A pair of Syrians have created a community that provides support to migrants and vulnerable people in Rome, by sharing the flavors of a homeland torn by civil war.
Founded in 2018 as a “humanitarian catering service,” HummusTown was originally aimed at raising funds for families and friends in Syria.
It has since grown into a successful small business that has shifted from sending remittances to helping new migrants integrate in Italy, all the while gaining a steady following on Rome’s gastronomic scene.
As the Syrian war continued to rage, Shaza Saker, a long-time U.N. employee living in Rome, and Joumana Farho, who was working as her cook, wanted to find a way to help people at home. Farho, 48, brought her “divine” cooking, while Saker, 49, networked.
“I told her: ‘Let’s start inviting people over for dinner … and whatever we make out of these dinners we’ll just send …