Meet Kon, founder and CEO of the ASRC
Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM is the founder and CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC). As a fierce advocate for the rights of people seeking asylum, refugees, and Indigenous Australians, Kon has dedicated his life to fighting for social justice. His commitment to human rights extends beyond his role at the ASRC - he is also a human rights lawyer, social worker, philanthropist, Board Member of Children’s Ground, and a devoted cooking enthusiast.
Kon finds joy in cooking, particularly Greek cuisine, and frequently hosts fundraising dinners for causes like supporting women affected by domestic violence. Kon is a twice-published author, his most recent work is a Greek cookbook, ‘Philoxenia – A Seat At My Table’, co-authored with his mother, that pays homage to his family’s Greek culture.
The recipes you will find in this book were generously gifted by Kon and his mother, Sia, with the endorsement of his publisher Hardie Grant. We would like to thank Kon, Sia, the team at Hardie Grant and photographer Sarah Pannell for contributing to Feast for Freedom 2025. If you would like to access more of Kon and Sia’s recipes, you can find their most recent book ‘Philoxenia – A Seat At My Table’ in your nearest bookstore.
Kon's Recipes
Zucchini, pomegranate and goat's cheese salad
Complexity ⭐ (Easy)
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchinis, peeled horizontally into strips
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- seeds of 1/2 pomegranate
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint
- 20 g pine nuts, toasted
- 75 g goat's cheese
Loukoumades | Honey balls
Complexity ⭐⭐ (Medium)
Ingredients
- 25 g wet or dried yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 580 ml (2 1/3 cups) warm water
- 500 g self-raising flour
Walnut Mix
- 125 g (1 cup) walnuts
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve
Honey Mix
- 200 g honey, plus extra to serve
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) water
- wedge of lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 litre canola oil, for frying
