Joudie Kalla: Palestine Told Through Flavor at AUK’s 2025 Gala
Arabs in Britain (AUK) will host Palestinian–British chef and author Joudie Kalla at its third annual gathering, one of the most influential voices to present Palestinian cuisine as a complete cultural narrative rather than a set of inherited recipes.
Her presence is a tribute to a vision that turns food into a window onto history, identity, and human experience — and into a Palestine revealed through the details of daily life rather than political rhetoric alone.
From Home Memory to the Global Stage
Kalla grew up in London in a Palestinian family where the kitchen was a daily meeting place — a space where stories travelled just as recipes did.
Entering the world of professional cooking, she carried this deep-rooted memory with her and reshaped it into a contemporary voice that introduces Palestine in a language everyone can understand.
Her books “Palestine on a Plate” and “Baladi” helped cement Palestinian cuisine in global culinary culture, linking food to the broader social history and living memory of Palestine.
Her work is not an attempt to rescue something fading, but a celebration of what is alive, rooted, and enduring.
A Narrative of Life, Not the Margins
In her interviews and digital platforms, Kalla stresses that Palestinian cuisine is a “language” of its own — one that reflects the diversity of the Palestinian landscape from coast to mountain, and from cities to villages.
Through this lens, her work presents Palestinian culture confidently and clearly, without justification or apology — vibrant, continuous, and deeply woven into the daily identity of Palestinians everywhere.
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A Cultural Presence at the AUK Gala Dinner 2025
The Arabs in Britain Award returns for its third edition on 1 December 2025, celebrating excellence, inspiration, and service.
Kalla’s participation adds a rich cultural dimension to the Gala Dinner, presenting Palestine as a complete human experience narrated through food.
Her presence invites reflection on how heritage — especially culinary heritage — becomes a bridge between homeland and diaspora and a living part of the Arab cultural landscape in Britain.
Between Identity and Diaspora: A Narrative of Presence, Not Loss
Kalla’s approach does not begin from a sense of loss or displacement.
Instead, it rests on the conviction that Palestinian identity is whole and present — and that sharing it with the world is a creative cultural act rather than a political reaction.
Her journey mirrors the broader expressions of Palestinian life in art, food, research, music, and literature — all tied by a single thread: a Palestine that tells its own story.
Click here to vote for the Arab Personality of the Year.
The Third Annual Arabs in Britain Forum (AUK)
AUK will hold its third annual forum on Monday, 1 December 2025, at the Hilton Watford in London, with the participation of notable Arab and British figures in culture, media, and community engagement.
The forum aims to strengthen the presence of Arabs in British public life, celebrate inspiring achievements, and build wider networks of cooperation across politics, economy, culture, and creativity.
Arab Personality of the Year — Third Edition
The event will feature the announcement of the winner of the Arab Personality of the Year in Britain — Third Edition, an annual award given to an Arab figure who has played a significant role in serving the Arab community in Britain or delivered a professional or public contribution that left a clear impact.
Award criteria include:
- Wide community impact
- Commitment to public service values
- Professional or creative excellence
- Contribution to strengthening the positive presence of Arabs in Britain
This edition follows the success of the previous two, which honoured Arab figures who made significant contributions in public life, media, and economic fields.
Kalla’s presence reinforces that the Palestinian narrative — in all its expressions — remains an essential part of the Arab presence in Britain.
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