At Flavors From Afar, Refugees Run the Kitchen | Bon Appétit
"Opened in March 2020 by Meymuna Hussein-Cattan and Christian Davis in a sunlit space in the Fairfax district of Hollywood, this restaurant pairs a staple menu of customer favorites with a monthly residency that invites refugee and asylum-seeker chefs to share home-cooked meals. One of the most popular entrées is tender lamb shanks that melt into an Egyptian gravy and soak up a fluffy rice pilaf. Past guest dishes have included Chechen manti dumplings, Lebanese ouze, and Kenyan coconut tilapia, creating a diversity of cuisine rarely found elsewhere. Most guest chefs are discovered through the founder’s nonprofit, and the operation is intentionally self-sustaining: 40 percent of profits go back to the nonprofit’s programming. Dining here is described as both nourishing and heartening, with an emphasis on respect for refugee stories and cultural exchange." - ByKaila Yu
