Roads & Kingdoms is proud to co-release this short film about the opening of the great Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan’s first restaurant in North America—and the first prominent restaurant in Toronto to call itself Palestinian.
We were first introduced to Fadi Kattan by Roads & Kingdoms co-founder Nathan Thornburgh in the fall of 2024. Fadi’s reputation preceded him, mostly through the groundbreaking cookbook he’d just published that was topping all the year-end lists. When Nathan explained that Fadi would be opening his first restaurant in North America (he already has locations in Bethlehem and London) and that his new spot would be in Toronto, we knew we had to get it on film.
Through our series, OPEN, we have been filming chefs to show what goes into opening a restaurant. Not opening night—that’s a singular event. We’re interested in something more quotidian: showing the process of opening on the regular. The daily grind of prep, family meal, deliveries, everything that takes place before service. In telling that story, we tell the story of the restaurant itself.
When we were told that our media sponsor wouldn’t release it, we weren’t sure where to turn.
This film is like nothing else in the series. In the most multicultural city on Planet Earth—there are more cuisines represented in Toronto’s food scene than New York, Dubai, Los Angeles, or anywhere else—we take it for granted that every kind of food is available. Turns out it isn’t. Or it is, but it goes by a different name.
This short film is about a Palestinian restaurant that could be considered controversial by some, though it shouldn’t be. When we were told that our media sponsor wouldn’t release it, we weren’t sure where to turn. Until we remembered how we were introduced to Fadi in the first place.
We’re thrilled to have everything come full circle and honored to tell this story with the honesty it requires. Clearly this film was meant to be presented with Roads & Kingdoms.
