"may be the only seafood shack in the world with its own guard tower."

June 17, 2013 6:05 PM

Cooking For Freedom

A few days before I met Ahmed Jama in Mogadishu, three Islamist gunmen from Al Shabaab — al-Qa’eda’s Somali branch — burst into his new restaurant wearing suicide bomb jackets. They sprayed the place with bullets and then detonated themselves.

NPR: At His Own Risk, Somali Chef Creates Gourmet Haven In War-Weary Mogadishu

Why I returned from London to start restaurants in Somalia, from TEDx Mogadishu

Luxury dining on Mogadishu beachfront signals continued evolution toward peace

posted by the man of twists and turns (11 comments total)

Wow. I applaud his dedication to his country and his people. My his peaceful, delicious protest be successful.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:30 PM on June 17, 2013

A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the vine sustained him. Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away at the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted!
posted by Ironmouth at 6:45 PM on June 17, 2013 [17 favorites]

More power to him. Whether or not his efforts eventually make a difference doesn't matter. It is the sheer level of commitment he is displaying that matters, that will show his fellow countrymen that bravery is what it takes to change the nation. I wish him only the best.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 6:50 PM on June 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

If I had the means I would totally fly to Somalia just to eat in this man's restaurant.

But only once.
posted by localroger at 7:12 PM on June 17, 2013

Unreported World: The Master Chef of Mogadishu

Welcome to the Village hotel and restaurant, a gem in the heart of Somalia.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 7:38 PM on June 17, 2013

Why are these people bombing his restaurant? "Terrorists" is an unsatisfying description.
posted by wayland at 9:00 PM on June 17, 2013

Libertarians finally have the answer to the bar classic "Then why don't you move to Mogadishu?".

Can't get reservations....
posted by dglynn at 10:01 PM on June 17, 2013 [3 favorites]

wayland, I'd imagine it is due to a couple things. One, from the article:

At the height of their power here Al Shabaab went mad, outlawing anything they saw as western, or infidel: football, music and moustaches. Restaurants were frowned on, western food forbidden. Even samosas were outlawed as blasphemous after some mullah decided their three corners might represent the trinity.

So he's bringing a "Western" influence (back) into the country. And he's defying the various mullahs and warlords who wish to hold unquestioned control by fear. If dropping a beheaded corpse on someone's doorstep doesn't deter them, what if their neighbors start to stand up, too? There are most likely more normal people than there are terrorists (and they are terrorists, who deploy "the systematic use of terror, often violent, especially as a means of coercion"), so if people stopped being afraid, the terrorists would have to kill more people, and eventually completely ruin their country. As a terrorist, you need some people to terrorize, or you're out of a job.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:22 PM on June 17, 2013 [3 favorites]

Samosas, a Western influence?? *[choked gurgle]* if you think its anything to do with the Trimurthi.
posted by infini at 1:05 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]

Outlawing samosas is blasphemy!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 6:38 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]

So he's bringing a "Western" influence (back) into the country. And he's defying the various mullahs and warlords who wish to hold unquestioned control by fear. If dropping a beheaded corpse on someone's doorstep doesn't deter them, what if their neighbors start to stand up, too? There are most likely more normal people than there are terrorists (and they are terrorists, who deploy "the systematic use of terror, often violent, especially as a means of coercion"), so if people stopped being afraid, the terrorists would have to kill more people, and eventually completely ruin their country. As a terrorist, you need some people to terrorize, or you're out of a job.

But wouldn't cultural conservatives be overjoyed that an (apparently) traditional somali restaurant has opened?

I'm not trying to deny that these people are terrorists (and I'm sorry if it came off that way), it's just that terrorism is a technique, not a motivation; I'm wondering at these people's motivation.
posted by wayland at 4:26 PM on June 18, 2013