Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Kamal Mouzawak. Chef. Writer. Culinary activist. Beirut.





The Brownbook Urban Series.

Kamal on (my fave) Anthony Bourdain's No Resevations - Back To Beirut episode.

Kamal Mouzawak created the first farmers’ market in Beirut, called Souk el-Tayeb (tayeb means ”tasting good” in Lebanese), helping to preserve the food traditions/culture of sustainable agriculture in Lebanon. Kamal works to protect the interests of small, local farmers and producers, enabling them to sell their products directly at the market, thus ensuring a fair price for their goods. "In a country as divided as Lebanon, nothing can bring people together as much as the land and food”, said Mouzawak. Souk el-Tayeb has evolved into a network of 100 members serving over 350 farmers, at three different farmers markets, and has collaborated with similar agricultural initiatives in neighboring countries. Souk el-Tayeb has expanded its operations to include educational programs in local schools and food festivals across the country to celebrate Lebanon’s culinary heritage. Kamal comes from a family of farmers, which is why he has such a deep appreciation for his country's rich diversity of naturally grown foods. His restaurant, Tawlet (“table” in Arabic), located in Beirut, offers Lebanon’s artisan food producers/cooks from different regions, the opportunity to showcase their traditional dishes on a rotating basis. Radness.

Watch MONOCLE's feature on Kamal here.

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