A Table For Two: Journal

Podcast

August 13, 2024

A Custodian of a Lebanese Terroir – Fabrice Guiberteau

Just before Covid, I had the pleasure to meet Fabrice Guiberteau. Right away, his deep attachment to the land and his visceral relationship with nature caught my attention. In our first interview, along with Chef Frank Page, we explored some of these themes. Four years later, I met again Fabrice in Kefraya. I’ve always preferred in person conversation, and this was a great setup. During our conversation, we spoke about his attachment to the land, what he calls the “farmer common sense” (“le bon sens paysan”), the impact of climate change, how he approaches winemaking and his custodian role at <a href="https://www.chateaukefraya.com/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">Kefraya</a>. Besides the complete conversation available as a podcast, we produced a short portrait video of Fabrice which you can find here and <a href="https://youtu.be/z7heRdPCKP0" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">YouTube</a>. Enjoy the conversation.

Lebanon Video Wine

Podcast

July 16, 2024

Would You Run 50km? 100km? Explore Ultra-Running with Dana Matar

50 km, with some 2,000 m ascent, in the beautiful natural reserve of Arz Barouk. On paper, it looked doable—a big stretch, but not impossible. Though I had many afterthoughts, the training process was underway, with its ups and downs. Then, race day arrived. At the beginning, I stayed at the back of the pack. It was way too early for me, and cold. I trotted along, walking up the hills, trying to warm up and wake up. Walking lent itself to engaging with fellow runners. So, in the early hours, I met Dana Matar. She started telling me about her life as an ultra-runner. I didn’t know who she was, but as we passed other runners, everyone greeted her, asking her how she was. Then, at the first aid station, as I turned around, she was gone, never to be seen again. She ended up winning the race. After a very difficult 8 hours and 49 minutes, I finally crossed the finish line, still wondering why I got myself into this race. Happy, or more precisely relieved. At the award ceremony, I saw Dana again, all smiles and satisfied with her performance. The idea to interview her came at that moment. Why would someone go through such experiences and make a living out of it? This was going to be a fascinating conversation. From childhood up to my early thirties, my life revolved around sports as a professional and athlete. For instance, I participated in World Championships in snowboarding and windsurfing. So, to include the subject of sports in the Table For Two podcast comes naturally. Athletes are fascinating examples of how purpose becomes life. Enjoy the conversation.

Lebanon Podcast

Podcast

May 14, 2024

Ursula Bittner – Greenwashing and Corruption

Greenwashing is everywhere. Companies will do all they can to show their products in the best light, even if it means lying to the consumer, or to put it mildly distorting the reality. Consumers are defenseless in such situation. As Ursula Bittner mentions it, the shopper in the supermarket isle has no idea if the product purchased is really “natural” or produced while protecting the environment. An economic expert at Greenpeace CEE and founder of Saubere Hände (Clean Hands) to fight corruption in Austria, Bittner knows a few things about this issue. It was a great pleasure to talk to her about greenwashing, lobbying and also corruption. Her experience is invaluable as she is at the frontline of this battle to counteract the behaviors of the large food companies and conglomerates. Checks and balances are at the heart of our democracies, and the role of Civil Society becomes even more important in a time where the means of the large companies have become so vast. As always, it is fascinating to discover why she embarked on a life in Civil Society, which for her started at an early age. Enjoy the conversation.

Podcast

Podcast

April 30, 2024

Anissa Helou – The Importance of Food Cultures

In a world where food uniformity and standardization seem ubiquitous, what is the role of food culture? Why care where our cuisine and recipes come from? In this new podcast, I have the privilege to talk to Anissa Helou, one of the world references on Levantine, Mediterranean and Islamic food. For her “Food is Culture.” And one imply the other. When Food is viewed as Culture, it becomes social, environmental, and geographical, it’s take on a whole different meaning. It’s an expression of the place and the people it originates from. It is deeply ingrained in who we are—part of our roots. It is no wonder that some dishes from our childhood resonate with us. They stand for “comfort” food. In our conversation, we spoke about how she got into food, and the importance of food cultures. Anissa Helou’s experience and knowledge are so vast, that it is a real privilege to listen to her.

