Six restaurants in Strasbourg threw open their kitchens to refugee chefs in the run-up to Christmas, allowing them to serve the dishes of their homeland and bring together different cultures through food. the Refugee Food Festival was the initiative of Food Sweet Food, an organization that specializes in forming connections between people through culinary events, books and documentaries, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
The goal was to change the way refugees are perceived, while allowing residents enjoying Strasbourg’s seasonal festivities to taste new flavours and discover other cuisines. «The Refugee Food Festival is a reminder that behind the refugee crisis are women, children and men coming to France with talents, professions and valuable skills, which are only waiting to be uncovered,» says Marine Mandrila, who co-founded Food Sweet Food with fellow Parisian Louis Martine.