CEO of the ASRC Kon Karapanagiotidis with Besha Rodell, Deborah Ong and Gary Lee.

Proudly supported by The Westsider.

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KON KARAPANAGIOTIDIS OAM is the founder and CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), Australia’s largest independent human rights organisation. As a fierce advocate for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and Indigenous Australians, Kon has dedicated his life to fighting for social justice. His commitment to human rights extends beyond his role at ASRC—he is also a human rights lawyer, social worker, philanthropist, Board Member of Children’s Ground, and a devoted cooking enthusiast.

BESHA RODELL is a James Beard Award–winning food writer, editor, and restaurant critic who has been obsessed with eating out since she was a child. Born in Australia in a bungalow on a farm her father dubbed Narnia, she moved to the United States as a teenager. She has been writing professionally for more than two decades, and her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Travel + Leisure, PUNCH, Eater, Gravy, and many others. She was the restaurant critic at LA Weekly and was a critic and columnist for The New York Times, where she is still a regular contributor. In 2019 Besha was tapped by Food & Wine to be their global critic, traveling the world solo to pick the best restaurants for an annual list. She is currently the chief restaurant critic at The Age, the daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia. Besha moved back to Australia in 2017, and lives in Melbourne with her husband, Ryan; her parrot, Chobi; and a rotating menagerie of foster cats.

DEBORAH ONG is the head chef and owner of Masak Masak in Yarraville; a sporadic food writer and contributor to The Westsider; a community food educator at Maidstone community centre; and a final year PhD candidate at Monash University. She finds joy in sharing food knowledge with the local community and shining a light on small businesses that fly under the radar of traditional food media.

GARY LEE is a dedicated community advocate for international students, refugees and people seeking asylum. During his free time, he writes for the Westsider newspaper, where he combines his passion for food with a deep appreciation for cultural narratives. Through food, Gary seeks to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, highlighting their unique experiences and the cultural significance of their cuisines. But honestly, he just loves to eat!

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