Conflict Kitchen dishes up foods from countries with which the United States has conflict.
Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Conflict Kitchen is a unique kind of take-out restaurant. The restaurant was established in 2010 by Jon Rubin and Dawn Weleski, and serves food from all over the world, dishing up what Fusion calls, “delicious diplomacy.”
What’s unique about the restaurant is that it doesn’t just serve some of the fast food standbys from other countries we have grown to love like falafel without its cultural significance attached. The restaurant is more commentary and social activism than novelty and instead serves food from one country at a time, rotating menus every six months, serving fare from countries with which the United States is in conflict, educating the public about food, culture, and politics.
The Washington Post reported on Nov. 14 that per Jon Rubin and Dawn Weleski, Conflict Kitchen’s aim is to not only expose their community to new food but to also promote understanding of other cultures. The restaurant has so far featured “food from Afghanistan, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela, dishing up lamb kebabs, kimchi and ceviche for 200 to 300 customers each day,” wrote the Washington Post. Along with their rotating menus, the restaurant hosts events that encourage education and understanding of the cultures they are promoting in any given 6-month span.
Over the years, the restaurant has received some criticism for their work. In recent news, however, criticism had escalated into death threats after the restaurant had changed over to a Palestinian menu last September. The death threats had prompted the restaurant to temporarily close. It seems that some parties wanted the restaurant’s efforts to be silenced.
“In September, Conflict Kitchen announced it would serve Palestinian food and celebrate Palestinian culture,” The Washington Post reported, “This choice — a chance to sell familiar dishes such as hummus and falafel with the lesser known, such as rumaniyya, maftoul and namoura — turned into more than just a menu change.”
But, since the restaurant’s reopening last Wednesday, support has been more than evident. “We are overwhelmed by the generous support we have received this week for the project and the rights of Palestinians to present their perspectives without fear of reprisal,” wrote Conflict Kitchen staff on their blog, on Nov. 13, “We are deeply moved by these responses and are excited to reopen and continue our programming.”
Dawn Weleski took some time to answer some questions about the closure and reopening of Conflict Kitchen this week. Below follows her responses:
What has been the response from the community in regards to the restaurant's reopening?
We’ve received an overwhelming response locally with hundreds of people posting notes in support and letters of encouragement on our restaurant’s facade. Last night, there was a large rally during which the public came and shared their support. Through a variety of social media, we’ve witnessed a huge outpouring of international support for the project, free speech, and the rights of Palestinians to present their perspectives without a fear of reprisal. We are deeply moved by these responses and are excited to reopen and continue our programming. Our Palestinian version has been the most popular iteration that we have presented in the past four years, with over 300 people a day coming to the restaurant. Our public has always approached us with trust and open minds.
Have the culprits who wrote the threatening letters been found out? Is this the first time such letters have been received?
We cannot comment on the matter, as it is still under investigation. We can tell you that this is the first time a letter such as this has been received.
Does Conflict Kitchen have multiple locations or has the restaurant just moved? If the latter, what prompted the move?
We only have one location. We moved two years ago to situate the project in the midst of a more diverse and populated area. We are currently positioned between two universities (Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh), as well as the Carnegie Library, Carnegie Art Museum and Carnegie Natural History Museum. Given these academic and cultural resources, it’s a magnet for a curious and diverse group of people.
Were past versions of the kitchen ever protested, threatened or criticized?
We’ve never been protested or threatened before. We have occasionally been criticized.
How can people help support Conflict Kitchen?
The best way is to come by and try our food and attend one of our events. If people are interested in donating online, they can do so via our website.
*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com
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