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august 2025
A soul-first cultural ritual. Part cinematic dinner party. Part unscripted drama. Part modern myth in the making. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Ichigo Ichie (一期一会), — a phrase meaning “one time, one meeting” — each episode captures seven strangers in a fleeting moment that can never be repeated. The food is exquisite. The setting is intimate. But the true experience lies in the human encounter. A guest chef prepares the meal — sometimes famous, sometimes unsung — always in service of something far deeper than cuisine. This isn’t about food. It’s about what happens when bread is broken — and walls come down.
Steve George Makris, creator of The Seventh Seat™, began at 17 in Australian fashion, working behind the scenes in design and production.His path, always driven by instinct, not a rigid plan, spanned fashion, interiors, hospitality, and property.
In the late ’90s, he founded Farfetched, sourcing handmade homewares from all corners of the world. Years on the road immersed him in craftsmanship and untold stories—collecting narratives as much as objects.
Steve’s journey was never linear: peaks, resets, pauses. He grew up around family-owned bars, clubs, and nightclubs, which later evolved into his own popular hospitality ventures. These experiences shaped his deep understanding of spaces, how people gather, how energy flows, and how stories unfold when the environment is just right.
Throughout his life, Steve has lived in remote Australian bushland, Indigenous communities, sacred Amazonian lands, monasteries in Mount Athos, and ashrams across India. He sought out quiet teachers, elders, monks, and shamans, learning not from textbooks but from lived experience. These moments rewired how he listened, how he observed, and how he holds space for others.
By 2021, Steve stepped back and embarked on a solo 4WD odyssey across Australia’s remotest corners. In solitude, under vast skies, on forgotten roads, he reconnected with himself. Through journaling, The Seventh Seat crystallised: a space for extraordinary stories outside the headlines—voices absent from books or media.
The 8th Voice naturally flows from The Seventh Seat. It is not separate—it is the continuation of the conversation, a space where the stories live on, echo, and reach wider audiences. Together, they form one experience: being fully present, listening deeply, and holding space for the stories that shape us.
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I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands where I have lived, travelled, and worked across Australia. I pay my deepest respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and I recognise their enduring connection to Country, culture, and spirit. Sovereignty was never ceded.
I also honour the Indigenous and ancestral communities I’ve been privileged to encounter around the world — from the Amazon to India, and in remote mountain regions. I am profoundly grateful to the Elders, spiritual custodians, and everyday guides who welcomed me into their spaces and generously shared their wisdom.