February 8th, 2026: Cultural Food Traditions Project: Palestine
Date: Sunday February 8th
Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Lakeside Park Garden Center, Oakland
Get your tickets and RSVP here.
When countries experience on-the-ground armed invasion and occupation, every facet of culture is impacted, not least of all foodways. When people are dispossessed and communities destroyed, what becomes of cultural food knowledge that has been practiced for generations? Of rituals and traditions that celebrate harvests or holidays? And what of agricultural land and its stewards who have been impacted by genocide and displacement? These effects ripple out infinitely, permanently altering these regions’ food, landscape, and people.
Join us to explore these questions and learn how communities are fighting to keep their food culture alive throughout the diaspora, at the second of three gatherings in our “Countries in Conflict” Cultural Food Traditions Project series, featuring Palestine and Chef Nicole Garcia of Asukar. Chef Nikki will share her Palestinian heritage through a multi course meal, ranging from mezze to maqluba to baklawa.
We recognize that Palestine and the ongoing occupation does not fit neatly under the larger umbrella of “Countries in Conflict,” though that is how we titled this current series of CFTP dinners. In light of that, we look forward to welcoming Chef Nikki alongside Nadia Barhoum of Thurayya Seeds and Abdul Rahim of Jerusalem Coffee House for the conversation portion of the evening. They will share the deep history of Palestinian food, the current genocide’s effect on the broader food system and culture and the ways in which Palestinians throughout the diaspora are working to keep foodways thriving.
Throughout the evening, you'll get to imbibe in wines from Palestinian winemaker Terah Bajjalieh, fruit drinks from Chef Nikki and a coffee service from Jerusalem Coffee House.
We will share our beneficiary for the evening as well as the menu soon!
Pricing:
We're committed to being and building an inclusive community while also making the event sustainable for the chefs. Everyone is welcome at our table and to help that happen we offer sliding scale tickets prices which include dinner, drinks (alcoholic & non) and stimulating discussion.
$110 - A portion of your ticket subsidizes someone who can pay less.
$85 - If you earn a living wage this ticket helps the chefs do the same.
$50 - Join Us! We are grateful that you choose to spend your money on this important work and are thrilled to have you at the table.
If you are feeling inspired to come but $55 doesn’t work, please email us at slowfoodeastbay@gmail.com
Slow Food East Bay’s Cultural Food Traditions Project celebrates the cultural food traditions of immigrants, refugees and displaced people, learning how food helps people stay connected to homeland and also engage with new communities. Attendees will be inspired by stories from chefs and community organizations, learning how diversity and migration are integral to our food system – from ages of travelers sharing seeds to immigrant farm and restaurant labor to the delicious varieties of foods available on every block today.
As our political & social discourse gets ever more polarized, it becomes more and more important to have places where we can have meaningful gathering, discover inherent relations to one another, and build empathy for each other. Join us for an evening of flavorful food paired with just as flavorful conversation, leaving with both your belly and mind full.
