Our country was founded on immigration. The first set of immigrants, Europeans, immigrated to the United States and Africans to the Caribbean islands. This was then followed by citizens from other European countries like Italy, Ireland, and Germany. Immigration continued with people moving from Mexico, China, countries in Eastern Europe, and so many more countries.
Over our very short history, we have accumulated people from all over the world. The “American Dream” has had different variations over the years, but overall it is a representation of starting fresh and new. It’s a dream of not being ruled by a monarchy or the wealthy elite and standing on equal footing.
James Truslow Adams described it as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.”
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Politically, we may be divided. That’s why this The Kitchen without Borders: Recipes and Stories from Refugee and Immigrant Chefs cookbook
and its message are so important. No matter where we are from, we are all humans and we need to listen to each other. Let’s sit, share a meal. and our life stories.
The Kitchen without Borders: Recipes and Stories from Refugee and Immigrant Chefs cookbook was created by a catering company in New York called Eat Offbeat. All the chefs are refugees and immigrants who have found a new home and new hope through cooking.
14 chefs from 13 different countries from around the world are featured in this cookbook. They share some of their most precious recipes and stories of traveling thousands of miles to the United States as refugees and immigrants. This is the opportunity to see immigration in a different and more optimistic light. These stories should be inspiring and show what the American Dream is really about.
I really enjoy that this cookbook dedicates the space and time to showcase each chef equally. Now we can truly understand some of the hardships and reasons why someone would want to come here in the first place. Also, we can acknowledge how important it is to share these dishes and stories with each other. I think this is quite a blessing!
One of my favorite features of this cookbook is the header. We see which chef is the main contributor of that particular recipe and where it originates. It will be interesting to compare and contrast flavors in this cookbook along with flavors we are already used to. Imagine all the possibilities!
There are 70 flavor-packed recipes throughout this cookbook. The dishes provided are from places such as Syria, Iran, Eritrea, Venezuela, and more.
The recipes look complex, but are incredibly easy. Even most of the ingredients are things you would find in your pantry already. Since Eat OffBeat is a catering company, many chefs have been able to compose effortless recipes that can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.
Something to keep in mind is that if you order The Kitchen without Borders: Recipes and Stories from Refugee and Immigrant Chefs cookbook between March 2021 – March 2022, Workman Publishing will donate 2% to the International Rescue Committee (IRC.) This is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid, relief and resettlement to refugees and other victims of oppression or violent conflict, with a minimum contribution of $25,000 USD.
Believe me when I say that The Kitchen without Borders: Recipes and Stories from Refugee and Immigrant Chefs cookbook not only shares the gift of delicious food, but also a lesson. For a moment, we can step into someone else’s shoes and share experiences. Maybe this will encourage us to open the doors to a conversation and not to judge so quickly.
~Kaiti
