Quite how it came to pass that I’m the one writing this particular article, I’m not really sure. I’m no Jamie Oliver — although I’ve been told that my chilli isn’t half bad (tip: use frozen mince... no — really.)

We love food here at Amos Trust. We love talking about it, we love preparing it, we love sharing it, and yes, — we love eating it. We take the business of hospitality very seriously and what could be more hospitable than sharing a meal? As the American labour leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez said, “...if you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat. The people who give you their food, give you their heart.”

Ottolenghi & Tamimi: Yotam and Sami from Ottolenghi choose Amos to be their creative partner and cater our fundraising dinners. Watch our short film about some of the reasons why.

There’s long been a culinary thread through our work in Palestine — those that have visited the West Bank with us know this only too well; whether it’s barbequing at Wi’am or enjoying the really quite amazing Maqluba prepared so lovingly by the women in Aida refugee camp. And who can forget Merai’s outstanding (and I don’t use that word lightly), chicken and rice. Whenever we visit, we always come back several pounds heavier than before we left.

“...if you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat. The people who give you their food, give you their heart.” Cesar Chavez

Our relationship with food took on a new direction when we started organising Palestinian culinary tours with our friends at Zaytoun, and then again when we were lucky enough to have Yotam and Sami from Ottolenghi choose Amos to be their creative partner and cater our fundraising dinners.

In 2018, Greenbelt Festival invited Amos to host a series of Palestinian cooking demos in their new food venue, The Table. How we laughed when our friend Phoebe from The Olive Tree Kitchen continually rolled her eyes at Amos Director and sous chef Chris as he made a hash of cutting up the onions!

Cooking up a storm: Chris Rose from Amos Trust and Phoebe Rison from The Olive Tree Kitchen in The Table at Greenbelt Festival 2019 

When our supporters give their time and offer up their skills to fundraise for us, food is usually involved. When our partners visit us from around the world, food often takes on a central role in their own stories. As someone said when they came back from one of our Taste of Palestine tours, “you can disagree about the facts on the ground, but you can’t disagree with my taste buds”.

To find out more about our next Taste of Palestine culinary tour in October 2020, please visit amostrust.org/travel

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