More Than a Meal: Bringing Cultures Together Through Food

When Gilava arrived in Australia from Iran in 2008, she carried far more than the contents of her suitcase.

Like many migrants, she brought memories, traditions, family recipes and a deep connection to the culture she had grown up in. She also carried the uncertainty that comes with starting over in a new country.

"Starting again in a new country is exciting, but it can also be lonely and disorienting," she says. "Food became one of the ways I could stay connected to who I was while also finding my place in Australia."

It is a sentiment many migrants will understand. Long after accents soften and routines settle, food often remains one of the strongest links to home. A familiar smell, a favourite family recipe or a dish shared around the table can instantly transport you back to another place and time.

For Gilava, food was never simply about nourishment.

"Food was central," she says. "In Iranian culture, food is how you welcome people, show love, celebrate, grieve, apologise and connect. There is always something simmering, something being offered, someone being encouraged to eat more."

Growing up, the kitchen was the heart of the home.

"It was where stories were told, where family gathered, where recipes were passed down without being written down, and where you learned that feeding someone is one of the most generous things you can do."

Years later, sitting around Australian dinner tables, Gilava began to notice something interesting.

Whenever she cooked Iranian and Middle Eastern food for friends, barriers seemed to disappear. People who knew little about Iran or its culture suddenly became curious. Conversations flowed, questions were asked and connections began to form.

"I noticed how quickly curiosity replaced unfamiliarity," she says. "Someone might not know much about Iran, Iranian culture or the region more broadly, but the moment they tasted something fragrant, warm and comforting, the conversation changed."

That observation would eventually become the foundation for Exotic Bazaar.

"I think it happened gradually," she says. "Food has this gentle way of opening doors. It does not demand that people agree on everything. It simply says, 'Come and sit down. Try this.' And sometimes that is enough to begin a much bigger conversation."

The idea behind the business was simple. Gilava wanted to make Middle Eastern flavours easier for everyday Australians to enjoy at home.

"A lot of people are curious about these cuisines, but they can feel intimidated by the long ingredient lists, unfamiliar spices, or the idea that they need to cook something perfectly authentic," she explains. "I wanted to remove that pressure."

Her meal bases were created with busy households in mind.

"The idea is big flavour, no fuss. A little adventure, but still practical for a weeknight."

What makes Gilava's story so compelling is that she is not simply selling food. She is sharing culture.

At a time when public conversations around multiculturalism can sometimes feel complex and divisive, her approach is refreshingly simple.

Feed people, invite them to the table and let the food do the talking.

"I think people soften," she says when asked what happens emotionally when people gather around food from another culture. "When you eat food from another culture, you are experiencing something very personal from someone else's world."

"There is something emotional in that exchange. It makes the unfamiliar feel familiar. It creates curiosity rather than distance. And when people eat together, they often listen differently too."

Gilava believes Australians are becoming increasingly curious about different cuisines and traditions.

"What I find exciting is that people are no longer only looking for safe versions of global food," she says. "They want flavour, story, texture, colour and meaning. They want to know where something comes from and how to use it in their own kitchen."

At the same time, she understands the realities of modern life.

"People are busy. So I think the opportunity is to make cultural food feel accessible without stripping away its soul."

One dish that remains particularly close to her heart is Fesenjoon, a traditional Persian walnut stew.

"It has this deep, comforting aroma that instantly reminds many Iranians of home," she says. "It is the kind of dish that fills the house before it reaches the table."

Perhaps it is no surprise then that seeing Exotic Bazaar products appear on Coles shelves became an emotional milestone.

"For a small, founder-led brand, seeing Exotic Bazaar products on Coles shelves is a huge milestone," she says. "It means these flavours, stories and traditions are becoming part of everyday Australian shopping baskets."

"I still feel proud every time I see the products on shelf. It feels like a little piece of culture sitting there, waiting to be discovered."

When asked what social cohesion means to her, Gilava's answer is perhaps more relevant than ever.

"To me, social cohesion means feeling that we can be different and still belong together," she says.

"It does not mean everyone has to become the same. In fact, I think the beauty of Australia is in the many stories, languages, foods and traditions that sit side by side here."

For Gilava, social cohesion does not start with government policy or grand statements. It begins in ordinary moments.

"Sharing a meal, asking someone about their culture, pronouncing a dish name for the first time, inviting a neighbour over, letting your children taste something from somewhere else," she says. "It is not always grand or political. Sometimes it starts very simply, at the dinner table."

And perhaps that is exactly why her story resonates.

Because in a world that often feels increasingly divided, Gilava reminds us that connection does not always begin with words.

Sometimes it begins with a seat at the table.

To see more, head to Exotic Bazaar® - Feasts of the Middle East

You can follow Gilava on Instagram @exoticbazaar.com.au