by Nina Elder
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- Pittsburgh’s Conflict Kitchen offers only one menu item, but its mission goes way beyond food.
- The tiny takeout shop was created by a group of local artists. Their idea? Choose a country that America is in conflict with and serve up one of that country’s traditional foods. Every four months, the focus of the shop will change. In May 2010, Kubideh Kitchen, which was inspired by Iran, opened. The menu featured kubideh sandwiches (a ground beef patty on flatbread with onion, basil and mint) wrapped in colorful paper printed with quotes from Pittsburgh’s Iranian residents.
- To deepen the discussion, Conflict Kitchen will also host public events. The first was a joint dinner party in Pittsburgh and Tehran. The cities were linked via Webcam so guests could share the meal — and the conversation.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Food brings people together. Using cuisine to bridge disparate cultures is a delicious concept.
- American consumers are curious about ethnic cuisines. Why not use that curiosity as an opportunity to teach compassion and understanding?
RESOURCES
- Conflict Kitchen: 124 S. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
