During Copenhagen Cooking, you will have the opportunity to attend a special edition of the popular HOUSEWIFE ROAST with natural wine pairings from women producers. This time, the spotlight is on Claudine Lteif and Michelle Chami from Heya Wines (Lebanon).

The Caribbean is not a monolith: Caribbean cuisine encompasses more than most people think. It is a fusion of West African, Creole, Amerindian, European, Latin American, Indian/South Asian, North American, Chinese, and Middle Eastern influences. These traditions were brought from various countries to the Caribbean. Additionally, the population has created unique regional styles. Due to colonization, the Caribbean embodies a fusion of multiple influences: British, Spanish, Dutch, and French colonization brought their respective cuisines, which mixed with West African, Amerindian, East Asian, South Asian, and Arab influences from enslaved, indentured, and other laborers brought to work on the plantations.

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The Caribbean Housewife serves 'Hot Soul Soup' and 'Slow Fast Food' in Copenhagen. The restaurant was founded in 2016 by executive chef Jamain Brigitha, who is also an artist, curator, and creative entrepreneur. Her eclectic Caribbean and Latin inspired cuisine is paired with natural, organic and bio-dynamic wine from remarkable women producers. This unique way of cooking and presenting food, cannot be found anywhere else in Denmark. Jamain Brigitha brings her culinary heritage into every dish. Together with Roman-Sicilian sous chef Emilano Trebbi, she prepares eclectic culinary experiences, which reflect the world’s rich cultural history. Presenting art and collaborating with other artists is an essential element of The Caribbean Housewife. Through her work, Jamain Brigitha gives an eye-opening view on art and visual culture, identity, diaspora, diversity, and intersectional feminism.

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The dinner event takes place in collaboration with Heya Wines...
Claudine Lteif and Michelle Chami are part of a new generation of Lebanese winemakers, who produce miraculously delicious wines despite working under difficult political and socio-economic circumstances. This new generation is focused on Lebanon’s identity, native grapes, and on revisiting the past while creating a new future simultaneously. In a small country with a long history of wine production, yet not as well-known on the innational stage, there is room to experiment.

Both winemakers share a passion for natural wine and ancestral winemaking techniques. The name Heya means 'She' in Arabic and represents an appreciation for the often invisible women who work hard in a male-dominated industry. Heya Wines produces natural, non-fined, non-filtered wines with minimal sulfur and low intervention. They handle everything from A to Z, including hand-labeling and boxing the wines. The labels feature images they captured of the women they work with. They aim for their bottles to exude a natural and organic aesthetic—no Photoshop, nothing fancy, nothing fake.

In the words of the two women themselves: “What motivated us to make our own wines was the feeling that women were not appreciated at all. Many of the women we work with wake up at 3 am, cook, clean, prepare everything for their families, then leave the house at 4 am to harvest in the fields. They return home and still attend to their families without a break, and they are certainly not appreciated. Women are paid less than men. Therefore, we decided that for our wines, we want to pay them the same. We want to show them that we are grateful for all their hard work. We want more women to join us in the fields and be surrounded by people who appreciate them. We listen to their stories, learn about their backgrounds, and share laughter and song together. We have developed strong relationships with these women, and they eagerly seize every opportunity to be with us whenever we need help.”

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...and wine distributor Akeed Vin
"Akeed" means "of course" in Arabic. An expression frequently used in Lebanon, where nothing is impossible. Akeed Vin is a small wine import established by four good friends, Tina, Line, Christelle, and Tue, who have met in Lebanon where they have all lived and worked.

Akeed Vin has an ambition to bring the very best natural and sustainable Lebanese wines to Denmark and has a vision of portraying a nuanced picture of Lebanon as a country with tremendous potential, a rich culture, creativity, talent, and courage.

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