The Eurasian Association held its 2025 Annual General Meeting on Saturday, 26 April at the Eurasian Community House. EA President Sandra Theseira recapped the Association’s activities and milestones in 2024, and addressed matters including the newly opened F&B tender for the restaurant space at the Eurasian Community House. Below is an excerpt from her speech on this topic.

“Quentin’s has been a familiar name and flavour at the Eurasian Community House for 18 years, and we are grateful to Quentin Pereira for everything he has done to raise awareness of Eurasian cuisine and culture, as well as for his support for many other EA initiatives. Let’s acknowledge Quentin with a round of applause. 

The current lease comes to an end later this year and the MC has made the decision to call for an open tender to invite interested restaurateurs to bring something exciting and new to the EA, to refresh our F&B concept. We also see an opportunity to use the restaurant as a platform to support and mentor up-and-coming chefs, and have included this as a requirement in the open tender. 

Why has the MC decided on this course of action? Several factors contributed to our decision to call an open tender after 18 years of supporting the same operator at a below-market rental rate:

• Lack of Competition and Choice: For nearly two decades, only one individual has operated the space. By opening an open tender, the EA can evaluate new proposals and potentially discover better concepts or more competitive offers.

• Below-Market Rental: The current rental paid is significantly below market rate. By inviting new bids, the EA has a good chance of obtaining a rental that is at least closer to current market values, which could result in tens of thousands of additional dollars each year—funds that can be redirected to support the community, whose needs are increasing.

• Stewarding Community Resources: As a charity, it is a duty to manage resources prudently. The Eurasian Community House is a valuable asset gifted to us by the government that has not been fully optimised. A competitive tender process can help maximise its potential, both in terms of rental income and the quality of services offered to the community.

• Improving Offerings: Can we find better quality food and a more interesting concept than what the current restaurant offers? Opening the tender invites fresh ideas and higher standards, allowing the best possible outcome for the community.  

In summary, the open tender process ensures transparency, encourages competition, and helps optimise the financial and social value of the Eurasian Community House for the benefit of the wider community. The tender opened on 24 April, and will close on 24 June. We’ve publicised this on our website and social media channels, and ask all of you to spread the word so we get a good response from established restauranteurs that allows us to pick the best of the best for the EA and the community.”

Click here to read the full speech by President Sandra Theseira.

Click here to view our Annual Reports.

Click here for the F&B Tender Specifications and Application Details.