Fleeing Lebanon amid the civil war in 1976, Sivine Tabbouch and her family initially intended to seek refuge in Australia for only a short period. At the time, Tabbouch was 11 years old, and her family’s plan was to return once the conflict subsided. Five decades later, Australia has become home for Tabbouch and her extended family, who have used food as a means to preserve their cultural identity and build community.

Tabbouch recalls the difficulties of adjusting to life in Australia as a young migrant. Sent to a public school, she found herself isolated due to her appearance and accent, despite previously attending private schools in Lebanon. Over time, she recognized that cultural differences and societal segregation were factors in her experience, a dynamic she describes as the reason migrant communities often cluster together.

Her daughter, Karima Hazim, aged 37, has had a different experience growing up in a multicultural Australia. Hazim credits the resilience of earlier generations of Lebanese migrants and the strong sense of community they cultivated. Today, she continues this legacy through Sunday Kitchen, a cooking and storytelling initiative she co-runs with her mother, aiming to share Lebanese culture beyond the community.

Sunday Kitchen, which will feature as part of the upcoming opening festival at Powerhouse Parramatta in Sydney, uses food as a platform to explore and celebrate Lebanese heritage. The program includes cooking demonstrations and communal meals designed to foster understanding and challenge stereotypes about migrant communities.

Hazim highlights how food became a focal point for maintaining cultural ties amid the challenges of migration. Lebanese families faced limited access to traditional ingredients in Australia during the 1970s but adapted by sourcing local substitutes and creating new traditions centered around shared meals. This culinary practice has helped sustain both cultural identity and family connection over generations.

The Powerhouse Parramatta festival, running from November 7 to 29, will showcase several prominent figures from the Lebanese food community. These include Dominic Moawad of Canterbury Lebanese Bread, one of Australia’s oldest Lebanese bakeries producing thousands of bread loaves daily, and David Isaac of Harkola Food, a key importer of Middle Eastern grocery items such as tahini, pomegranate molasses, and olive oil. Sami Hamka of Sami & Sons Butchery in southwest Sydney, whose family has served the community for nearly 50 years, will also participate, illustrating the enduring role of family-run businesses in maintaining cultural heritage.

Tabbouch reflects on the motivations behind their family’s migration, emphasizing the desire for safety and education. Her mother, Amina, moved the family to protect her children from civil war violence and encouraged them to pursue higher education as a path to integration and success.

For Hazim, initiatives like Sunday Kitchen are not only about food but also about fostering intercultural understanding and celebrating the migrant experience. She notes that many Australians’ perceptions of Lebanese culture remain limited to takeaway shops, underscoring the importance of creating authentic connections through shared culinary and storytelling experiences.

The Sunday Kitchen cooking demonstration at Powerhouse Parramatta offers a snapshot of how migrant communities continue to enrich Australia’s cultural landscape, reminding participants of the power of food to bridge differences and preserve heritage across generations.