At this new network, you get an inside look at Muslim food culture

28 February 2025 Research news item

Since childhood, food has played a major role in Joud Alkorani’s life. To share her passion with food lovers worldwide, she co-founded the Muslim Foodways Network. "The dishes that my mother cooks make my mouth water!" she says.

Alkorani was born in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and grew up in a big family where food was the primary way of connecting with others. When she moved to Canada with her parents and two younger brothers as a child, the family continued visiting Syria every summer - until the war broke out in 2011.

Well prepared-feast

At every reunion with grandpas, grandmas, many uncles, aunts, cousins and nieces, one thing could not be missing: a well prepared-feast. 'From the preparation to having dinner together: we did it together. Men went to the market early in the morning to get the food. Then my aunts, older cousins and nieces spent hours in the kitchen preparing the food. All the plates, forks, knives and spoons were taken out and then the moment was there: good food! With all the children, we sat at a separate table to feast. Yes, because of my upbringing, food has become an important lens through which I see the world," she explains.

Small refrigerators

In Canada, her mother continued cooking traditional Syrian dishes, and Alkorani and her younger brothers eagerly anticipated every meal. She still cooks Syrian food today. "I grew up with a variety of complex and layered flavors in every dish. But when I moved to the Netherlands in 2021 for my research job at Radboud University, I was shocked by the eating habits here. It was a lot of bread and cheese, or otherwise deep fried snacks!" she laughs. " I was also surprised at how normal it is for Dutch households to have such small refrigerators!"

Alkorani has been so inspired by food cultures, especially Muslim food culture, that she turned her passion into a career. "I met fellow anthropologist Stefan Williamson Fa at a conference in Istanbul in 2023. We realised that not only do we both research food cultures, but that this topic also brings us joy personally. That’s how we came up with the idea for the Muslim Foodways Network: an online series featuring engaging speakers discussing Muslim food culture for anyone interested in the topic. Naturally, we designed the lecture series poster in the format of a menu."

Broadening perspectives

In no time, over 200 people from around the world - from researchers to food writers - signed up for the network. The Muslim Foodways Network bridges the gap between academia and the broader public. "One participant is a dietitian interested in exploring what different cultures consider healthy food. Often, dietitians view European food as the solution to their patients’ problems, but it’s valuable to broaden perspectives and see if Muslim food culture, for example, can also offer solutions."

For Alkorani, the network’s success lies in building new connections and encouraging participants to take ownership of the initiative. "Each session starts with a guest speaker talking for 15 minutes. Then, the goal - which thankfully happens naturally - is for a discussion to emerge among the participants. It would be fantastic if these sessions expanded and inspired participants to organise their own events on Muslim food culture."

Al sinds jongs af aan kent Alkorani goed gedekte tafels. Haar passie voor de Islamitische eetcultuur is inmiddels haar werk geworden.

Stuffed grape leaves

Alkorani visits her parents in Canada once or twice a year. Just as she used to visit Syria and always saw her family gathered around food, the same happens now. "My mother always puts up a list on the fridge, and I can write down what I want to eat while I’m there. By the time I leave, almost every dish has been checked off. Yabra’ (stuffed grape leaves) are my favorite, but they take hours to prepare. When I offer to help my mother cook, she often refuses. When I was younger, she always emphasized that she wanted to cook so I could focus on school and my studies. And that has certainly paid off!"

On the menu at Muslim Foodways Network

Muslim Foodways Network is organising three more online events. The next session is on Thursday, March 13, featuring anthropologist Nefissa Naguib (University of Oslo) with a talk titled: "We Bring You Gardens: Notes on Fruit, Care, Labor, and Egyptian Sun."

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Contact information

Contact: Dr J. Al Korani (Joud)
Organizational unit: Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
About person: Dr J. Al Korani (Joud)
Theme: Diversity, Society