Combatting social inequality through a love of food and culture

Shaun Christie-David, Founder and CEO of Plate it Forward and 2020 AMP Foundation Tomorrow Maker awardee, shared his inspiring journey from banking to running a social enterprise. Through his love for food and commitment to breaking the cycle of inequality, Shaun has created a movement that exceeds the culinary realm. Plate it Forward, which started with Colombo Social, has grown to include multiple ventures. Shaun's story is a testament to resilience, cultural exchange, and the power of community support. 

Sean O'Malley: Hi, I'm Sean O'Malley, CEO of AMP Bank. Today I’m with Shaun Christie-David: Founder and CEO of Plate it Forward. Shaun’s been a friend of AMP for many years through the AMP Foundation Tomorrow Makers program, and through his love of food and three restaurants, is on a mission to help break the cycle of inequality. 

Hi Shaun! So tell us about Plate It Forward. What inspired you to come up with this fantastic idea?   

Shaun Christie-David: Exactly this [gestures to dining table with beautiful food]. Sitting around having a meal, sharing connection. What you notice when you're sharing food, is commonality, quality, respect and a curiosity about culture. I find that people aren't racist when they're eating. And you really bring that level of equality out, which is the most important part of it. 

Plate It Forward was a way I could create a conduit for cultural exchange, respect, and genuine human connection. Growing up, watching my mum cook was a way I knew she cared. She no longer had an accent; she was someone people wanted to connect with through food. That sense of love and dignity in every meal is what I want to bring to our tables,- at our restaurants and through every meal we donate.

Our initiative started with Colombo Social and soon grew to include Kabul Social, Kyiv Social, and other ventures, each one a testament to our commitment to addressing food insecurity and creating meaningful employment opportunities. We’ve been fortunate to donate over 560,000 meals, while also using our kitchens to provide ongoing employment for over 200 individuals from marginalised backgrounds. These efforts reflect our core values: Food Security, Training & Education, Employment, and Connection.

What sets us apart is our deep-seated belief in realising the potential of every individual we engage with, whether it’s our dedicated staff or the guests who walk through our doors. We’re not just offering jobs; we’re providing pathways to brighter futures, fostering an environment where dreams can take flight. Every meal we serve is a step towards a more inclusive, compassionate world. This movement supersedes individuals and reflects the collective journey of ethnic and migrant communities.

So whether you dine at our restaurants, participate in our Plate Up Together events, or support our community initiatives, you become part of a movement that transcends the culinary realm. Your involvement helps us demonstrate how every meal, every job and every moment of connection can be a catalyst for positive change.

Sean O'Malley: That’s incredible. And if you don’t mind sharing - what’s your heritage? Where’s your family from?

Shaun Christie-David: So I was born in Australia - I’m a proud western-suburbs Sydney man, but my parents are from Sri Lanka. My mum’s from Colombo. 

Sean O'Malley: Fantastic. Hence Colombo Social I imagine?

Shaun Christie-David: Yes absolutely. 

Sean O'Malley: So I understand you were a banker previously. Hospitality and running a social enterprise is a big jump. Was there a particular moment that lead you to start Plate It Forward? 

Shaun Christie-David: Yes. I suppose my mum had always told me that I was lucky and not special, and that always resonated with me. 

I remember going to Sri Lanka at the age of 28 when I was still at the bank, and recognising the privilege that I had been born into in Australia. And it really made me want to do something. And it was always through food when my mum was cooking that I realised that no one was racist, so I knew that there was something powerful there. 

So I knew that I wanted to give back, but I also wanted it to be sustainable, long term, and empowering. And that's where the concept of opening my first restaurant started. But it took me seven years from ideation to actually opening my first restaurant.

Sean O'Malley: That’s incredible persistence. I’m sure there would have been some setbacks and some obstacles. How did you stay positive and keep things moving forward? 

Shaun Christie-David: When you’re dealing with so much, from the trauma you learn from your staff’s experiences, the challenges of being a small business owner in general, the economic climate and Covid – you learn to be resilient. You learn to take a long-term outlook and realise that the short-term fluctuations are just that – short term. But building a mindset and working out what success looks like – that’s long term. And success doesn't always mean monetary. It could be having staff that are doing well. Being safe and having kids that are going through school and graduating. So having a goal, visualising it, and then staying true to that is the only real way to get through it.

Sean O'Malley: That's inspiring. We were talking earlier about your three restaurants and catering business as well. Tell us about some of the challenges you face each and every day.

Shaun Christie-David: One of the biggest challenges we face every day is the push and pull. When the economy slows down, people stop spending, and one of our biggest revenue stream comes from the hospitality business that supports our charitable work. So we’re making less, but the need for food relief services is more.  So, that’ is always the hardest juggling act. Balancing how we can deliver high quality restaurant meals that bring in the donations when times are tough. 

Sean O'Malley: As a bank, we know customers are struggling with high interest rates and cost of living challenges. Are you seeing a rise in demand from people who need your help? 

Shaun Christie-David: Yes – every day. We're getting phone calls from people that have never, ever asked for food relief. That's the hardest thing to see – that the cost of living has reached that point. We know historically that they were likely just skipping meals. So instead of having three meals, they might just be having one. But now it’s gotten even worse. So for us it’s about ensuring that people have got access to good, quality food for free to ensure that the dignity exists, so they feel comfortable. 

Sean O'Malley: Such important work you’re doing. Now we were talking earlier about your relationship with AMP and the AMP Foundation Tomorrow Makers program. Can you tell us a little about that? 

Shaun Christie-David: Simply put - we wouldn't be where we are today without the AMP Foundation and being awarded as a Tomorrow Maker.

In the early days, I was nervous every time I went to the shops. I was using our personal funds to fund the donation program, but then my card stopped working. I had no money left in the bank. We had drained the business account and our personal account. We were struggling to know where that money was going to come from. And then the AMP Foundation support kicked in.  It allowed us to build our foundations and build our core business. So through the AMP Foundation’s funds, support and mentoring, we were able to invest our time and resources to build a robust framework that is currently being used across Plate It Forward and the restaurant and community support you see today. 

Sean O'Malley: That’s so fantastic to hear. We're all so proud of the work that the AMP Foundation does, supporting inspirational Tomorrow Makers like yourself. So what's next do you think? 

Shaun Christie-David: Well the last six months has really been consolidating our technology systems. As you know in business having the right tech and systems in place is crucial, but usability is key. It doesn’t matter if it’s got all the bells and whistles, it has to be practical and easy to use otherwise it doesn’t work. Many of our staff use different languages, have different levels of literacy, and have all different kinds of backgrounds, so for us it’s important to ensure they all know how to use the technology we’re using. That’s allowed us to now go back into a growth business stage. So that will continue to be a strong focus in the next little while.

Sean O'Malley: Thanks so much for sharing your incredible story Shaun. Truly an inspiration.