Jon Owen
Gourmet Traveller|November 2020
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we meet Wayside Chapel’s chief executive and pastor Jon Owen.
Joanna Hunkin & Kylie Kwong
Jon Owen

With every challenge, comes an opportunity. Which means 2020 has not been without its positives, says Jon Owen, chief executive and pastor of Sydney’s Wayside Chapel.

“We’ve been getting people off the street and into hotel rooms, the Government has been paying for that. It’s been quite an amazing moment to be working in this space. There’s been lots of pleasant surprises through it all,” he says, radiating a charisma so strong, you can feel it even through a glitchy Zoom call.

Wayside Chapel has been a fixture of Sydney’s Kings Cross since 1964 when it first opened its doors to offer a place of sanctuary and support for those who had fallen by the wayside.

“Wayside is this beautiful place where we are the family of humanity. From the person walking out of their apartment in Potts Point to the person waking up in the gutter, you can come to this place where you will be treated as equals.”

This story is from the November 2020 edition of Gourmet Traveller.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 2020 edition of Gourmet Traveller.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GOURMET TRAVELLERView All
From personal experience
Gourmet Traveller

From personal experience

Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.

time-read
8 mins  |
September 2024
Kimberley Moulton
Gourmet Traveller

Kimberley Moulton

Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Tom Wallace
Gourmet Traveller

Tom Wallace

We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024
Best in class
Gourmet Traveller

Best in class

The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
A taste of refuge
Gourmet Traveller

A taste of refuge

Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
BE OUR GUEST
Gourmet Traveller

BE OUR GUEST

Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024
Barcelona BUZZ
Gourmet Traveller

Barcelona BUZZ

A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
HEATHCOTE BOUND
Gourmet Traveller

HEATHCOTE BOUND

MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
The art of...relishing restaurants
Gourmet Traveller

The art of...relishing restaurants

Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
HEART AND SOUL
Gourmet Traveller

HEART AND SOUL

Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024