Make Bread, Break Bread

Photo by Danika Zandboer
Depanneur owner, Len Senater, top right, introduces Jaina Kapadia of Toast + Thyme, top left, before she leads a full-house at The Depanneur for her popular traditional Indian bread-making class.
Students learn to make basic naan and parathas, and variations, which include one stuffed with spiced mashed potato filling. At the end of each class, students leave with recipes to practise their newly learned skills.
The Newcomer Kitchen started as a gesture of hospitality by The Depanneur to Syrian refugees who arrived in Toronto in 2016.
The team offered the families, who were living in hotels upon arrival, kitchen space to prepare and share meals. The program model has gained international attention and has been adapted in other cities.
From left to right, Tamara Chaikin, director of catering at Newcomer Kitchen, and Khadeejah Al Ibraheem and Lina Al Assafin, members of the Newcomer Kitchen, take a break from preparing yalanji (vegetarian-stuffed grape leaves) for a wedding the group catered. The yalanji go in a large pot and are weighed down with a mortar and simmered.