Point of Origin Episode 16
One-on-One with Reem Assil
On today’s episode, we interview Palestinian and Syrian chef, and restaurant owner, Reem Assil. We had a chance to talk about her forthcoming restaurant, located in the Mission District of San Francisco. Reem’s bakery was closed down just two days after opening and is now closed indefinitely as we all collectively await the fate of restaurants all over the country and over the world.
We discussed her feelings on the precipice of opening, but also, about the industry at large. Her answers about the state of the restaurant industry would prove painfully ominous. What they revealed are some of the pitfalls of the industry prior to its COVID-19-related collapse and underscores some of the challenges it now faces in rebuilding.
Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, & iHeartRadio
Reem Assil
Image Credit: https://www.reemscalifornia.com/about
Reem Assil founded Reem’s with a passion for the flavors of Arab street-corner bakeries and the vibrant communities where they’re located. Growing up in a Palestinian-Syrian household, Reem was surrounded by the aromas and tastes of food from the homeland and the connections they evoked of her heritage, family, and community.
Before dedicating herself to a culinary career, Reem worked for a decade as a community and labor organizer, and brings the warmth of community to all her events. She has worked with the Bay Area’s esteemed cooperative bakery Arizmendi Bakery & Pizzeria, Grace Street Catering, Local Flavors, and with several prominent Bay Area chefs. She is a graduate of the the competitive food business incubator program, La Cocina, and business accelerator program ICA: Fund Good Jobs.
https://www.reemscalifornia.com/about
“We're the one of the biggest refugee populations, some of us have lost our language, lost our traditions. And so food becomes a way to keep those alive. I remember at a very young age thinking, why do we talk about Palestine all the time? I remember asking my uncle that and he was like, we may not see the liberation of our land in, in our lifetime, but we need to keep this going because I need my children to know that we're Palestinian and my grandchildren to know that they're Palestinian, and so on and so forth. And so food becomes a way to keep those alive.”
Reem’s California
Location: San Francisco / Mission District
Image Credit: https://www.reemscalifornia.com/about
Location: Oakland / Fruitvale
Image Credit: https://www.reemscalifornia.com/about
“A lot of people are just like, ‘build it and they will come’ and I'm like, okay, let them build it with me.”
Supporting Reem’s During COVID-19
The spread of COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the restaurant industry, including Reem’s California.
In order to support her staff of employees and remain a part of the collective community, Reem’s has switched to a take-out and to-go model of serving, allowing customers to bring home the food and drinks n bulk orders. If you're in the Bay Area and interested in supporting Reem’s and/or exploring Arab cuisine
**Update: Sadly, Reem’s location at Fruitvale will be closed for the foreseeable future. Reem’s California posted this information on Instagram.
How to Order Online
Image Credit: https://www.reemscalifornia.com
Reem is supporting her employees, new and seasoned, through a GoFundMe campaign. The campaign continues to raise money for the employees of the Oakland location, as well as the newly opened Mission location. If you're interested and able to support, you can do so here.
“How do we make sure that we continue to show people growth and to inspire people and motivate them. That work doesn't just like stop at one training, but unfortunately it takes time and it takes resources. And you know, I hope that I'm sharing a model that would resonate with other likeminded folks in the industry where we could combine forces to do more of that to scale.”
Spinach Mu’ajinaat
Image Credit: Quentin Lebeau
Dough Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing
3 1/4 cups (about 13 7/8 ounces) plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Filling Ingredients:
2 (10-ounce) package frozen leaf spinach, thawed
1 small red onion, minced (about 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
