#4. Chef, entrepreneur, activist and author Reem Assil details how she started restaurants, building culture, poker, parenting, and Arab hospitality.
Reem Assil is the founder of Reem's California, an Arab Street food restaurant in the Bay Area, and the author of the recently published book, Arabiyya. In the episode, Reem reveals that she got into poker during a transitional period in her life, which allowed her to develop confidence. The game also taught her how to not get caught up with the ups and downs and play the long game.
They also discuss Reem's upbringing as a Palestinian Syrian and how it has informed her work as an activist and entrepreneur. She shares her experiences as a former labor and community organizer and the challenges of navigating the food industry as a woman of color. They also talk about her book, Arabiyya, which showcases her passion for preserving the culinary traditions of her culture while also pushing the boundaries and experimenting with new flavors.
In addition, they touch on the importance of building a strong culture within a restaurant, the challenges of parenting and running a business simultaneously, and the concept of Arab hospitality, which involves the sweet torture of excessive generosity and kindness. Overall, this episode offers valuable insights into the mind of a successful entrepreneur and activist and how her experiences have shaped her approach to decision-making, leadership, and culture building.
Where to find Reem Assil:
Where to find host Josh Sharkey:
In this episode, we cover:
(2:38) How poker impacts business decisions
(7:22) What does it mean to be a chef?
(11:14) How Reem operationalizes her kitchens
(14:04) The Traction model
(15:37) How Reem is building her legacy
(17:18) How to hire the right people
(19:12) Investing in language justice
(20:29) What is Arab hospitality?
(23:05) Balancing preserving traditions and evolving
(26:02) Colonialism and the language of cuisine
(27:57) The future of Reem’s California
(32:16) The joy of publishing Arabiyya
(34:45) The parallels of Arab and Mexican traditions
(37:24) Reem on reclaiming her identity
(40:55) Lessons learned from motherhood
(44:43) Reem on television shows and social justice