Chef and Artist Amanny Ahmad's Efforts Elevate Palestinian Presence at the Table of Culinary and Artistic Influence
Palestinian-American chef and artist Ammanny Ahmad is making a name for herself in the culinary world, using her talents to promote Palestinian food as a form of cultural identity and education.
Ahmad's work at NYC's Dimes restaurant focuses on Palestinian cuisine and culture from a Palestinian-American perspective. She emphasises the importance of presenting Palestinian cuisine in a way that allows people to recognise its distinctness, as it is often misrepresented or conflated with other cuisines.
Ahmad's approach resists being pigeonholed solely as a "Palestinian chef" and embraces a broader identity that combines art, activism, and culinary tradition. This is evident in her creative adaptations of traditional Palestinian recipes, which include vegan dishes that reflect both her heritage and ethical choices.
A Balancing Act
Ahmad's career as a chef, artist, and activist is characterised by a tightrope walk due to her association with the BDS movement. Conflicts over the Arab or Israeli origins of foundational dishes like couscous or shakshouka have shown the persistence of arguments over cultural identity.
Despite the challenges, Ahmad remains steadfast in her mission to educate and challenge perceptions. Her dinners are intimate events, hosting 25-30 people, and aim to assert and showcase the richness and complexity of Palestinian identity.
A Platform for Change
One of Ahmad's most significant contributions to the Palestinian cause is her work with the Palestinian Heirloom Seed Library. The West Bank-based community organisation aims to collect and propagate rare seeds to preserve the biodiversity and agricultural heritage threatened by the loss of land owing to the occupation.
Ahmad's latest collaboration, a dinner series called the Asymmetrical Table, donated all of the proceeds to the seed library. This series provides a platform for Ahmad to express her views while flying relatively under the radar.
Aesthetics and Activism
Ahmad is also known for her strategic approach to activism. She believes that activism can be aesthetically unappealing and inhibit engagement. To counter this, she appeals to the downtown crowd's sense of style, using her art-school pedigree to hone her message and create a "context of compassion" as a counter to mainstream rhetoric about her people.
Ahmad's dinners range from traditional menus to more conceptual themes, such as psychedelia-inspired menus referencing the influence of psychedelic aesthetics in Palestinian pop culture.
A Dream Realised
Ahmad is not shy about the philosophical underpinnings of her approach. She states that it would be her dream for Noam Chomsky to attend one of her dinners. This dream reflects Ahmad's commitment to using her talents to promote social justice and challenge perceptions about the Palestinian people.
In summary, Ammanny Ahmad's culinary activism combines educational Palestinian food residencies, engagement with the BDS movement’s values, and a nuanced expression of cultural identity that both honors tradition and embraces contemporary ethical and creative freedom. Through her work, Ahmad is not only preserving Palestinian culture but also challenging the erasure of Palestinian contributions to the area's cuisine.
Ahmad's mission extends beyond the kitchen, as she uses social media to share her love for global cuisines and promote cultural diversity in the food-and-drink industry.
By collaborating with organizations like the Palestinian Heirloom Seed Library, she strives to use her platform for entertainment and cooking as a means to raise awareness about social issues and protect cultural heritage.
Her innovative approach to cooking and activism has won her followers not only among food enthusiasts, but also among those interested in art, lifestyle, and activism.
