Laila standing in a kitchen

Palestinian food and politics a hit in Melbourne

Palestinian cook and writer Laila El-Haddad recently completed a successful Australian tour. Weaving stories of Palestinian life through her demonstrations of a cuisine that is unfamiliar to many Australians, Laila showed curious foodies how food, culture, resistance and occupation intersect and what it is like to live through such a heady mix.

Laila’s visit to Australia was organised by the Australian Jewish Democratic Society (AJDS) so she could participate in the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Sol Salbe from the AJDS introduced her Melbourne cooking demonstration, which was attended by about 60 people. Salbe reminded the audience that while Laila’s homeland is occupied, Australia itself was invaded and colonised.

Read the full article by Lisa Gleeson at Green Left Weekly.