
This event takes place in the CCFE Solutions Salon at CSI Spadina, 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501
Nayla Ghandour’s love of food and song has taken her on an extraordinary journey around the world. A Lebanese expat living in Dubai during Covid, Nayla began sharing videos on social media of herself cooking and singing — both lifelong passions — as a way of lightening the boredom of lockdown. The project was only ‘amateur’ in that it was done only for the love of doing it, but became a source of real joy, pride and connection.
Around this time Nayla began the long, complex journey of emigrating to Canada. A temporary stay in her hometown of Beirut was arranged as an interim measure. Unexpectedly an opportunity to open a restaurant appeared, and although reticent at first — she had no prior industry experience — she decided to take a leap of faith into this adventure. The menu was composed of all the dishes she loved to cook for her family, spanning Lebanese, Armenian, Italian, and Indian food. Her restaurant, The Singing Mama, soon became blur of singing, cooking and hosting — a new home.
Unfortunately the situation in Lebanon continued to deteriorate. Nayla’s family were granted an Express Entry Visa, so they made the painful decision to close down and relocate for the sake of their children. Nayla’s own childhood was marked by war and bombing, and she did not want her kids to experience the same trauma. Now in Canada, Nayla hopes that cooking and singing will continue to offer pathways to new friendships, as well as a connection to memories and traditions.
Join us for a night of delicious food, lovingly prepared and shared, accompanied by a selection of contemporary international pop, jazz, soul and blues vocals performed by The Singing Mama herself.
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Eech Salad
In this classic Armenian dish, fine bulgur wheat absorbs layers of flavour from a mix of sautéed vegetables and a rich crimson hue from a paste of smoky, slightly spicy Aleppo pepper. Fresh mint and basil add freshness, walnuts bring richness and texture, and a garnish of pomegranate adds the final pop of colour and tang.
Kousa Mahshi & Warak Enab
A beloved, labour-intensive Lebanese dish of pale marrows (a kind of small, young zucchini) and vine leaves stuffed with a mix of ground beef, rice and baharat, a fragrant Arabic mixture of 7 spices. They are then layered over lamb, drizzled with good olive oil and lemon, and patiently slow-cooked for hours until meltingly tender. The hollowing out of each kousa and the careful rolling of each vine leaf means this dish is a labour of love usually reserved for family gathering and special occasions.
Mujaddara Hamra
An ancient Levantine dish, this mixture of lentils, cracked bulgur and onions has been made since biblical times. This dish is a speciality of Southern Lebanon, where it gets the name hamra, meaning ‘red’, from the onions which are fried until they are deeply caramelized, sweet and dark auburn, which lends a russet colour to the finished dish. Served with fresh laban (yogurt) and mint.
Fattoush
A fresh, colourful salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green onions, mint, and radish, with a lemon pomegranate dressing and crispy fried pita croutons.
Medovik
A somewhat unlikely dessert for the Middle East, this traditional Russian honey cake has become something of a phenomenon in the UAE, with several bakeries in Dubai specializing in just this dish. A decadent and impressive dessert, it is comprised of more than a dozen thin layers of golden pastry interspersed with a rich, tangy, honey-infused cream.
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$89 +HST
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Nayla Ghandour — The Singing Mama — has carried her twin loves of cooking and singing from Dubai to Beirut, and now to Canada, where she looks forward to sharing them both with new friends. @the.singing.mama
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The Depanneur is a place where Interesting Food Things Happen. For more than a decade The Dep has been showcasing Toronto’s remarkable culinary diversity through thousands of unique food events as well as the forthcoming Depanneur Cookbook, featuring 100 recipes from 100 cooks. After more than 10 years at its iconic College Street location, The Dep is now bringing all new Interesting Food Things to exciting venues all across the GTA.
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