Sunday Kitchen

KARIMA HAZIM

As the founder of Lebanese cooking experience, Sunday Kitchen, Karima Hazim spends her days sharing stories and crafting memories through the power of food.

Having originally studied a Bachelor of Design at UTS with a major in Fashion and Textile Design, Karima co-founded a women’s fashion label, which she worked on for four years between Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. While the language barrier often presented challenges for a 23-year-old Karima, it was the unspoken language of food, and an appreciation of shared cultures that defined her time abroad. Through moments spent around warm and welcoming tables – the shared joy of two distinctly different cuisines helped to break barriers and establish long-standing friendships.

Following her time in Vietnam, Karima combined her entrepreneurial spirit and creative thinking skills to help small business owners grow and discover their purpose. This not only allowed her to make an impact of her own, but connect people through enjoyable experiences and engaging storytelling.

This combination of culture and creativity has been a constant throughout Karima’s career. As a second-generation Lebanese Australian, Karima established Sunday Kitchen with her mother Sivine, to share traditional Lebanese recipes and stories through an engaging and immersive cooking experience.

Inspired by the matriarchal figures in her community, and as a mother herself, Karima’s interest in the role food plays in our lives has also seen her establish The Heirloom Project alongside photographer, Luisa Brimble. Together they document Lebanese people living in Australia and the many ways in which they have built and nurtured community through the shared experiences of food. From Lebanese grocers, butchers and bakeries to a communal love of farming and fishing, this project documents Lebanese knowledge and traditions that might otherwise have been lost. Importantly, this creative endeavour aims to highlight the positive impact migrants have on society, while emphasising the significance of preserving heritage and culture from all corners of the world.

In combining passion with purpose, Karima has created her own avenue for storytelling that shines a light on the past for present and future generations to come. Through her steadfast dedication to tradition and the preservation of family-kept recipes and rituals, Karima continues to use food as an avenue to connect, create and share.

SIVINE TABBOUCH

If every dish tells a story, then Sivine Tabbouch has surely created a novel bursting with fascinating characters and captivating plot twists by now.

As one of 15 children, Sivine started her cooking journey alongside her mother at a very young age, where she quickly discovered the origin stories and secrets behind each lovingly created dish. Now, working side by side with her own daughter at the helm of their Lebanese food practice, Sunday Kitchen, Sivine continues her unique story of creating food experiences that connect, educate and inspire. In sharing the traditional Lebanese recipes of her past, Sivine has combined her experience of cooking and storytelling to establish enduring traditions for new families to enjoy.

Having worked within the social work sector for more than 30 years, and through her extensive engagement within the local Arabic speaking community, Sivine is a passionate advocate for social justice. Through her long-standing involvement with the local refugee community, Sivine has also worked tirelessly to provide support, advocacy and safe spaces for displaced individuals and families.

Both rewarding and impactful, these experiences have allowed Sivine to witness unparalleled resilience, courage, and determination in the face of adversity. This has further fuelled her desire to help those in need, and deepened her own understanding of humanity, compassion, and the power of collective action. Sivine firmly believes that by understanding and appreciating the rich cultural heritage of different communities, we can all gain a greater appreciation for diversity and the richness of the human experience.

Passionate about food, people and stories – Sivine is also an active member of a writer’s group and literary women’s group, and has a deep appreciation of all cultural mediums including art, song and dance.