The Refugee Food Festival Is Coming Back To Athens

For the second time since it was founded in 2015, the Refugee Food Festival is coming to Greece. This year, from June 19-24, refugee chefs will be the guests of honor in several restaurants in Athens and in Mytilene (Lesvos) to collaborate with Greek chefs and show off their culinary skills whilst making their home countries known through their cuisine.

An opportunity to exchange, share, and learn

A non-profit international organization in its third year, the Refugee Food Festival is an initiative launched by Food Sweet Food and co-organized by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The event is happening simultaneously across several cities across the world, including New York City, Cape Town, Paris, Amsterdam, Bologna, Marseille and Madrid. Over 5 nights, guest chefs ailing from Syria, Iraq, Morocco, Iran and Eritrea, will prepare a set of menus or will be given carte blanche to concoct a series of traditional dishes from their own countries as a way to promote the integration of refugees into society and make their stories known. Want to be part of the conversation? All you have to do is to book a seat (or two) at one of the six participating restaurants for a unique culinary trip around the world.

Adel Al Ahmad at Vasilenas with Chef Manos

Greece, which has experienced a large influx of immigrants in recent years, has generally responded with compassion, welcoming them with open arms. Unfortunately, the majority of refugees are struggling to adapt to their new country, suffering from xenophobia and racism, and the constant threat of being repatriated. This creative initiative aims to break down the stereotypes, and allow residents and visitors to get acquainted with their respective cultures.

On June 19, Bluefish opens its door to Seinat Naftalem, a vibrant woman who has been cooking for private events via Options FoodLab since her arrival in Athens, and hopes to open her own Eritrean restaurant. Then there’s Adel Al Ahmad, a Basra-native from Iraq, as passionate about food as he is about cars. He will be cooking at Vassilenas, in Ilissia.

Enjoy some delicious Moroccan flavors at Scala Vinoteca courtesy of Turia Besbas, a polyglot and member of Options FoodLab from Morocco who plans to open her restaurant in Athens soon. If you head to Mama Roux on Thursday and Friday, then you will get to experience Iraqi cuisine by mother of two, Roaa Sabah; an expert chef who knows her way around Iraqi and Greek cuisine, as well as pastry.

Business Communication major Barshank Haj Younes, who studies at the American College of Greece, will take you on a trip to his native Syria at Ama Lachei in Exarcheia. Finally, if you have always been curious to try some Iranian food, Mahboubeh Tavakoli, a fascinating female chef involved in several NGOs and associations, will be heading up the kitchen of one of Metaxourgeio’s most favorite eateries – Seychelles – on Tuesday 19.

Turia Besbas at Scala Vinoteca, Kolonaki

Barshank Haj Younes at Ama Lachei, Exarcheia

To find out more about the entire program, check the Athens Refugee Food Festival event page on Facebook and contact the relevant restaurants to book your table. The first edition of the festival was made possible thanks to the Athens Insider team with the support of Melissa, an association helping women refugees, the Greek Council for Refugees, Option FoodLab and Solidarity Now – whose objective is to help the individuals most affected by the economic and humanitarian crisis in Greece.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.