Leen Al Zaben | Building a Real Arab Culinary Community

Vanessa Zuabi interviews Leen Al Zaben in this one in two Matbakh special, recorded live on stage at What The Food by alserkal in Dubai. They discuss Leen's unexpected journey into the food industry, which began 15 years ago as a food blog and evolved into a full-blown career. The conversation touches on the importance of community-building through food, such as organizing food festivals that highlight regional talent and shed light on local culinary traditions, particularly those that have been overshadowed by Western narratives, reclaiming and celebrating their original names. Leen also emphasizes the need to tell our own stories and celebrate original recipes, especially amidst our ongoing regional challenges. She reflects on the role food plays in bringing people back to their traditions and modes of living despite the pressures of globalization. Finally, the interview explores Leen's work in promoting Arab food culture globally, stressing the significance of mentorship, cultural advocacy, and creating a space for collaboration and dialogue within the culinary world.

00:37 Introduction 
02:54 Leen Shares Her Background and Journey Into the Food Industry
04:32 The Jordan Food Festival
05:40 Overcoming Regional Challenges
07:34 Traditions in Food-making vs the Global Consumerist Approach
10:13 The Role of Food Festivals in Fostering Community Connections
11:50 The Importance of Mentorship in the Food Industry and Connecting with Both Local and International Chefs
13:40 Embracing Authenticity Without Conforming to Global Standards
15:32 Wasat: Its Purpose and the Meaningful Conversations it Sparks
17:58 Being Ambassadors of the Region
20:00 Honoring Our Food and Traditions 
23:30 Q&A

Leen Al Zaben is a writer, photographer, and culinary consultant who creates meaningful experiences around food and culture. She has worked on diverse projects—developing cookbooks, creating food and travel content, and advising on culinary innovations in Amman, Dubai, San Francisco, and Tokyo. Leen believes in the power of food to tell stories and foster cultural exchange, bringing people together and creating lasting memories. As Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and MENA’s 50 Best, she collaborates with chefs, journalists, and culinary advocates to celebrate flavors and traditions worldwide. She helped organize the first edition of the Jordan International Food Festival and recently launched Wasat, a platform for meaningful conversations and experience around food.

Connect with Leen 👉 https://www.instagram.com/leenalzaben/
Follow Wasat 👉 https://www.instagram.com/wasat.co/

What The Food by alserkal is a two-day celebration of food, sparking critical conversations around some of the most pressing questions about food through talks, exhibitions, screenings, and immersive installations. Now in its third edition, the festival brings together a curated lineup of homegrown chefs, artisanal producers, entrepreneurs, and artists, showcasing cutting-edge culinary concepts and emerging food trends. Building on Dubai’s reputation as a trailblazer in the food scene, What The Food pushes the city’s culinary landscape forward, adding an artistic, community-driven spirit that makes you rethink what food can be.

Explore What The Food 👉 https://alserkal.online/programme/what-the-food

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by: 
Vanessa Zuabi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/vzuabi/

Vanessa Zuabi is a former founder and entrepreneur in the food and health space, and now works in the crypto industry. She has been a long-time friend and supporter of afikra since 2015.

FOLLOW & RATE THE MATBAKH PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matbakh/id1646402301
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GuszMVmvx0XM2zYLmVQK2
» Anghami: https://www.anghami.com/podcast/1035528225

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl48-5Y0F7sx2xoexSoeBUWJ&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
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