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Flavours of MENASA with Berenjak at the Years of Culture 10th Anniversary Ceremony

2022/10/28

To mark the 10th Anniversary of the Years of Culture initiative, a two-day celebration will be held this month at the National Museum of Qatar. The team behind London-based restaurant Berenjak have crafted a delicious food and drinks menu for esteemed guests, highlighting flavours from the MENASA region.

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Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Years of Culture

The 10th Anniversary festivities will begin with an invitation-only evening for the ambassadors of Years of Culture partner nations from the past decade, ambassadors from across the MENASA region and other honoured guests. Berenjak will serve specially designed canapes, mocktails and dishes influenced by flavours from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

Flavours of MENASA by Berenjak

London-based Berenjak was founded by chef Kian Samyani, inspired by his childhood memories of Persian home cooking. Named after the handfuls of colourful toasted rice eaten as a snack at funfairs in Persia, diners are immersed in the rich cultural and culinary history of Iran.

Berenjak’s Soho venue reinterprets the hole-in-the-wall kabab houses that line the streets of Tehran, while a second location in London’s Borough neighbourhood journeys out of the centre of Tehran into the rural foothills of Iran’s Alborz mountains.

An evening inspired by the MENASA region

During the Years of Culture 10th Anniversary ceremony, VIP guests will enjoy a sumptuous meal by Berenjak, sampling creative dishes with Persian and international influences.

Visitors will enjoy entertainment and speeches during the meal, followed by the world premiere of The Desert Rose symphony, composed especially for the occasion by Malek Jandali and performed live by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

A second day of celebrations will be held at the National Museum of Qatar for members of the public and tickets for the performance can be purchased in advance here.