Through Dream Cuisines, a cohort of newcomer women gain access to mentorship, kitchen space, and peer-based knowledge sharing as they build up their burgeoning food businesses and launch them into the mainstream.
Now in its third year, Dream Cuisines has welcomed a phenomenal new cohort. We’re excited to bolster the work of these remarkable women, talented chefs, and resilient entrepreneurs as they actualize their culinary dreams!
Dream Cuisines 2024: Five new businesses launched!
Congratulations to this year’s Dream Cuisines cohort: Bushra Elias from Syria, Chaima Chmale from Morrocco, Samira Mohammed from Saudi Arabia, Zahra Babajanipour from Iran, and Delia Fuentes from Mexico! We are so proud of them for completing this year’s program and successfully launching their businesses at our event, Food from our Roots: Newcomer Women Food Business Launch. Their journey continues on at Vancouver Farmers Markets catering services, where they offer their delicious treats and comforting dishes. Connect with them below!
Fariya Bakery | @fariyabakery2024 by Zahra Babajanipour offers traditional Persian breads like Barbari (Persian flatbread), Poacha (cardamom bread), Simit (round braided bread with sesame seeds), and Frinda (savoury flatbread topped with tomatoes, cheese, and more). Zahra prides herself in using traditional ingredients and simple recipes to create something special.
Dar Darak Samira Kitchen | @dar_darak_samira_kitchen by Samira Mohammed offers traditional Palestinian and Saudi Arabian dishes. Samira's food is like a warm embrace, where the Arabic phrase 'Dar Darak' (my house is your house) comes to life. Samira's passion for cooking was inspired by her Palestinian mother and grandmother's traditional recipes, igniting her to share her delicious creations with friends and family. Treat yourself to her iconic falafel, hummus, and desserts like warbat, kanafa and more!
Everything Za’atar | @everythingzaatar_ by Bushra Elias and her daughters, Lora and Loujein, specializes in Za'atar, a traditional Syrian blend of dry herbs. With love and dedication, they work together to create their signature Everything Za'atar Spice mix, alongside delectable croissants, crispy pita chips, and freshly baked manakesh (Middle-Eastern flatbread) all infused with flavourful Za’atar.
Darna Moroccan Flavours | @darnamoroccanflavours by Chaima Chmale offers authentic Moroccan cuisine passed down from generations of talented Moroccan cooks. Chaima’s signature dishes include lamb tagine, seafood pastilla, Moroccan cookies, cheesecakes and more. Each dish is a flavorful expression of Chaima's passion for sharing the tastes of her homeland with the community, offering a culinary journey to the heart of Morocco.
Delia's Mexican Bite | @deliasmexicanbite by Delia Fuentes offers authentic Mexican sweet bread and treats. Delia loves to share her family's beloved baking recipes, like tres leches cake, conchas, and pan de muerto, each one made with love and a hint of nostalgia. Inspired by her mother's passion for baking, Delia puts her heart into every treat, perfecting each recipe to share a taste of her heritage with the community.
Find us at Vancouver Famers Market!
Our Impact Report for 2023 is here!
Discover the transformative year we've had! Let’s celebrate the immense growth, inspiring stories, and impactful feminist food businesses led by newcomer immigrant and refugee women entrepreneurs in our community.
“What I learned here changed my life. I attended a lot of programs during the last 4 years and I couldn’t find the support I needed until I found the Dream Cuisines program. I feel lucky to join this program.”
Watch 'Flavours of Hope: Nourishing Community, Cultivating Change' Documentary Film on CBC!
about the program
Dream Cuisines is empowering & equipping newcomer women entrepreneurs to make a living by doing what they excel at: cooking and sharing food! This 9-month immersive program addresses systemic barriers in the food industry, providing women with access to educational workshops, peer knowledge sharing, commissary kitchen space, sales channels, and a network of supportive relationships.
program tenets
Care and reciprocity
We prioritize the work of nurturance, care, and emotional support in programming, creating platforms for reciprocal relationships and meaningful connections between women, mentors, and other small business owners, so women’s businesses are bolstered by community and sustained for the road ahead.
Anti-racist & feminist framework
Built and led by women of colour, Dream Cuisines centres the voices and wisdom of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) in building, leading and facilitating programming. We work to combat systemic racism and oppression as we seek increased access and equity, with relationships at the centre of the work.
Heart & body centred
We emphasize a decolonial approach by integrating embodiment through breaths, pause, and paying attention to our bodily needs. Recognizing that women’s well-being is affected by multiple factors, we seek to provide holistic support and build trust—nurturing not just a business, but the whole person.
Prioritizing peer knowledge
We move away from traditional charity and service-provision models, and instead towards equipping women in their strengths. We notice and work to equalize power dynamics, seeking women’s self-determination in decision-making.
Collaboration and adaptation
In creating a program amidst an ever-evolving food landscape, we found imaginative ways to meet women’s need for flexible work and economic provision for their families.
Dream Cuisines is proudly supported by:
