How This Refugee-Run Kitchen is Revolutionizing the Restaurant Industry
Refugees and immigrants are unsung heroes within the food industry, often relegated to unseen back-of-house positions. But at Flavors From Afar, a restaurant featuring a rotating international menu, refugees take the center stage. The menu here is an evolving tapestry of global cuisines from Belize, Guatemala, Venezuela, Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, and more. And behind each intricately crafted dish lies a captivating story - the tale of a refugee chef who has found a fresh lease of life in the U.S.
Founded by Meymuna Hussein-Cattan and her mother Owliya Dima, a Somali refugee, Flavors From Afar emerged from the Tiyya Foundation, with a mission to provide resources and support to displaced refugees and asylum seekers.
Among the chefs is Menal, an Eritrean refugee who, after a perilous journey to the U.S., found solace and a second home at Flavors From Afar. Chefs like Menal don't only receive fair compensation and recognition, they savor success with commissions earned from every signature dish enjoyed by their patrons. Together, these talented chefs create a space where food and compassion intertwine to form something truly powerful.
For More Information:
www.flavorsfromafar.co/
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*“Can you imagine food in America without the flavors brought in from refugees and immigrants?”*
Yes.
Yes. All you need to do is read a single colonial cookbook. We would not be any worse off without them.
Please ban the negative nancies like @ChaosSwissroIl from your lovely channel, they are bringing the vibe down.
Let's see, we wouldn't have pizza, hamburgers, brisket, fries, tacos, teriyaki, sweet n sour chicken, curry, chili, and the list goes on.
@@xirfan Typical. Your ideas can't win in the marketplace of ideas so you want to silence any opposition.
When I was a kid we ate differently than everyone else. It never occurred to me that I was bringing anything new to the lunchroom. It wasn't new to me, and my grandparents told me the only reason anyone said anything was because they were jealous. lol So I brushed anything anyone said or did as weird jealous behavior! lol Thank you to my grandparents who created courage without me even knowing it.
Oh man, I wish I could at least smell the cooking! 🥺 I believe that food is one of the best ways to unite people.
As a first generation Eritrean-American, this is the last thing I expected to see on this channel. And I’m not complaining one bit.
Thanks for sharing this! I absolutely love trying new cuisines. It warmed my heart to see these immigrants being recognized for their contributions.
the love in these videos is unmatched !!
I appreciate that they both highlight the refugee chefs but also chef Kenna, who truly does have a uniquely challenging job. Not every chef has such a rotating variety of recipes and cultures to learn and make viable in a commercial setting, and it sounds like she does a great job!
Glad their business survived the pandemic 😮
incredible stories incredible food wow thank you for sharing!!! ❤❤
Unfortunate missed opportunity to name this video... "Chefugees"
Hey I know that these videos aren't the most popular in the lineup, but as a refugee who came here as a kid, thank you guys for making these. These stories are so important to tell.
Great work being done here. Everyone has to start somewhere. Investing in people.
I loves these videos Awesome channel the best
So important sharing these stories. You can learn everything about a culture and people through their food. The traditions, spices, ingredients, preparation, all can tell a story and opens a world of geographical and cultural insight
Meymuna is such a beautiful person. Experiencing difficulties and aiming to make better experiences for other people is so special. These individuals are truly food heroes
Start doing these outside of LA and I guarantee you people will flock to it.
Dope. Respect
This series is the best series on KZhead. Thank you for sharing stories that should be heard by all. Thank you!!
Love these stories!
Thank you for your stories that need to be shared.
I loved sharing my food at school break for something else. Of course I want something of your fresh lahmacun your grandma made instead of my sandwich I ate a thousand times before❤
The food looks so good
Trust me, it is. Although considering that I’m Eritrean, I may be biased.
Menal is stunning.
Absolutely. Was she and her twin, Kerry Washington, separated at birth?!
The food looks amazing! My mouth is watering.
Love this. Fantastic content and movement!
O man, this is killing me b/c I'm so hungry right now! Love it..
Thank you for this beautiful video highlighting the drive and hard work of refugees and immigrants! The downvotes and hostile comments make me sad. Those praising the Colonial settlers/colonizers would do well to remember the fact that the Pilgrims would have starved to death in the Massachusetts winter of 1620-21 if not for the kindness of the Wampanoag people who were "immigrants" who crossed over the Bering Land Bridge thousands of years ago. Also, for those bemoaning crime waves 'caused by immigrants,' there is a July 2023 study out of Stanford by economist Ran Abramitzky and his co-authors that details that first-generation immigrants have not been more likely to be imprisoned than people born in the United States since 1880. (I'm of mostly European descent myself with a tiny amount of Stockbridge Indian, and don't begrudge refugees and immigrants, as that is how my family came to be here too.)
love this story, glad you told it.
These women are amazing!!!
And we’re gonna give you back love.
This speaks to my heart. So wonderful and wonderous the kindness to let refugees in ones home and then another group giving them experience in a restaurant kitchen. 🥰
More of THIS!
