Woman Crush Lunch Returns to Studio Amaro on 27th February 2026
Woman Crush will return to Studio Amaro in Windsor on Friday, 27th February 2026. The event marks the second edition of the female-focused lunch following its inaugural staging last year. The program will combine a panel discussion with a structured three-course lunch. A portion of ticket revenue will support Support The Girls.
The lunch will take place at the Italian venue on Chapel Street. Guests will arrive for a scheduled welcome before the discussion begins. On arrival, attendees will receive a glass of Cosa Nostra Arneis supplied by Santolin Wines. The session will then move into the panel component.
Journalist Jacqui Felgate will host the discussion. Felgate presents the Drive program on 3AW Melbourne. During the session, speakers will address leadership, business growth, and professional resilience. The conversation will focus on experience, decision-making, and long-term development.
The panel will feature Australian female leaders, founders, and creatives from multiple industries. Participants will include Shamini Rajarethnam, Chief Executive Officer of Rationale, and Kate Nixon, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kat The Label. The discussion will also include Erika Ascenzo and Katia Ascenzo, co-founders of By Katia.
Additional speakers will include Chelsea Morley, Co-founder and Director of Tiny Disco, and Lana Samuels, Director at WHITEFOX Real Estate. Each panellist will contribute perspectives shaped by their professional background. Together, the group will examine how leadership skills develop over time. The discussion will also explore how experience influences business outcomes.
Following the panel, guests will move into the dining portion of the event. Service will follow a share-style format across three courses. The menu has been designed for group dining and sequential service.
Menu Details
Entrées will include sourdough focaccia with whipped ricotta and lemon oil. The first course will also feature preserved zucchini with mint and basil, wood-roasted peppers with basil, and culatello aged for 18 months. Dietary details will be provided by the venue.
Main courses will include campanelle pasta with prawn, bagna cauda, and smoked bottarga. The menu will also offer barbecue chicken with green olive and black garlic salmoriglio. Roast potatoes with rosemary and lardo will accompany a bitter leaves salad with fennel and burnt orange.
Dessert will conclude the meal. Guests will be served baked ricotta and semolina cake. The dish will include white chocolate soil and lemon crème.
In 2026, the Woman Crush program will also acknowledge mental health challenges faced by small business owners. As part of this focus, the event will highlight NewAccess for Small Business Owners. Beyond Blue developed the program as a free and confidential mental health coaching service.
NewAccess provides six structured 30-minute coaching sessions. Each session connects participants with a dedicated coach. The program addresses pressures commonly experienced by small business owners.
Support for charitable outcomes will continue at the 2026 event. A $15 donation from every ticket sold will go directly to Support The Girls. The organisation supports women and girls experiencing vulnerability, disadvantage, or isolation by providing essential products and services.
Tickets for Woman Crush at Studio Amaro are limited. Purchases are available through Seven Rooms.
Location: Studio Amaro, 168 Chapel Street, Windsor VIC 3181
Date: Friday, 27th February 2026
Time: 11:30am arrival for a 12:00pm start
Tickets: $125 per person, including a drink on arrival
