There are many ways Sebastian Pasinetti could be described – a proud Queer man, a chef, a writer, a mental health advocate and a community builder. At the centre of it all, though, is something quieter and more defining: a deep, instinctive care for others. It’s evident in how he listens, how he communicates and how he shows up for people.

Of Italian and West African heritage, Sebastian’s family migration story stretches from post-war Italy to Ghana before settling in Australia. Those layered roots, alongside a non-linear professional path, have shaped his belief that complexity is not something to flatten or explain away, but something to honour. A respect for resilience, community and the connective power of food underpins both how he works and what he builds.

Through his writing, Sebastian creates space for others to feel seen. From his Substack, Without Permission – where he writes on labour, culture and care without translation or softening – to his bylines with Broadsheet exploring the hospitality industry, his work reflects an attentiveness to lived experience, voice and the conditions people work and live within.

Sebastian is invested in building work that is locally grounded yet informed by global, diasporic perspectives. He advocates for an industry that trusts lived experience and creates clearer pathways for emerging creatives – one that reflects Australia as it truly is, layered and multicultural.