"Shaun Christie-David is a radical restaurateur who’s started a movement."The Plate It Forward movement is designed to be a catalyst for innovation and social empowerment by representing people from underestimated communities through food.I have long recognised the power of food to unite people, share stories, and celebrate cultural similarities. Over the last five years, this movement has created lasting change by providing employment opportunities for over 200 individuals from marginalised backgrounds, offering them jobs and pathways to a brighter future. Additionally, through the movement, we have donated more than 560,000 meals to tackle food insecurity, building connections between our restaurant customers, corporate sponsors, and catering clients to communities often overlooked.Embracing my inner misfit and rebellious side, I transitioned from the corporate world to become a transformative figure in the social enterprise realm. I began by pioneering the creation of the Aboriginal Health Television Network, an important platform for representing First Nations Communities. Later, I returned to my roots and expertise—food.I combined the exotic flavours of my mother’s Sri Lankan cooking with employment opportunities for asylum seekers. Thus, Colombo Social was born, marking the beginning of my journey toward social impact. Since then, I have opened two Kabul Socials (Wynyard & Greenwood Plaza), Kyiv Social, and a large catering and events company—even running a kitchen for the Sydney Swans.For team bonding experiences that are actually fun, office lunches, or private hires at one of our venues, hit me up.Awards & Accolades:2024 TimeOut Magazine Sydney’s Future Shaper 2023 SMH Good Food Innovator of the Year2023 EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year2023 Not For Profit Leadership Award for Outstanding Leader2021 Australian Human Rights Commission – Community Human Rights Champion2021 Time Out’s inaugural Hospitality Future Shaper Award2021 XERO Emerging Business of the Year2021 AMP’s Tomorrow Maker2021 Time Out Community Spirit Award Finalist2020 Commonwealth Bank CEO Award for the Community Initiative of the Year