Hey there! It's great to meet you! My name is Luay Ghafari and I am thrilled to welcome you to Urban Farm and Kitchen! I have a passion for recipe development, blogging, photography, and gardening education. As a published author and consultant, I love sharing my knowledge and experience with others.
I've been fortunate enough to connect with many amazing individuals in the online gardening and cooking communities through Instagram, Tiktok, and Pinterest. I love providing helpful tips, tricks, and recipes for the garden-to-table lifestyle. So come join me and let's grow together!
A Little Background
Though I am mostly self-taught in the kitchen, I did attend the George Brown College Culinary Arts program. The recipes on this blog feature my favorite seasonal ingredients, my Middle Eastern (Levantine) upbringing and my love for Mediterranean cuisine.
I am publishing my first garden-to-table book in 2023, Seed to Table, featuring both garden tips and advice as well as several seasonal recipes and preservation advice. I'm incredibly excited to share this project with you all!
I am the co-founder of the educational teaching platform gardenologie, where I teach a garden-to-table Master Class with hands-on support that encourages students to plan, grow, maintain, harvest, preserve and cook right from their gardens.
Why a Spotlight on Levantine Recipes?
Growing up as an immigrant in Canada, I shunned my culture's cuisine in favor of more mainstream or Western dishes. This was perhaps a way for me to assimilate in my new home or feel like I belonged in a country that was unfamiliar and new... A common refrain among many first generation immigrants.
When we see our cultural foods viewed as inferior, cheap or relegated to "fast food", it's difficult to feel pride in the ingredients, spices and aromas. We're conditioned at a young age to think of French or Italian food as the pinnacle of high class. This is a very Eurocentric view of the world that I once believed it.
I no longer feel this way. I am here to celebrate and spotlight the centuries of tradition, flavors, aromas and emotions that my mother's and grandmother's recipes have to offer.
Work With Me
My business webpage includes more information about potential collaboration and partnerships and the types of services I offer both commercial clients and individuals. A Media Kit can be shared upon request.
I have worked with Brands including Kubota Canada, Daily Harvest, Home Hardware, PRO-MIX, Metro Ontario, Bridgehead Coffee, and several others. Let's talk!
Media and Interviews:
CBC Life
Toronto Life Magazine
Authority Magazine (Medium.com) Interview
Homes and Gardens
The Grow Guide podcast - Maximizing Your Garden Space with Luay from Urban Farm & Kitchen
Steven Biggs Garden Life Podcast - Luay's Urban Farm and Kitchen
Interview for Gardening Documentary by Fleck Productions
Growing Tomatoes with Luay and Jaz | ASK gardenstead 006
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