In Australia, our taste buds have changed along with our country. One of our favourite grab’n’go lunches is sushi. We have a true obsession with coffee, and most of us have a quick stir-fry on our cooking rotation.
Shaun Christie-David, founder of Plate It Forward, is adding some spice to the mix. The social enterprise runs four restaurants across Sydney: Colombo Social in Enmore, Kabul Social in the city centre, Kyiv Social in Chippendale and Kolkata Social in Newtown. But whether they’re plating up authentic Sri Lankan curries or hearty Ukrainian dumplings, it’s the people that come first.
How Plate It Forward came to be
Shaun believes that food is a universal love language that can unite us in a way that nothing else can. His parents migrated from Sri Lanka in 1984 when the country was deep in a brutal civil war. They followed in the footsteps of his aunt, who had told them that Australia was “an unbelievable place of opportunity”.
As Shaun was growing up in south-west Sydney, his mum, Shiranie, always told him, “You’re not special, you’re lucky.” As a teenager, it didn’t make a lot of sense. He was Australian and wanted to be like the other kids. But when he travelled to Sri Lanka in his late 20s, he realised how different his life could have been.
“My brothers and I were getting fitted for a suit by these two 16-year-old kids. And we’re like, let’s buy eight suits; they are so cheap. (I was a banker at the time.) When I saw these kids’ faces, I realised that we could have been the fitters if we’d stayed in Sri Lanka. But we’re the fitted because of the hard choices Mum and Dad made.”
Shaun’s mum has been influential in the development of Plate It Forward, which started with restaurant Colombo Social in 2019 and the desire to give refugees and asylum seekers meaningful, regular work. Shiranie still teaches chefs of all backgrounds at Colombo Social to make delicious Sri Lankan curries.
They have now employed more than 287 people, expanding to help all sorts struggling to get a job, from First Nations people to individuals living with a disability. They have donated 639,886 meals to Sydneysiders in need. They work with food rescue organisations and food brands to prevent food waste. And all four restaurants have recipes developed by women of their respective cultures, passed down for generations.
Yakut’s story
Yakut Hamayoun fled Afghanistan more than 10 years ago. Her husband had been incarcerated by the Taliban, and she wasn’t sure if she would see him again. Women had been stripped of their access to education, employment and even, in some cases, health care. When she arrived in Australia with her three children, she had limited English and could find only temporary work, earning well below the minimum wage.
Yakut now has stable employment as Kabul Social’s head of bread, making more than 75 pieces of traditional, pillowy soft Afghani flatbread each day. Her husband has made it to Australia and they have five grandchildren. When I chat to her before the lunchtime rush, the emotion of her past catches up with her. She pauses to collect herself. “In Afghanistan, it is not safe and I cannot work. I’m very happy here. It is very safe,” she says, smiling.
Shaun sees this gratitude amongst his staff every day. “They’re so grateful for this country. They’re so happy to be here, and for the warmth that is shown to them, and safety, security and education. They become Australian while still staying true to their roots.”
He hopes that all Australians can learn from the Plate It Forward success story. “The power of kindness is massive. And it can only happen with community and togetherness. I think if we treat everybody the way that we want be treated, the world would just be a better place.”
While his restaurants represent different cultures, their authenticity shines through. And just like the evolving Australian cuisine, they are all influenced by the same concepts.
“What we don’t realise is how similar our food cultures are and how alike we all are. Food is a way of expressing love or family or connection. It’s what brings us together,” Shaun says. The best way to support Plate It Forward is by dining at one of their four restaurants or donating money to make meals for those in need.
Plate It Forward is a social enterprise that aims to employ migrants, refugees and those experiencing homelessness in one of their four restaurants, Colombo Social, Kyiv Social, Kabul Social and Kolkata Social. They also donate meals to those in need and work with food rescue organisations to prevent food waste.
By dining in one of their restaurants, or by donating money that goes towards providing meals to those in need. Dining in a Plate It Forward restaurant supports the wages of the employees working there, along with funding meals, training, and employment pathways.
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