Vancouver’s Wildly Popular Dinner Series is Helping Syrian Women Settle Into a New Home

What is Syrian food? It is muttabal shamandar, a velvety dip fragrant with beets, tahini, and olive oil; it is baba ghannouj, a chunky riot of eggplant and bell pepper; it is kebab hindi, tender meatballs swaddled in spicy tomato sauce. To Vancouverites, Syrian food is in part a way to support recently arrived refugees. And to the Syrian women who prepare the food, it is a way to find their footing in a new home. One year ago, Nihal Elwan founded Tayybeh: A Celebration of Syrian Cuisine. With a $500 CAD grant from a local foundation, the Cairo-born international development consultant organized what was to be a one-off dinner to connect Syrians and Canadians. Today, Tayybeh (pronounced tie-beh) holds dinners every six to eight weeks, typically selling out the 150-seat feasts within hours. They’ve also launched a catering company. <a href="https://eagranieyuh.medium.com/vancouvers-wildly-popular-dinner-series-is-helping-syrian-women-settle-into-a-new-home-3fab6030983b">Website</a>