Memphis has a similar concept at Global Cafe
This is such a beautiful thing to hear and see... I love those unprect English accents music to my ears... Keep up the good work with humanity you guys are doing color blind.
13.2 million subs and 24 thousand views 1.6 likes 245 comments in 24hrs Something isn't adding up! What's happening? LOL
Hot ones make a lot of videos that barely get any views. Most of their viewership comes from whatever celebrity they have on in a specific video. I don't think they have many loyal fans who watch every single video
I wish people would get behind their independent videos more too 😕, I watch everything cause it’s all interesting if you really sit down and watch
Food is love
❤
Saul needs some home cooked korean food for sure 😂
It is a shame that more subscribers don't care to hear these stories
This is Beautiful…The REAL America The Beautiful 🇺🇸 🤘🏻❤️🤍💙
Dope
Literal tears. I'm so glad to have learned about this place.
This is my new favorite series. I hope you put it into a playlist so nobody misses one.
If you liked this, scroll back 6 years and check out their "Food Grails" playlist. This "Food Heroes" title kinda seems like a successor to that series, which was also fantastic.
Bravo! Immigrants truly make us unique and bring so many wonderful things with them. I love how you can see their lives and countries in their food.
Where is this?
We need this in Canada
We have a restaurant like this in my town that brings in new immigrant chefs each week. I was skeptical at first, but man do they put out some delicious, authentic meals.
Is Menal single? ♥ from India
So jealous of Kenna Copes, getting to learn and hold all of these authentic recipes
This is the best series FWF has probably ever done since Hot Ones.
gotta sharpen those knives fellas and lasses.... no way she should have to saw at that pepper if she had a good knife.... just sayin. Good work though..
I would love to start an initiative like this in the uk 💜💜💜
Didn't you have a riot in South London in December that was all Eritrean "refugees"?? And wasn't there an insane riot in the Hague of Eritreans just LAST WEEK?? Oh hey but at least there is tasty food
@@listenherejack And a huge spike in violent crime. Diversity is out strength! 🏳️🌈 🤓
Wow! I wanted to see the food! Great video.
Beautiful!! The food looks amazing!!
That is a unique restaurant. Kudos
LOOKS DELICIOUS 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
You all should visit Yassin's Falafel House in Knoxville, TN. Yassin is a gift of a human.
So beautiful
This is a genius idea! I wish we had something like this here in Lincoln.
Apparently they've figured out how to pass the results of onions being cut through the tubes. What a feel good story, sorely needed to counterbalance all the immigrant hate going around.
My home town has a successful “food court” with cooks from all of the most vibrant refugee populations in the city. It’s a great launch pad for incredible chefs with niche cuisines
What a great concept, and you get to taste different foods from different cultures
Recipes exist.
@@ChaosSwissroIloh yes, the americanized recipes do exist
@@reviseandrise You keep being an idiot. Why?
@@reviseandrise Why are you implying that they're illiterate and therefore unable to write recipes?
@ChaosSwissroIl no, I mean they americanize it for the standard american flavor palate. Anyone who has cooked in restaurants knows this
"You don't have to live like a refuge!" Tom Petty. I hope I can continue to eat like a refuge!:)
You're pathetic.
Very very Good🎉
Wypipo don season dey food
Why not give them more than 5% of the proceeds then🤔
What do you mean?
@MissHoneyOnline exactly what I wrote.. they are 100% creativity why only 5% go to the migrants?
@joeburly is a non profit
@@joeburly but is it that they’re not getting paid and getting 5% of earnings? Or 5% or profits?
@joeburly true but not what you implied
Love from Ethiopia😊😊😊😊
Good lord, the hateful comments are sickening.
By that same logic you're a hateful person for having a lock on your doors.
These negative and sad people have the need to be right all the time, even when they're wrong. Btw, we are all immigrants here in America, including white people. Except Native Americans and Native Mexicans. Has anybody read the colonial cookbooks? There are recipes that are very bland, coming from European countries. Non white immigrants brought flavor.
@@ChaosSwissroIl Straw man argument coming from the village idiot. Not worth my time.
@@ChaosSwissroIl Straw man nonsense coming from a bigot. Not worth my time.
@@l3ete1geuseexcellent choice. These bigots are wildin out these days.
amazing!!
Really loving this series. Every episode has been great. Only thing I hate is how far away some of these spots are. A rotating menu every month sounds crazy good but it's across the country
LOL IT'S THE MEME "guys you gotta let people into the country because the food is sooooo good"
It really is.
Refugees welcome, diversity IS strength!
❤❤❤❤❤
So, are these workers here legally, working on work visas, and or are US citizens?
Go. Away.
🥳
❤❤❤
What a fabulous idea 😊
This is such a wonderful episode. This country's food palate would be so bland without immigrants❤
Only an idiot thinks this way.
Read a colonial cookbook instead of anti-american propaganda. You're wrong. Also recipes exist so there is literally no reason for them to be here.
Says you
@@bannedfromisrael says anyone with advanced taste buds
@@reviseandrise Says the person's whose tastebuds are so run through that they can't taste chicken.
