Meet the talented chefs who prepared traditional dishes from the cuisines
of their cultures for our gala event, Local Market, Global Table this week!  

Clockwise from top left:
Rawan and Mazen came from Syria with their three children as refugees, fleeing their home
city of Homs and arriving in New Haven in the Fall of 2015. Rawan attributes her love of cooking
to Mazen, who was a chef in Syria and is now a chef at Bab As Salam, a Syrian restaurant in Orange.
Rawan completed Sanctuary Kitchen’s Kitchen Incubator Program, and now works part-time as a
chef with Sanctuary Kitchen Catering, preparing authentic Syrian cuisine for clients across Greater
New Haven.
 
Badria is originally from Omdurman, near Khartoum, Sudan. When the war reached her home,
she fled the area and took a bus over 1,000 miles to a refugee camp in Darfur. One year later, in the
fall of 2014, she arrived in New Haven with her husband and three children – now five with the birth
of twin girls.  Badria is happy in New Haven and excited to be a part of Sanctuary Kitchen; she is
passionate about cooking, loves to meet new people and share her traditional cuisine with others.
 
Asad and Fatima, originally from Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, arrived in New Haven
in December, 2015 with their daughter and son. Fatima is from a family of 22, and grew up on a large
farm which raised animals and grew wheat and produce. Asad has owned a number of businesses and
has had plenty of experience as a chef. Through Sanctuary Kitchen, Asad and Fatima are excited to share
their traditional food and meet new people, as well as gain experience to reach their goal of starting a
food business in New Haven.

The menu for the evening included:

A cocktail hour of light fare of Syrian Mezze, local cheeses and crudités, Syrian pickled vegetables,
Afghan fruit and saffron preserves, and fresh Naan. A variety of drinks, from Syrian mint-rose lemonade
and Sudanese iced hibiscus tea to delicious farm-to-bar cocktails created by 116 Crown!
Dinner was diverse and delicious, as was expected! Guests enjoyed a buffet of traditional salads, side
dishes, and main courses from Afghan, Syrian, and Sudanese cuisines.
The salads refreshed guests with simple and tasty ingredients in Salata Jarjeel — an Arugula & Sumac
Salad, and Fattoush — a colorful and tangy Syrian salad with a pomegranate vinaigrette.
Entrees comprised skillfully blended flavors in each chef’s take on traditional dishes from their culture.
Guests experienced Afghan dumplings, Mantu and Aushak; Sudanese savory pastries, Sambosa; Syrian
roasted green wheat pilaf, Freekeh maa dajaj, with spiced chicken and toasted nuts; and much more!
For a sweet ending… guests were treated to an assortment of desserts including Syrian seasonal fruit
platters and an orange blossom and sweet cheese dessert called Kunafa, Sudanese Ma’amoul –– date-filled
shortbread cookies, and Afghan butternut squash cake, Kayk Kadoo!
Many thanks to our talented chefs for a brilliant and delicious meal!