Podcast

Podcast

April 23, 2024

From Specialty Coffee to Wine – Channa Galhenage from Loustic Cafe

There is something striking about Channa Galhenage. In a good sense. He is the man behind Loustic Café, part of the first wave of specialty coffee shops in Paris. Though he was not predestined to work in hospitality, he found his place right into it. Warm, witty, and welcoming, he makes people feel comfortable from the moment you meet him. He says that he is in the “entertainment business”. So that makes him a natural-born entertainer. <a href="https://tablefortwo.co/2020/05/02/one-on-one-with-channa-galhenage/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">The first time we spoke</a> was during the pandemic. That was a difficult time for people in hospitality. <a href="https://tablefortwo.co/2023/04/03/channa-galhenage-using-specialty-coffee-and-cafe-loustic-as-an-anti-loneliness-cure/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">The second time was last year</a>, coming out of the pandemic, taking stock of where he was and the importance of his work—a cure to loneliness. Now, he is embarking on a new journey. He sold the café, keeping the name, and will open a wine bar. So, it is befitting to welcome him as the first guest of the rebranded podcast (One on One is now called A Table For Two). I was wondering why he took such a decision, what motivated him. Since he has embarked on his journey in the hospitality industry, he has had an idea of the role he wants to play. In this new phase, his purpose is getting refined, and is more in tune with his aspirations. In our conversation, he talks about the reasons behind the decision, the impact of his just-completed travel around the world, and much more. His journey fits very well the tagline of the podcast: when purpose becomes life. Have a great listening.

Podcast

Podcast

April 16, 2024

Gemma Bell – Food To Fight Injustices and Inequalities

Some trips can change lives. It happened to Gemma Bell when she went to Palestine in 2016. It altered her views and helped her start initiatives to fight off inequalities and injustices. She co-founded <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cookforsyria/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">Cook for Syria</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cookforpalestine/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">Cook for Palestine</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cookforiran/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: lime;">Cook for Iran</a>. Discovering the food of these different countries allows people to get a better connection to and understanding of these cultures and the plights of its people. But, this process would not be possible without people like Gemma Bell and her co-founders, and all the people involved in these initiatives. Through their devotion and dedication, they help build the bridges between these different worlds. For people in Western countries, it’s hard to understand how life can be under occupation, authoritarian regimes, or the threat of war. So, to get at least a glimpse of what life can be there is the start of the awareness process. Because, as Gemma Bell mentioned in our conversation, the people in Palestine, Iran, Syria or Beyond, will know that they have not been forgotten. And sometimes, injustices and inequalities do not happen thousands of kilometers away. Sometimes, it’s in our own cities, just around the corner. The homeless, the disenfranchised, the people living in poverty may be invisible to our eyes, but they are there. During Covid, there were food banks that came to their help. These food banks still exist. The problems have not gone away even if they are not headline news anymore. When we become indifferent, we start to lose our humanity. Having passioned and devoted people like Gemma Bell and the people involved in the different initiatives is so important to remind us that we can make a difference.

Podcast

Antoine's Journal

Featured Content

Why Should Filmmakers Think Like Entrepreneurs?

A Custodian of a Lebanese Terroir – Fabrice Guiberteau

Would You Run 50km? 100km? Explore Ultra-Running with Dana Matar

Ursula Bittner – Greenwashing and Corruption

Anissa Helou – The Importance of Food Cultures

From Specialty Coffee to Wine – Channa Galhenage from Loustic Cafe

Gemma Bell – Food To Fight Injustices and Inequalities

Antoine's Journal

Featured Content

Why Should Filmmakers Think Like Entrepreneurs?

A Custodian of a Lebanese Terroir – Fabrice Guiberteau

Would You Run 50km? 100km? Explore Ultra-Running with Dana Matar

Ursula Bittner – Greenwashing and Corruption

Anissa Helou – The Importance of Food Cultures

From Specialty Coffee to Wine – Channa Galhenage from Loustic Cafe

Gemma Bell – Food To Fight Injustices and Inequalities

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