Fourth viewer!!
This is an amazing story!
@@lcweinstock Did you facetiously respond to your own offensively mid comment?
I was that kid who got made fun of at lunch because my mom packed Indian food. Now hipster white people act like created Indian culture and cuisines
I'm so glad Greg Abbott took control of the border.
Build the wall
MUH DIVERSITY
No one is forcing you to be here. I you don't like it, don't watch it.
@@l3ete1geuse I'll do what I want
@@l3ete1geuseJust like no one forced you to get offended at his comment and reply.
@@Chevalier1632 You assume too much. Makes me laugh how thin skinned bigots are and they try to project that onto the people that call them out on their douchebagery.
@@Chevalier1632 I think you project too much.
If they came through a legal port of entry then welcome, I hope they make a wonderful life for themselves here.
Food doesn't look nearly as good as Melissa Stratton in her "films" hahahahah.
Stop being demonic
Must be why our borders are open and politicians love it.
@@notmyrealhandle Literally an irrelevant poem that was tacked on 30 years later... You might as well be quoting a marvel movie.
@@notmyrealhandle But, I guess you're right. It is pretty woke to skinsuit things you didn't make in order to promote The Message.
I do a push up for every like this comment gets💪💀
Try 16 minutes of one pump Pistons
racists in the comments here
they really populate first we feast. i wonder why....
@@bust0neI see them in the craziest places on YT these days. Basically any time there is a brown person, a woman, or an LGBTQIA+ person highlighted in a video, you’re gonna find these folks letting you know how offended they are. Honestly it’s become like a mental disorder for them.
I bet you only use salt and pepper in your food 😂
Full woke 🤮
You lack education
@@reviseandriseNever confuse intelligence with education.
@@reviseandrise You lack testicular fortitude.
I’m glad you’re upset.
Ah yes, immigrants making an honest living while celebrating their culture is woke
Being promised handouts and then relocating to get free money doesn't make you a refugee...
Based. The Irish actually went through what people pretend the felon invaders are going through.
@@Dan-pt2tnreal Irish people reject your idiotic bigotry.
@@joeburly Yeah that's working out real well over in Ireland right now isn't it? All the riots and anti-invader protests. It's called history, smooth-brain. Read it. Check out the old signs and treatment the Irish walked off the boat into. Hint, it's not free housing, tens of millions in prepaid debit cards, immediate voting rights in a foreign country, a government pouring $400 billion annually into you, and better healthcare benefits than half of the born citizens and actual legitimate immigrants. Maybe make an attempt at critical thought instead of thinking as you're commanded to by a class who already genuinely hates you. Might pan out for you in life, who knows.
Too bad we only hear about the few refugees that have committed crime instead of hearing more stories like this.
The "few"? AhahahahahH
@@ChirpyMike compared to the number of good people coming here, yes a few.
You mistook "most" with few.
You pronounced Illegal Aliens wrong, this video is democrat propaganda
Your blood pressure is probably high 😂. You unhappy person
Found the brain dead loser
I think you mean destroying.
explain
@@ooba8030 They won't explain because it will expose their bigotry.
@@l3ete1geuseIt's very obvious that this is a subtle politically charged video in favor of the enormous migrant invasion down south. It's why you guys always have to operate in a pool of semantics to try and twist the narrative. Acting as if it's immigrants in general people have issue with and not the illegal economic migrant movement that you guys can't even say the words because it would make it impossible to argue against.
racist pos
Go crawl back under your rock and never come out.
She related to saddam? 😅😅😅😅
racist pos
Please stop... please.
Why? How is this negatively affecting you or anyone else?
@@reviseandrise How does John setting fire to a forest he owns for literally no reason affect you or anyone else? People being directly affected is not the metric by which morality or the correct course of action are evaluated. Wasting resources is wrong. To answer your question more directly, importing people who are worse than the average citizen in terms of productivity and voting habits results in a decrease in the per-capita GDP and therefore a decrease in the standard of living. The markets have 18 years to adjust to a citizen, but they have to adapt literally overnight for an immigrant. Wants are infinite and resources are finite.
This reads as if a white person wrote this comment 😂
@@ChaosSwissroIl how are the people in this video "worse than the average citizen"?
@ChaosSwissroIl Yeah brother I'm gonna stop you right there. You really overestimate the average person in the U.S.A.
Democrat propaganda
This channel is professionalizing victimhood.
Who is acting the victim in this video?
You are doing it for free.
Where did the video hurt you, sweetie?
Im done with this channel after this video
and nothing was lost
Bye Felicia
No judgement, just curious why?
@@jasonbucy because Hot Ones used to be great, but Sean Evans sold his soul for the shekels and full woke agenda
@@that1electrician "fellas, is it WOKE to eat food?"
Go woke go broke
racist pos
after all the previous videos of this series being wholesome bangers, this is plain boring cause this woman is boring. wholesome, yes. entertaining, not at all.
Hey dude, get a normal haircut. You're seeking attention.