SONMAT III

The Universal Table

At the heart of this transformative event is unity through culinary experiences. Newcomers and immigrants will stand alongside local skilled chefs, crafting dishes that represent their unique cultures and stories. Visitors can reserve a spot at ‘The Universal Table’, a culinary experience that tantalizes the tastebuds and sparks a ripple of positive change.

Meet our chefs:

de Keukentafel: “Sisters Jozefien (front of house) and Anna Wynants (chef) run a small farm-to-table restaurant in the countryside around Ghent in the house they grew up in. Chef Anna creates a menu with what grows on the farm and Jozefien makes a botanical drink, wine en juice pairing to accompany the dishes. All the customers are seated together at one long table and are served the same menu. Central in our menu is our freshly baked sourdough bread. Everything we do is hand-picked and homemade inspired by the farm.”

Stock Delivery: “I wasn’t really into food until a couple of years ago. At that time my daughter had an enormous psoriasis and eczema attack. It made her unable to move and attend school,… It forced me to rethink my eating habits. I had to rethink the flavours. I had to go back to the basics and search for simple tasteful food. It’s brought me to making homemade stocks.”

Meet our newcomers:

Denisa Jelinkova: “I come from the Czech Republic. In my free time, I cook and bake bread and sweets. This huge hobby has been with me since I was a child. I always enjoyed helping my mum in the kitchen. While I grew up I started cooking by myself. During the COVID pandemic, I lost my job and I couldn't find a new one for a long time. I used my free time to cook again and learned how to make sourdough bread. Fermentation fascinated me so I started making kimchi too. My biggest inspiration is travelling. At home, I try to replicate what I ate abroad.”

Paula Durand: “I was born in Rio de Janeiro Brazil to a Brazilian mother and a Portuguese father. From childhood, I remember spending hours with my family on long Sunday lunches, sometimes at a restaurant, but mostly at my Portuguese grandparent's house. My food memories are influenced by these two cultures. I learned from my mother and my grandmothers how to prepare simple but delicious rice, codfish, and beans. I am excited to share with others about my food experience and I hope people can appreciate it too.”

Mireia Uranga: “Originally from the Basque Country (Spain), but because of study and work I have been living in various places in Spain (Barcelona, Valencia) as well as abroad (Scotland, Greece). I learned from my mum how to cook traditional Basque dishes, but I also like to experiment with new flavours and recipes that I have incorporated from the different places I have been living. I decided to join ‘SONMAT’ because I believe it is a great opportunity to meet people from around the world who, like me, live in Ghent and are passionate about cooking. But I would also like to show my recipes to Gentenaar visitors and learn from this intercultural experience.”

Mimoza: “We have known Mimoza as our cleaning lady since we were very young. Mimoza and her two sons arrived by boat in Belgium about 25 years ago, hiding under a tarp. Cleaning our house was her first real job and she never stopped since. Over the years we got to know her very well and she built a very special friendship/relationship with our mother. The first years she was quiet and shy, but once you get to know her she is everything but shy! She is such a strong, powerful, beautiful and optimistic person. ‘There is no reason to be stressed or sad’, she tells us, ‘It won't change your situation so you better laugh and smile!” (text by Anna & Fien, de Keukentafel)

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“igniting change through culinary unity”

Gathering at a table and sharing a meal sparks conversations and ignites connections between people. Food can transcend cultural and linguistic barriers, uniting people from all walks of life. Food is a universal language, speaking to our senses and emotions. Moreover, food is a gateway to learning the customs, values, and stories of people and their communities. Sharing food helps us to discover, connect, interact, respect, and belong. The universal table aims for a culinary experience where boundaries between people blur and hearts connect. At the same time, we hope this event can serve as an inspiration for a sustainable and long-term interaction towards belonging.

JOIN THE TABLE: Thursday 5th of October from 7-9.30 pm.

SONMAT III is part of #gent2030 doeners en (om)denkers festival.