But he counts himself lucky as he and his family survived the revolution
Imad Alarnab used to run three restaurants in Damascus but was forced to flee Syria in 2015 after bombs destroyed his businesses and his home. He made his way through Lebanon into Turkey, and then took a boat, walked hundreds of miles, hid in the back of a lorry, and spent 64 days sleeping on church steps in Calais, where he cooked for 40 – 50 refugees each day. Cooking provided purpose and a way to stay hopeful.
Once Imad made it to London, he worked any job that he could but he never stopped cooking. Starting with supper clubs showcasing his Syrian food, he soon began to build up support, including from Choose Love, allowing him to progress onto pop-ups and eventually his own restaurant, Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, which opened in Kingly Court in 2020. Aram, a cafe and cultural space in Somerset House, followed in 2025. Through these two sites and the food he’s serving, Imad is keeping a piece of Syria alive
Key Information
Address | Kingly Court and Somerset House
For more information | imadssyriankitchen.co.uk | arambyimad.co.uk
