Afghanistan is coming to Bishop Monkton on Saturday October 4th, when The Afghan Kitchen is hosting a pop up restaurant at the Village Hall, starting at 7 p.m. It promises to be a fantastic evening where diners will become part of “the family” and experience the food, warmth and spirit of Afghanistan.

Hospitality is at the heart of Afghan culture and this meal will be cooked and served by Afghan refugee women living locally. The evening will start the traditional way with a charming welcome by children with sweets and smiles, followed by starter, main course with bread and salad and then dessert, at a cost of £30 per person. The main course will be a choice of either chicken, lamb or vegetarian dish.

As there are expenses incurred before the evening guests need to book and pre-pay for tickets. All dietary requirements and choices must be made at the time of booking. The bread does contain gluten, but a gluten-free alternative is available, while the traditional Afghan dessert includes dairy and nuts. Fresh fruit can be ordered in its place.

To make a booking, select choices and pay, please click here. All bookings will be confirmed by email.

The Kitchen is the initiative of Nahid Hamidi who fled her home country in August 2021 when the Taliban took control, leaving the family with no alternative as her husband had worked as an interpreter with the British army. Despite having visas they had to leave all their possessions behind, escaping in an American cargo plane.

University educated and speaking fluent English, Nahid was the director of a charity in the Badakhshan province providing food, education and medical aid to impoverished families. With a baby on the way and two other young daughters, she and her husband, who also speaks fluent English, settled in Harrogate. Initially homesick, they soon became involved with local residents as well as other Afghan families. Nahid quickly noticed the challenges faced by other ladies of her culture who could not speak English, making it harder for them to integrate and find work.

So was born the idea of the Afghan Kitchen, which opened its doors in late 2023. It is a real family business-it is Nahid's children who welcome diners- with her husband, friends and their children all helping out. It has proved to be a popular enterprise, as many "kitchens" sell out.

Nahid said "Hospitality is one of the most important parts of our culture. We are always happy to share our food and believe when someone eats our food he/she will be kind to us and respect us. It is a deeply ingrained value that shapes how people interact and builds trust. When someone comes to our house and goes without any food we will be really unhappy and sad, but if someone eats our food and likes it we will appreciate it very much and make us happy.

It's a fact that I cook to earn money but it's really important for me to share my culture and bring a difference and joy to the English community".

Asked about English food, Nahid said that the family very rarely eat out, preferring to cook at home, but added that she had tried fish and chips, commenting, "I like it".

Villager, Adrian, 'Gunner' Mardon, a former member of the Armed Forces said "Having served in Afghanistan I can highly recommend the food and hospitality they give".

The village looks forward to welcoming Nahid and her family on a second occasion, the first time being when the "Kitchen" served refreshments at the recent children's FunFest Day. Why not try a taste of authentic Afghan cuisine and treat your tastebuds to new and exciting flavours.