic women with a shared vision of community, empowerment and a love for food.

Komal brings her expertise as a small business management accountant and a passionate culinary enthusiast. Tania is the co-owner of Dragonfly Restaurant, Orient Decor, Asian Food Republic, Orient Eats, and Naibu Wholesale.

Driven by their own experiences and the belief that collaboration can spark growth, they created this platform to inspire women to connect, share ideas, and uplift one another in a supportive environment.

FAQ’s

The number of ladies will vary depending on the restaurant. For reference, our first lunch has 40 attendees.
The dress code is smart casual, so feel free to dress stylishly yet comfortably.
The ticket price will vary depending on the restaurant. For reference, our first lunch ticket prices are $89, plus a booking fee.
Yes, refunds are available within 5 days of the event.
You can register for our upcoming events directly through the events page on our website. Simply select the event you'd like to attend and follow the registration process.

Speakers

Sarah Bacon

Sarah Bacon is a former lawyer, business owner, wife and mother of three boys. She practiced law for over 20 years (10 as a partner) and founded skincare brand Velettà in 2017. She is a director of several construction-focused companies, a director of Yachting New Zealand and the chair of the Digital Media Trust. Sarah lifts weights, plays terrible golf, and enjoys the occasional cocktail in her spare time.
Nicole Duckworth

Nicole was born & raised in Wellington but travels the world with Fat Freddy’s Drop. To balance a life of rock n roll, she is also a tutor in Practical Philosophy & Meditation. She is particularly interested in Tao, Buddhist & Indigenous traditions.
Zoe Wallis

Zoe has close to 20 years’ experience across financial services and banking in New Zealand and London, specialising in financial market research and economics. Before moving to Forsyth Barr in 2023, she was the Chief Economist at Deloitte New Zealand and prior to that at Kiwibank. Outside of work she is a want to-be runner, but she gets most of her training by chasing around her two young children!
Katherine Rich

Katherine Rich is the Chief Executive of BusinessNZ, New Zealand’s leading business advocacy group. A former Member of Parliament (1999–2008), she brings extensive experience from both politics and industry. From 2009 to 2023, she led the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council and served on the APEC Business Council for five years. Katherine holds degrees in Marketing and Economics from the University of Otago, and her career spans roles across the public and private sectors. She remains a strong voice in business and policy, focused on economic growth and sustainability.