Registration now open for the January 29, 2024 Tastes of Culture taking place at University College Whitney Hall.
How does food teach us about culture, community and wellness? What stories and social or political contexts shape our relationship with the food that sustains us?
About
UTM International Education Centre and Hart House co-present a multi-session journey to explore and expand our understanding of how food informs culture and wellness. Each session will be an interactive conversation, led by a food and culture expert who will share a recipe that is significant to their culture and personal history.
A Taste Of Culture - A Dining Experience featuring Multi-Ethnic African Cuisine
Join renowned food advocate and educator Chef Bashir Munye and Holistic Nutritionist Idil Fahar for A Taste of Culture- A Dining Experience featuring Multi-Ethnic African Cuisine. Both Chef Bashir and Idil will pay homage to their East African Nomadic roots as they take you on a culinary journey of the many different multi-ethnic cuisines of Africa. Using various recipes from across the continent, they will tell the story of culture, wellness and resilience through food.
Participants will join Chef Bashir and Idil in cooking a full course meal featuring foods from East, West, Central and Northern Africa. Food or ingredients used in this recipe will initiate the conversation around the significance of specific ingredients in histories, cultures, and communities.
This event is for students from all three of U of T's campuses!
Menu
The experience will feature the following menu:
- Ye’Abasha Gomen- Ethiopian Collard Greens
- Herrissa Chicken Stew / Hearty Herrissa Vegetable Stew (vegan option)
- Za’atar Cauliflower Steaks
- Spice Sobolo Punch - Spiced Hibiscus Punch
- Tiger Nut Milk
- Somali Mendzi + Timir- Puff Puffs + Dates
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Session Facilitators
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Bashir Munye a.k.a. Chef Bashir
Chef
Chef Bashir Munye is part of a new generation of Toronto chefs who are inspired by global cuisine while creating the future of local and sustainable food ideas.
A true global child, Bashir’s experience of food embraces many geographical and cultural boundaries.
Born in Somalia, and raised in Italy, he has called Toronto home for the past 28 years. Growing up in the Mediterranean, fresh, seasonal foods were the norm but oftentimes he was disconnected from culturally appropriate foods such as callaloo, okra, and garden eggs, grown in an ecologically farming method. Chef Bashir has been volunteering and supporting BCCF for many years. Now he is excited about his role as the Value-Added coordinator at BCCF, as he is hungry to reconnect to local farming while seeking to learn and contribute to food justice in the community. Bashir will be using his expertise as a chef and culinary instructor to lead the development of a financially sustainable model for creating delicious preserves, pickles, sauces and more made from BCCF’s farm-grown produce. He is a believer that food is a fundamental human right and advocates for access to good quality food for everyone.
Currently, Bashir is a culinary professor at George Brown College, a food consultant/ recipe developer, and an academic researcher.
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Idil Fahr
Nutritionist and Cultural Food Expert
Idil, a dedicated registered nutritionist and cultural food expert, leads the charge in the health and wellness arena with a strong commitment to fostering inclusivity. Her unwavering mission is to connect the dots between food, culture, race, and social justice, achieved through impactful collaborations with community and nonprofit organizations, as well as the Toronto and Peel District School Boards.
Drawing from her immigrant background, Idil's formative experiences have ignited a profound passion for health equity, food justice, and making wellness accessible to all. These personal experiences serve as the driving force behind her tireless efforts to help people nourish not only their bodies but also their communities.
Idil's work revolves around the intersection of food, culture, and wellness. She empowers individuals to lead healthier and more purposeful lives through community building, education, self-discovery, and self-advocacy
Partners
