Feast for Freedom
On the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, and the power of food
Food brings me immeasurable joy, and I choose to frame my life through this. I awaken in deep conversation with myself about the possibilities of breakfast, at once taking an internal stocktake of the contents of my fridge, pantry and garden, planning the most elegant and satisfying utilisation of what I possess. The dialogue flows through lunch, and into the early evening. By 6pm I’m ideally in my kitchen, the surfaces and sink clean, calmly putting together the components of dinner. This is my blessed ritual, and this is how I find the mental clarity to exist in this, candidly, increasingly rancid world.
To say that food is my obsession is wrong; an obsession implies an improper or undue focus on one component of my life, whereas in truth, there is only one component of my life. It is food. Food is how I show love, food is how I celebrate, food is how I commiserate. It is the vortex through which all things in my orbit travel, and the guiding principle for the fleeting few redeeming qualities I believe I possess; generosity, worldliness, empathy. All learnt through food.
Save for a few desperate moments in my years as an aspirant European vagabond, I have never really experienced food insecurity. Surely, there have been periods in which I have had no money, or very little to eat, but I have never known a world where no one cared enough to help. I cannot imagine the anguish, shame and sense of helplessness that those who experience food insecurity go through, much less those already dealing with the trauma of escaping violence and oppression in their home countries.
But there are those amongst us that commit their lives to being a solution to these issues, and surely they are the saints that walk amongst us. This past Wednesday I was privileged to be in attendance at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray for the launch of the 2024 Feast for Freedom program. The concept behind Feast for Freedom resonates so deeply with me because it is an expression of all of the things I believe to be true and wonderful about food. Hosts register to organise a feast where they cook recipes from ASRC representatives, whether it be in their home, workplace or community group, and collect donations from their guests to donate to the ASRC.
The program is an incredible way to connect not only with the cuisine of the cooks gifting their recipes, but their stories as well. We heard the story of Harchana, who escaped an abusive situation in Malaysia and arrived in Australia as a refugee four years ago. In that time, Harchana leant on the ASRC, who not only gave her aid and support, but a place to nourish her passion for cooking. Rising from a kitchen hand to a leader at the ASRC kitchen, Harchana now studies her Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery, and aims to continue her career as a chef there. I’m of the firm belief that rendang is one of the 10 great dishes of human civilization, and possessing Harchana’s recipe is reason enough to host a feast; ethereally deep in flavour, a profound sweet and savouriness entangled in a fragrant coconut dance. Served alongside beautifully fluffy spiced ghee rice, it was a genuine pleasure to eat such heartfelt and authentic cooking.
The other cook headlining Feast for Freedom is Reveka, whose verve and joyful energy belies a similarly troubled background. Reveka escaped her native Venezuela in 2015, where her life became endangered due to her political activism. Reveka’s passion is infectious; she speaks with such soulful worldliness for such a young person, and the pride she has in the traditional cuisine of Venezuela is undeniable. Reveka’s dishes were delightful, in particular her incredible stuffed arepas; to the room’s delight, Reveka announced that she had recently taken out a lease for a stall at Footscray market, where her Venezuelan street food will now be available to the public. Reveka’s is a meritorious story of determination, and a testament to the guiding power of the ASRC; not just a place for aid, but a place that can realign the trajectory of a person’s life.
Finally, we were treated to an address from CEO of the ASRC, Kon Karapanagiotidis. To those familiar with Kon, he needs no introduction, and is one of the truly outstanding advocates for humanity we have in our country. To those unfamiliar, imagine a beaming beacon of warmth and wisdom, speaking with the grace of a Euripidean poet, and the power of a town crier. He is a marvel, and a true inspiration. Our MC attempted to hand Kon a microphone, but he neither needed or wanted one; it would only inhibit his dramatic hand movements and the directness of his message.
Kon believes in hope and the uniting power of food. In a world increasngly divided, where so many are deprived of the basic human essentials of care and nourishment, his message needs to be heard louder now than ever. The ASRC regularly hosts events and fundraisers, and they are tremendous opportunities to connect to the community for a worthy cause; but it is always an added bonus to hear Kon speak.
I’d encourage all of my subscribers to check out Feast for Freedom. You don’t need to be an amazing cook, or even have a huge amount of friends; it’s a fantastic, relaxed way to contribute to a worthy cause. With all of the pain in the world right now, it’s easy to get disheartened and give up, but by sharing a table and some recipes, you can make the world just a tiny bit easier for a person in need.
Feast for Freedom runs from Monday 18 – Sunday 24 March, 2024.
Each Host can choose the day and time they would like to hold their Feast, and most have their Feast during the Feast Week. If you are eager to host a Feast but are not free that week, you can host your Feast at a time that suits.