Syrian chefs collaborate on traditional dishes, burgers for refugees

It's aSyriancook-off where the traditions of Middle East cooking meetnewToronto cuisine.

Two chefs, one from Syria and one from Toronto, will collaborate on both traditional and new dishes to raise money to bring two refugee families to Toronto atan eventcalledSupper for Syria.

The Syrian chef, AliFallaha,will makea traditional dish, and then youngerchef, SanjizMatthews, will puthisown spin on it.

Fallaha is from Damascus, Syria, andarrivedinToronto in 2009. He runs an esteemed Syrian restaurant in Mississauga calledReyan.

"I want to help as much as I can, the Syrian people. My family is still there," said Fallaha.

Matthews's Syrian rootsextend back to the4th century.

"In any culture, food brings people together," said Matthews, who runs Incredible Spice.

"The different culture of food how you prepare the same itemin different cultures that knowledgeenriches your food," said Fallaha."If they know my food and I know theirs, we can better understand each other."

Matthews is trying out a Syrian burger. It starts with a talame bun talame is soft Middle Eastern flatbread with a flaky inside. On the burger, headds red onion, mint, coriander seeds and cumin. Then he addsbeets.

Fallahawillpreparea more traditional Syrian dish calledharra bi isbaou. It literally translates to "burn your finger" in English because it's usually prepared on an open flame.It's a vegetarian dish withlentilsand fried breaddough,served with pickledcucumber.

"No home in Syria can make this dish for themselves only. It is tradition. Any family that makes this dishshould make it big enough to share with neighbours," he said.

"That's why I choose this dish. To remind Syrians to be one family, not fight each other. Let us eatharrabiisbaou. Let us burn our fingers on this dish, instead of burn our fingers in war."

The money raised will help bring two refugee families to Toronto.It takes place on Sunday, November 29, at Wychwood Barns. See more here.