A Seat at My Table: Philoxenia

Join Kon Karapanagiotidis at his table in A Seat at My Table: Philoxenia, a beautiful and inspiring Greek vegetarian and vegan cookbook. Featuring more than 100 recipes passed down through the generations, this book will teach you to cook with community at your heart, filled with the knowledge and wisdom of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s (ASRC) inspiring founder and his mother, Sia.

‘Philoxenia’ means to welcome a stranger. It’s a message that pervades Greek culture and cooking. Chapter by chapter, this heartfelt book unfolds incredible meals drawn from this powerful philosophy, as well as from the love, hope and resilience that represent Kon’s own grandparents’ survival as refugees. Learn to make the dishes that line a mezze platter, including fresh tzatziki, golden saganaki and cheese-filled zucchini flowers, or veganise heavier dishes, such as moussaka and spanakopita. There are ample salads to serve up for lunch, highlighting everything from Ancient Greek grains, zucchini and artichoke to goat’s cheese, fig and pomegranate, as well as mouth-watering desserts (think Greek classics, such as loukoumades and baklava, as well as Greek-style coffees). Every vegetarian recipe includes instructions to make your dishes vegan or gluten-free. You’ll even find tips on minimising waste and gardening, courtesy of Sia, and Kon’s father, Leo.

The ASRC is dedicated to standing with refugees and people seeking asylum to realise their rights and potential, and values the incredible resilience we share as humans, as well as our connection through food. Learn how you, too, can welcome your community to your table with A Seat at My Table: Philoxenia.

Kon will donate 100 per cent of his proceeds from the book to the ASRC, with Hardie Grant also giving $1 from each book sold.

About the Author

Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM is the CEO and founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and a fierce advocate for the rights of people seeking asylum, refugees, and Indigenous Australians. Kon is also a human rights lawyer, social worker, Board Member for Children’s Ground, philanthropist and cooking enthusiast.