Daugherty Arts Center presents a screening of 2020 documentary, Breaking Bread, which explores the A-Sham Festival, a groundbreaking food festival where Arab and Jewish chefs work in tandem to create mouthwatering dishes in order to foster social change.

Founded by microbiologist Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel, the first Muslim Israeli to win Israel’s television cooking competition, MasterChef, the action unfolds in the city of Haifa, a model of multicultural coexistence. The chefs put personal spins on traditional recipes handed down over generations – including kishek (a Syrian yogurt soup) and qatayef (a dessert served during Ramadan) – transforming flavors while political and religious differences melt away.

A treat for the senses, this delectable showcase of culinary heritage gives hope to the idea that collaboration in the kitchen could be a bridge to mutual understanding and, perhaps, a first step toward a lasting peace.