Seed Stories: From Soil to Souq
A Middle Eastern Foodways* Working Session
You're Invited
Join us for the inaugural “Seed Stories” event: From Soil to Souq. This working session is designed for professionals shaping Columbus’s food landscape.
Benefits include:
- Connections to experts and professionals in fields related to your work.
- Opportunities to learn about and connect with others knowledgeable in Middle Eastern foodways.
- A productive working meeting with tangible results.
Who Should Attend
- Food security professionals and agricultural extension specialists
- Restaurant owners, grocery store operators, and food business entrepreneurs
- Cultural organizations and community leaders
- Urban farmers and food system advocates
- Anyone interested in Middle Eastern foodways
Working Session Goals
- Build pathways toward a vibrant Middle Eastern foodways economy in Columbus and surrounding areas
- Strengthen ties in our networks between cultural communities and food professionals
- Foster intergenerational dialogue that connects heritage with daily life
Why Your Participation Matters
With Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants booming nationwide, Columbus has an opportunity to channel this enthusiasm into authentic Middle Eastern foodways. Your experience and knowledge in food, food systems, business development, or cultural heritage is essential to making this vision a reality.
Intergenerational Focus
While this is a professional working session, we encourage bringing young people and families. Our conversations are designed to inspire the next generation of food professionals while honoring traditional knowledge.
Space is limited. Register now!
About the Project
Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture nurtures the next generation of chefs, food entrepreneurs, and cultural ambassadors by introducing them to the rich world of Middle Eastern cuisine.
The program believes that learning to cook Middle Eastern dishes not only builds skills but helps meet growing demand for global flavors — particularly as Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants flourish in the U.S.
This fall, we’re launching “Seed Stories” — a series of gatherings where people with deep ties to the Middle East (including Southwest Asia and North Africa) share their memories, knowledge, and experiences around food.
These events spark conversations about how Middle Eastern food is grown, sourced, and prepared. Everyone is welcome — especially young people and families.
First event: Friday, September 19th.
Our Mission & Vision
At its core, Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture connects workforce development, food traditions, and youth engagement. The goal is to help kids see themselves in vibrant careers connected to food, while addressing the need for real feedback and support for Middle Eastern crops and cuisine in Columbus.
The project grew from conversations with teachers and local food experts who saw a need to excite young people about agriculture and heritage. With the average American farmer now 58 years old, inspiring the next generation is more important than ever.
Through storytelling, hands-on learning, and intergenerational dialogue, we bring together urban farmers, university staff, and community members to teach gardening and foodways in ways that resonate with Middle Eastern communities.
The big idea: Help young people imagine a future where they thrive, celebrate heritage, and contribute to a vibrant, diverse food scene.
*Foodways are the practices and traditions for sources, preparing, cooking and serving food. We are emphasizing Middle Eastern foodways in this project and plants that are sourced and typically utilized in households in a variety of Middle Eastern contexts and cultural communities
