Show Notes
In this powerful episode of Uncommon Ground, Professor Talal Yassine sits down with Shaun Christie-David, a social enterprise leader, restaurateur, and the founder of Colombo Social, Kabul Social, Kyiv Social, and the Plate It Forward Foundation. From his humble beginnings in Western Sydney to launching some of Australia's most socially impactful dining venues, Shaun is reshaping what hospitality means. His mission? Use food as a force for good, creating jobs for people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, and delivering over 750,000 meals to those in need. Shaun’s story is equal parts rage and resilience, from enduring racism in the corporate world to building businesses that fight injustice and feed hope. He opens up about his Sri Lankan roots, his parents’ migrant struggles, and why migrant women, ex-offenders, and people from disadvantaged communities deserve more than charity, they deserve opportunity. Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine Links Learn More About Talal talalyassine.com.au LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/talaly Facebook facebook.com/talal.yassine.1 Instagram instagram.com/talalyassine Episode Running Order Intro — who is Shaun Christie-David and why his story matters (00:00) • Childhood in Fairfield & memories of early mischief and innocence (01:05) • Family dynamics — growing up the youngest of three Sri Lankan brothers (02:07) • School years — selective school entry, avoiding trouble & chasing opportunity (03:32) • Parents’ migration from Sri Lanka & sacrifices for a better life (04:57) • Dad’s career shift — from engineer to mobile mechanic in Australia (06:36) • Life at Holsworthy Ag High — navigating identity in elite academic spaces (08:39) • The turning point — how one teacher changed Shaun’s path (13:25) • University life — failing subjects, partying, and discovering purpose (16:54) • Why finance? — the Martin Place moment & chasing the suit-and-tie dream (17:41) • Early career in finance — process automation & questioning the status quo (20:29) • Experiencing casual racism in corporate Australia — from “Tamil Tiger” to “wrong side of the bridge” (28:16) • The call that changed everything — leaving finance after an Obama slur (34:04) • The ex-girlfriend’s mum story — racism in the home & drawing hard lines (40:07) • Returning to Sri Lanka — realizing his privilege & finding a new mission (48:04) • Founding Colombo Social — creating fusion food & a social impact model (51:47) • Why food? — the universal language that brings people together (53:29) • COVID pivot — launching Plate It Forward & 750,000+ donated meals (55:24) • Food insecurity in Australia — now worse than during the pandemic (56:42) • How the model works — restaurants, catering, and the Plate It Forward Foundation (58:06) • Funding the movement — 95% of donations from Shaun’s hospitality businesses (59:09) • The workforce model — 85% of staff from marginalized communities (1:01:45) • Launchpad — helping migrant women start their own food businesses (1:09:20) • Can Shaun cook? — decoding flavor without being a chef (1:06:01) • The future — endowment models, sustainability & replicating community care (1:11:32) • Quick-fire questions — misconceptions, guilty pleasures & defining conversations (1:13:53) • Closing reflections & outro (1:15:30) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from Uncommon Ground with Talal Yassine
What does a career in politics cost the person behind the public figure? In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Professor Talal Yassine sits down with Senator Sarah Hanson-Young to explore the experiences that shaped her, from an unconventional childhood on a remote Victorian property to entering federal politics at just 25. Sarah reflects on the influence of her parents, her early activism and the challenges of raising a daughter while navigating life in Parliament. She also speaks candidly about personal criticism, bullying and harassment, and the experiences that have shaped her views on political life. It’s a conversation about family, conviction, disagreement and the sacrifices that can come with a career in the public eye. Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine Links Learn More About Talal talalyassine.com.au LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/talaly Facebook facebook.com/talal.yassine.1 Instagram instagram.com/talalyassine Episode Running Order Sarah’s earliest childhood memories of growing up on a remote property in East Gippsland (00:01:47) Living off-grid, being homeschooled and leaving home to attend high school in Orbost (00:04:40) How her parents encouraged curiosity, independence and a willingness to challenge injustice (00:06:51) Her early ambition to become a journalist and the university lecture that changed her direction (00:14:19) Discovering student politics at Adelaide University and being elected student president as an independent (00:16:35) Learning to disagree respectfully and working with future South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas (00:20:42) Her early involvement in refugee advocacy and the path from student politics to the Senate (00:23:57) Sarah’s election to the Senate at 25 and the realities of entering federal politics as a young woman (00:26:05) The 2007 election campaign and Sarah’s experience of entering Parliament as a young senator (00:33:09) Discovering she was pregnant in the same week she was preselected for the Senate (00:38:11) Becoming a mother while beginning a demanding career in federal politics (00:38:40) How her childhood connection to nature continues to shape her environmental priorities (00:42:19) Talal challenges Sarah on data centres, artificial intelligence and the environmental costs of new technology (00:43:33) Sarah’s concerns about the impact of large data centres on local communities, water and energy resources (00:44:07) The debate over how Australia should regulate data centres and benefit from the resources they use (00:50:50) The challenges of being a young woman and single mother in Parliament (00:57:30) Sarah’s experiences of bullying and harassment, and her decision to speak publicly about them (00:59:14) Her legal case against former senator David Leyonhjelm and its impact on how she responded to personal attacks (01:01:40) Gender, power and the treatment of women in Australian politics (01:03:06) The Me Too movement and the ongoing challenge of changing workplace culture (01:07:15) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What happens when the person appointed to combat Islamophobia discovers that parts of the very community he is meant to serve don’t trust him?
In this episode of Uncommon Ground Talal Yassine sits down with Penny Bingham Hall, one of Australia’s most respected company directors and a former senior executive at Leighton Holdings. Penny reflects on her childhood, her parents’ migration to Australia, and the values of confidence, education and independence that shaped her. She shares how a background in industrial design unexpectedly led her into construction, infrastructure, strategy and eventually the boardrooms of some of Australia’s largest organisations. Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine Links Learn More About Talal talalyassine.com.au
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Arthur Sinodinos, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister John Howard, senior minister, senator, and Australia’s former Ambassador to the United States. Arthur reflects on his journey from a Greek migrant family in Newcastle to the centre of Australian public life, sharing insights on economic reform, political discipline, leadership, and diplomacy. He discusses the Howard years, the GST, the changing culture of politics, his battle with cancer, and what he learned representing Australia in Washington during the Trump and Biden years. Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine Links Learn More About Talal talalyassine.com.au LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/talaly Facebook facebook.com/talal.yassine.1 Instagram instagram.com/talalyassine Episode Running Order Arthur’s childhood in Newcastle and growing up in a Greek migrant family (00:00:50) School, university and discovering economics (00:04:57) From Treasury to John Howard’s office (00:07:16) Working inside government and the road to Chief of Staff (00:10:50) The GST, economic reform and the discipline of policy (00:28:28) Lessons from politics, government and party leadership (00:47:57) His cancer diagnosis and recovery (00:55:15) Becoming Australia’s Ambassador to the United States (01:01:32) Trump, Biden and representing Australia in Washington (01:03:27) AUKUS, diplomacy and the changing strategic world (01:07:18) Life lessons, risk-taking and what matters now (01:15:47)
In this episode of Uncommon Ground, Talal Yassine sits down with Adam Liaw, cook, writer, broadcaster and one of Australia’s most respected voices on food and culture. Adam reflects on his unconventional journey from a high-achieving young lawyer to winning MasterChef Australia, and why that moment didn’t change his life in the way most people expect. Instead, he shares how curiosity, storytelling and a willingness to embrace uncertainty shaped his career across television, publishing and business. The conversation explores growing up between cultures, the influence of migration and identity, and how food became both a personal anchor and a professional platform. Adam also opens up about work, success and why he challenges the idea that hard work alone leads to fulfilment. Subscribe to Uncommon Ground on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@talal.yassine Links Learn More About Talal talalyassine.com.au LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/talaly Facebook facebook.com/talal.yassine.1 Instagram instagram.com/talalyassine Episode Running Order Childhood in Malaysia and migrating to Australia (00:00:41) Family background and growing up between cultures (00:02:03) Early schooling, acceleration and finishing school young (00:03:34) Living independently and developing resilience as a teenager (00:07:58) University life, law and science degrees at a young age (00:14:24) The importance of friendships and perspective over academics (00:15:23) Learning how to think, not just study (00:18:06) Starting a career in law and working in high-pressure environments (00:23:39) Moving to Japan and working in-house at Disney (00:25:32) Learning language, culture and independence through food (00:36:53) Discovering a passion for cooking and cultural identity (00:34:57) Applying for MasterChef and taking an unconventional risk (00:31:28) The reality of MasterChef and approaching it as a “puzzle” (00:38:34) Winning MasterChef and the unexpected aftermath (00:42:48) Finding purpose through storytelling and SBS opportunities (00:44:13) Building a career in media, publishing and production (00:48:40) Lessons on opportunity, failure and resilience (00:49:02) Views on work, success and challenging the “hard work” narrative (00:55:26) Family, fatherhood and redefining priorities (00:53:30) The challenge of saying no and creating space for life (01:01:06) Quickfire reflections: identity, misconceptions and personal values (01:02:10) Advice to his younger self and what truly matters (01:08:17) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.