NoGarlicNoOnions in Canada by Houda Harb
Just in case you’re reading the title of this article and wondering if there is an issue with garlic and onion supplies in Canada, fret not! What we actually mean is NoGarlicNoOnions’ very own Anthony Rahayel has landed in Canada this month to experience a taste of the Middle East and a taste of Lebanon all over Canada. In fact, it's Canadian-Lebanese blogger Hamsa Diab Farhat from @TasteoftheMiddleEast who has extended an invitation to Anthony to attend the annual Taste of the Middle East festival as the event’s special guest. The festival is happening this month in Toronto, on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of July 2022 at Nathan Phillip Square. If you are in Toronto on these days, you need to get yourself to the Taste of the Middle East festival and experience all the wonderful food, live entertainment, and activities for young and old they have lined up. It will be a unique opportunity to meet the incredible person behind NoGarlicNoOnions, popular YouTuber and social media influencer Anthony Rahayel and hear more from him about NoGarlicNoOnions and about his current work, which centers around supporting small, local producers and farmers in Lebanon.
Anthony has been in Canada since early this month. He is at it again, doing what he does best - connecting people through food and culture. His visit began in Toronto, then continued onto Montreal and Ottawa, and will conclude in Toronto for the remainder of this week. He has visited many Lebanese and Middle Eastern businesses throughout this two-week-long visit to Canada (and eaten a lot of mouth-watering food!) We have been able to get a real sense of the huge successes that the Lebanese and Middle Eastern communities have achieved since arriving in Canada – the Lebanese community, in particular, is clearly a thriving community committed to celebrating its Lebanese food, preserving the culture that surrounds that food and its traditions and importantly, sharing it with the rest of the world.
Interestingly, there is a common theme among Lebanese abroad when you hear them describe how they feel about Anthony and his mission. Whether it’s the Lebanese in Canada, Australia, Europe or any place else, they will tell you repeatedly that they have fallen in love all over again with Lebanon and it’s all thanks to Anthony. What people may not realize yet we must acknowledge is, it’s not just any kind of love this time around. It’s the kind of love that inspires us to be better people, to do more good in this world, to be more connected with one another, to be more supportive of each other, and to celebrate each other's successes. It’s actually the kind of love that fuels a better tomorrow. There’s no denying this is a big deal for a country like Lebanon that’s desperately hanging on for that better tomorrow!
