Conflict Kitchen is a take-out restaurant that only serves cuisine from countries with which the United States government is in conflict. Each Conflict Kitchen iteration is augmented by events, performances and discussions about the culture, politics and issues within each country upon which we focus. The restaurant rotates identities in response to current geopolitical events. The current Iranian version of our restaurant serves traditional Persian dishes and beverages.
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HOURS / DIRECTIONS / CONTACT US / PRESS INQUIRIES
HOURS: 11am-6pm, 7 days a week
RESTAURANT PHONE: 412-802-8417
PRESS INQUIRES: call Jon Rubin @ 510-912-2221
CONTACT: For questions about Conflict Kitchen feel free to CONTACT US
Thank you for your thoughtful endeavor. Sharing food is certainly one way of increasing communications among humans.
I think that a vegetarian meal might better indicate the importance of ending conflict. With all of the sources of protein available to humans, killing animals and cooking their flesh is not necessary. Perhaps, if we can become more mindful about ending suffering for all beings, we can move closer to ending conflict among humans. We may also move closer to reducing hunger by freeing more land for raising crops that humans can consume.
Thank you for your commitment to peace.
Hi folks! You guys must have read “Cuisines of the Axis of Evil” by Chris Fair? It’s a hilarious and delicious cookbook/discussion of the nefarious deeds of the governments of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, India, Pakistan, Israel, China, Cuba, Burma, and for good measure, the USA, with authentic menus for dinner parties where you can discuss politics while eating delicious foods from the afore-mentioned countries.
I’m a CMU alum, and will be in Pittsburgh at the end of the month. Can’t wait to pay a visit!
I totally agree with Anthony.
Meat is Very oil based and very polluting, some of the major causes of conflict in our world.
Thank you for your commitment to peace.
I read about Conflict Kitchen online and am inspired by your story. We live a couple thousand of miles away, but will be hosting our very own “Conflict Kitchen” for family night every Monday night in June. My 7 year old son has requested we start with China, so that we will. And to Anne, thanks for the book recommendation, off to Amazon now to order it.
Yum! I love it. Reminds me of the sandwich I had at the Kurdish sandwich shop in Paris a week ago. Wish I was closer to Pittsburgh to pop in and have a sandwich, I guess a good reason for me to visit Pittsburgh. Keep it up!
Thank you for your efforts with Conflict Kitchen. I truly believe our best chance for peace lies in our understanding of world cultures and an exploration of all we have in common and what makes each unique. Food is, truly, one of the most inviting places to start that journey.
Every taste connects us.
Denise Fondo
http://icooktheworld.wordpress.com
What a wonderful idea. This has been an element of my cooking for years. I was lucky enough to have cooked in a Persian kitchen recently and loved all the stories and culture that food presents. Even the Smithsonian has been holding a Nowruz event for two years now to a similar effect. I have traveled and studied cuisine and culture in many countries and this is one of the best ways to meet and connect with people. In spite of what our “leaders” tell us; we want little more than to feed, shelter and love our families. I wish you all the best. I want to do something similar in my community as well> Maybe at our homes , sitting with a good meal and great company we can self govern with a happy belly instead of blaming our problems. I choose happy belly!
peace to you and your families everywhere!
Oso Wallman
Hello there. This is just brilliant. For so many reasons. I live in London so popping over for a kubideh sandwich won’t be easy (which is a shame – looks absolutely delicious). I will however be popping back to see what else turns up on the menu. Lots of luck. Ray
This is a great idea!
Much like the other posters, I believe that the best way to begin to understand another culture is to eat their food!
Incorporation of political and cultural messages of the respective countries is another brilliant idea!
Keep up the great work! I’m just sad that I can’t check y’all out since I live down in Houston!
Amir
This is a great idea. To bad that some of us live in other countries.
Would it be possible to include the recopies of your food / dishes on the web so people who don’t live near your shop can at least prepare the food themselves?
In this way also I can participate and learn about different cultures.
Regards
I did not see anything written on your sandwich wrappers and napkins about the mother of two in Iran who is scheduled this week to be stoned to death for allegedly committing adultery. Real Iranians eat this cuisine with a great deal of sorrow and oppression. If you must earn a living in this way, at least provide the full gamut of information that describes Iran. The people of Iran would want you to.
Yes, sounds yummy! Could you post a recipe for those of us who are not in your area and would like to “follow along in the hymnal”? Thanks.
Excellent work Conflict Kitchen.
I am a Pittsburgher living in Seattle.
This is a great idea for any city in the USA, but particularly excellent for Pittsburgh, where people love good ethnic food, and will benefit from learning about the people with whom we are in conflict. You do not (like another poster suggested) need to offer any other information to the consumer other than the food and the nationality of the food. Just let the people experience the rich, delicious nature of the “other”. Learning through eating is enough, a great fiirst step, and I think your approach, the use of Farsi and Dari on the sign, and the consistent deliciousness is perfect.
Proud to be from Pittsburgh today. Fantastic work! Keep it up.
[By the way, Yemen has a fantastic coastal tradition of roasting fish and serving it with flatbread and a kind of well-blended spicy salsa. You feel great when you eat it, and it is the kind of one-dish meal that could be perfect for your model. Might need some tables outside, though, but just some plastic ones. No silverware. Fast, fresh, delicious--makes you think Yemenis are pretty cool.]
This has got to be one of the greatest culinary ideas of the decade! Really, good on you on such an inspiring endeavor, should you decide to open a sister initiative in New York, I would love to help out and I am sure the City will fully embrace it!
Just a note on the many comments about vegetarian meals. As a scientist, I actually disagree that human should not consume meat. Sure, the indecently high meat consumption of countries like the USA should definitely be curbed, but some of the properties of meat are really important for our diet if eaten correctly and in moderation. Additionally, humans are part of the food chain just like all other animals. If tomorrow birds became vegetarian, we would die to mosquito bites! I, on the other hand, completely agree that the meat industry is disgusting for the major part, pastures ruin our environment and pollute like crazy. However, the solution to change the meat industry cannot be to take ourselves out of it and just stop eating meat, but has got to take an active approach where only ethically raised, humanely treated meat from small farms (which struggle more and more every day to compete against the big meat corporations) is purchased and eaten, if possible directly from the source when the farm is local. Whole Food has started a grading system for meat and right now, I only buy meat from Whole Food which is 4 or higher (outdoor and in the same farm all the animal life) or directly from farms/fishermen. I know it is tough and requires hard work, but eating and buying consciously is our duty as human beings, to cut out meat from our menu, just the “easy way out”!!!