KarunaNews Story

In recent years, the authentic dishes served at Flavors from Afar have earned it a mention on any list of memorable places to eat in the city of Los Angeles. In the kitchen of the tiny restaurant is a monthly rotation of chefs from around the world, each cooking traditional plates popular in their home country. It is more than a culinary hotspot; the brainchild of Meyuma Hussein-Cattan, the restaurant is the most visible in a series of efforts by the Tiyya Foundation to support immigrants and refugees who have newly arrived in the US, as well Indigenous people who have been displaced. True to Tiyya’s mission, the experience for the rotating chefs is career-oriented: the cooks learn to operate a commercial kitchen, get headshots and professional bios done to develop their resumes and even have professional photos taken of their food. Five percent of the restaurant’s proceeds go to the cooks directly and 40% to the foundation.