Jewish Vocational Service is hosting its ninth annual Global Table fundraiser as a series of four Monday evenings in May featuring carryout cuisine from refugee- and immigrant-owned restaurants. Along with delicious food, participants in Global Table To Go will receive a toolkit of enrichment activities to engage them with the featured culture of the evening.
Diners can select just one evening, or try all four nights at the following restaurants:
May 3: Blue Nile Cafe (20 E. 5th St.)
May 10: Fannie’s West African & Tropical Cuisine (4105 Troost Ave.)
May 17: Mediterranean Market (1404 Westport Rd.)
May 24: The Bite (23 E. 3rd St.)
The event is being co-chaired by Julie Doane and Rev. Robert Lee Hill.
“I’m inspired by the resiliency and tenacity of newcomers resettled, and grateful this year’s event includes delicious food from talented, diverse restaurateurs & entrepreneurs,” Doane said. Participation in Global Table To Go supports people on their journey to self-reliance and helps make Kansas City a place where all are welcomed, included and valued.
“This year’s Global Table To Go is a celebration of the human spirit and compassion and good will of the greater Kansas City community,” Hill said. “I’m honored and delighted to be part of this year’s Global Table To Go as we seek to continue services for untold numbers of refugees and immigrants and their families.”
Please visit http://jvsgttg21.eventbrite.com to view the menus for each evening and more information.
Blue Nile
Daniel and Selam Fikru have been serving Ethiopian dishes in Midtown, Overland Park and now in the City Market location, since 1995. Daniel arrived in the U.S. on a student visa in 1981. He and his brother fled Ethiopia, which was under a military government that was especially dangerous for young men. Their older sister was already in Michigan and helped the brothers’ efforts to join her in the U.S. Daniel was granted political asylum due to the situation in Ethiopia.
Selam and Daniel met in high school. When Daniel first came to the United States, the two spent nine years apart. But then Daniel returned to Ethiopia to marry Selam, who joined him in the U.S. in 1991. She joined his family in Michigan, where they eventually left in favor of warmer weather in Kansas City. Today, Daniel and Selam both have their U.S. citizenship. They have three adult sons, and the family is active in an Ethiopian church in Olathe. The pair grew up around food and cooking, and they see Blue Nile as a way to stay deeply connected to their culture while making Kansas City their home.
Fannie’s
Fannie’s restaurant embraces African lifestyles. The menu reflects ethnic, cultural and traditional themes. Fannie’s story started in Liberia, where she was born and raised. Her grandmother was her first inspiration and always made sure the family had food for the day, even when they were struggling. Watching her, Fannie grew to love cooking. Fannie and her family were in Ghana for a while before coming to the U.S. as refugees in 2003. Fannie and her aunt arrived in Kansas City, her mother and siblings went to Canada and her father and other family members remain in Liberia. When she moved to the U.S., she had the opportunity to turn her passion for food into reality and stay connected to her home. Fannie began just cooking for family and friends and posting her food on social media almost 10 years ago. She received requests for shipped food and eventually opened a storefront. Fannie’s West African & Tropical Cuisine was opened April 13, 2018.
Mediterranean Market
Husband and wife Mohamed and Rose own and operate Mediterranean Market. The two moved to the United States from Syria more than 20 years ago, and both have been working in the restaurant industry for almost as long. The Market is a grocery store and restaurant combo where you can order your food while you shop for cheese, spices, juice, olives and much more. You can get your Baklava for dessert as well, all in one place! Mohamed bought the location in 2014, which had before been a Mediterranean bakery. The Westport neighborhood has been receptive to this unique model. Rose’s parents live in this area and spend a lot of time with Rose, Mohamed and their 5 year old son.
The Bite
At The Bite, located in the City Market and opened in 2014, owner and chef Carlos Mortera serves Mexican- and Korean-inspired sandwiches as well as pozole, a Mexican hominy and meat stew. He loves sandwiches, and it shows in his creations.
His father, Carlos Montera, owned rotisserie chicken restaurants in Mexico. The family, including Carlos, his parents and his two brothers and sister, moved to Kansas City when he was in middle school so that his father could pursue electrical engineering. Chef Carlos considers Kansas City his home and loves the restaurant’s location in the City Market. His parents still live in the area, and one of his brothers works as his right hand man in The Bite. He is married to Amy, whom he met at the City Market, and they have a 9-month-old daughter. Carlos Mortera and his father opened a Mexican barbecue chicken restaurant, Poi-O, together in the fall of 2018. It will soon re-open in a new location.
