KAÏA's olive oil producer on nostalgia eating in diaspora and her recipe for Ojja
reality bites with sarah ben romdane + new screening discounts from nyff
Sarah Ben Romdane was born in Paris to a Tunisian father and Syrian mother, and she’s spent summers in Tunisia ever since she was born. Her family produced olive oil in Tunisia from the end of the 19th century until the 1950s — and with her brand, KAÏA, Sarah has picked up the family legacy, producing olive oil on the same family-owned estate. She spilts her time between France and Tunisia. When she’s in Paris, you may spot her watching the sunset at the top of the Parc de Belleville, enjoying Tunisian food, or working in a café; in Tunisia, she might be going for a swim in the ocean or having a meal with family.
“I think many diaspora kids use food as a way to connect with their identities. Food is a central element of our family gatherings, celebrations, holidays. It helps us understand who we are and where we come from. In keeping these recipes alive, we transmit identity, spirituality, knowledge, and tradition from one generation to the next.”
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