Refugees in Cambridge are using food as a means to share their stories, strengthen community ties, and reshape public perceptions through a series of culinary events. The Refugee Supper Club, a monthly ticketed dinner series, features refugee chefs preparing traditional dishes in private homes while sharing their personal histories with attendees. Each gathering includes a cooking demonstration aimed at teaching guests how to prepare a dish, promoting cultural exchange alongside the meal.
Two of the club’s participants, Jules, 29, and Durnieva, 41, both refugees themselves, see cooking as a form of affirmation. Jules, for instance, emphasizes that preparing and serving food allows refugees to declare their resilience and presence despite the challenges they have faced in their countries of origin.
On Saturday, June 20, Jules and Durnieva will join chefs from Somalia, Cuba, Jordan, Morocco, Uganda, and Venezuela at the second Cambridge Refugee Food Festival. The event will take place outdoors from noon to 3 p.m. in Central Square and will feature food, music, dance, art exhibits, and informational booths aimed at raising awareness about refugee support. Jules plans to serve fried Haitian patties filled with chicken, paired with pikliz, a spicy and tangy slaw. Durnieva will prepare Ukrainian nalysnyky, or crepes, offering both savory and sweet varieties.
The supper club and festival were founded by David Lander, a specialist in international conflict resolution, and Jonny Zackman, who directs strategy and operations at Pagu, a Cambridge restaurant recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand last year. The concept draws inspiration from an annual refugee food festival started in France in 2015, which takes place in various restaurants across the country. After hosting a successful debut event in Cambridge last summer, Lander and Zackman expanded the initiative into a formal supper club, also assisting refugee chefs with private catering bookings and ongoing career support.
Participants in the supper club come from varied culinary backgrounds, ranging from self-taught cooks to experienced chefs. Many are referred by local refugee support organizations such as RIAC (Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center) and MIRA (Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition). Pagu’s chef-owner, Tracy Chang, advises the group on culinary development.
RIAC program manager Alexa Ruotolo highlights that the club compensates its chefs fairly, providing a 50 percent honorarium and reimbursing 30 percent of food costs from ticket sales. With dinners priced at $99 per person, this financial model offers chefs professional experience and the opportunity to build their resumes. Ruotolo notes that these events are particularly valuable amid widespread social and media divisions surrounding immigration, as they spotlight refugees as active contributors and cultural ambassadors rather than merely aid recipients.
Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services supports this perspective: refugees contribute significantly to economic activity, generating $124 billion more in local, state, and federal revenues than they draw in services over a 15-year span. The American Immigration Council further reports that refugees comprised nearly 24 percent of entrepreneurs nationally in 2023, with immigrant-owned businesses producing $116 billion in revenue.
The upcoming Cambridge Refugee Food Festival at Pagu, located at 310 Massachusetts Ave., will offer tickets at $35, available for purchase through Resy. The event continues efforts to showcase refugee culinary traditions and foster community understanding through the universal language of food.